Carly Rae Jepsen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carly Rae Jepsen
Jepsen performing at Primavera Sound 2019
Background information
Born	(1985-11-21) November 21, 1985 (age 39) Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Pop disco folk
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2007–present
Labels	604 Schoolboy Interscope MapleMusic (former) Polydor

Carly Rae Jepsen (born November 21, 1985) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She studied musical theatre for many years. Carly Rae Jepsen became well-known after finishing third on Canadian Idol in 2007.

In 2008, she released her first album, Tug of War, in Canada. It was later released internationally in 2011. Her big break came in 2012 with her hit song "Call Me Maybe". This song was the best-selling single of that year. It sold over 18 million copies and reached number one in more than 19 countries. This success led to big record deals with Schoolboy Records and Interscope Records.

Jepsen's second album, Kiss, came out later in 2012. It included the song "Good Time" with Owl City. Both songs were in the top ten in Canada and the United States. In 2014, Jepsen performed on Broadway theatre. She played the main character in Cinderella for 12 weeks.

The next year, she released her third album, Emotion. This album was inspired by 1980s music, dance-pop, and synth-pop. It featured songs like "I Really Like You", "Your Type", and "Run Away with Me". In 2016, Jepsen was in the TV special Grease: Live. She also voiced a character in the animated movie Ballerina.

In 2019, she released the song "OMG" with Gryffin. Her fourth album, Dedicated, came out that year. It included singles such as "Party for One" and "Now That I Found You". A year later, she released Dedicated Side B, which had more songs from that time. Her sixth album, The Loneliest Time, was released in October 2022. It included songs like "Western Wind" and "Beach House". The title track was a song with Rufus Wainwright. Its companion album, The Loveliest Time, followed in July 2023.

Carly Rae Jepsen has won many awards. These include three Juno Awards and three Billboard Music Awards. She has also been nominated for Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards.

Becoming a Music Star

Early Life and School Days (1985–2006)

Carly Rae Jepsen was born on November 21, 1985. Her hometown is Mission, British Columbia, Canada. She is the second of three children. Carly Rae loved musical theatre when she was in school. She performed in school plays like Annie, Grease, and The Wiz.

Her parents were teachers. Carly Rae thought about teaching music too. She applied to music programs at universities. Her high school drama teacher told her to try out for the Canadian College of Performing Arts. She was one of 25 students accepted into the program in 2004.

After college, Jepsen moved to Vancouver. She worked different jobs, like a barista and a bartender. She also worked as an assistant pastry chef. During this time, she wrote songs in her free time.

Canadian Idol and First Album (2007–2010)

Jepsen performing on Canada Day in 2010

In 2007, her high school drama teacher convinced her to audition for Canadian Idol. She sang her own song, "Sweet Talker," at the audition. She finished in third place in the competition. Carly Rae felt this was the best possible result for her.

Her demo recordings caught the eye of music manager Jonathan Simkin. He signed Jepsen to a deal with 604 Records that year. In June 2008, Jepsen released her first single. It was a cover of John Denver's song "Sunshine on My Shoulders". Her first album, Tug of War, came out in September 2008. It sold 10,000 copies in Canada.

The songs "Tug of War" and "Bucket" reached the top 40 in Canada. They also sold enough copies to be certified Gold. "Sour Candy" was a duet with Josh Ramsay. It was the last single from the album. In 2009, Jepsen toured western Canada with the bands Marianas Trench and Shiloh.

Global Success with "Call Me Maybe" (2011–2014)

Jepsen performing on Justin Bieber's Believe Tour in 2012

In the summer of 2011, Jepsen recorded new music. She worked with Josh Ramsay, Ryan Stewart, and Tavish Crowe. The song "Call Me Maybe", which Tavish Crowe helped write, was released in September 2011.

Another Canadian pop star, Justin Bieber, helped promote the song. This led Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, to sign Jepsen to a worldwide record deal. She signed with his label, Schoolboy Records, and a big label called Interscope Records. "Call Me Maybe" became number one in Canada. It made Jepsen the fourth Canadian artist to top that chart.

In the US, the song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for nine weeks. Billboard magazine called it the "Song of the Summer." It was the best-selling single in the world in 2012. It topped the charts in 19 countries, including the United Kingdom. "Call Me Maybe" was part of Jepsen's six-song EP, Curiosity, released in February 2012 in Canada. After "Call Me Maybe" became a hit, Jepsen recorded the song "Good Time" with Owl City. It was released in June 2012 and reached the top ten.

Jepsen's second album, Kiss, came out in September 2012. It included the songs "This Kiss" and "Tonight I'm Getting Over You". These songs reached the top ten in Australia, the UK, Canada, and the US. In 2012, Jepsen also became a model for the clothing store Wet Seal. She appeared on an episode of the TV show 90210.

At the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, Jepsen won the Rising Star Award. "Call Me Maybe" was nominated for two Grammy Awards. In January 2013, Jepsen became a spokesperson for the clothing brand Candie's. At the Juno Awards of 2013, Kiss won Album of the Year and Pop Album of the Year. "Call Me Maybe" won Single of the Year.

In June 2013, Kiss: The Remix, an album of remixes from Kiss, was released in Japan. From June to October 2013, Jepsen went on The Summer Kiss Tour in North America and Asia. In Spring 2014, she performed on Broadway theatre in Cinderella for 12 weeks. In June 2014, Jepsen won an award for her international success.

Emotion and Other Projects (2015–2017)

Jepsen performing on her Gimmie Love Tour in 2016

Jepsen released the first song from her third album, "I Really Like You", in March 2015. The music video featured actor Tom Hanks lip-syncing to the song. It reached number 14 in Canada and the top five in the UK. The album, called Emotion, was released in June 2015.

Even though it didn't sell as much as Kiss, critics loved Emotion. It gained a strong group of fans. The album reached number eight in Canada and number 16 in the US. It included songs with other artists like Sia and Dev Hynes. The second single, "Run Away with Me", came out in July 2015. In November 2015, Jepsen started Gimmie Love Tour to support Emotion.

Jepsen also sang on a new version of Bleachers' song "Shadow". She released a cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas". In December 2015, Jepsen recorded the theme song for the Netflix show Fuller House.

In January 2016, Jepsen played Frenchy in Grease Live!. This was a live TV show of the musical Grease. She sang a new song called "All I Need Is an Angel" for her role. In March 2016, she appeared on the album 55 by The Knocks. In August 2016, Jepsen released Emotion: Side B. This EP had eight songs that didn't make it onto the Emotion album. Critics praised this EP. In May 2017, Jepsen released the song "Cut to the Feeling". This song was originally for Emotion. Instead, it appeared in the animated movie Ballerina, where Jepsen voiced a character.

Dedicated Albums (2018–2020)

Jepsen performing on her Dedicated Tour in 2020

In early 2018, Jepsen was the opening act for Katy Perry's tour. "Party for One" was the first song from Jepsen's fourth album. It was released in November 2018. The song "Now That I Found You" followed in February 2019. Other songs like "Julien" and "Too Much" were also released.

Her fourth album, Dedicated, came out on May 17, 2019. She started a tour for the album on June 27. Jepsen performed a NPR Tiny Desk Concert in November 2019. On May 21, 2020, she released Dedicated Side B. This album had twelve more songs from the Dedicated recording sessions. In October 2020, Jepsen released "It's Not Christmas Till Somebody Cries". This song reached number 11 on the US Holiday Digital Songs chart.

New Music and Tours (2021–Present)

After Dedicated Side B was released, Jepsen said she was making a "quarantine album." She was working with her long-time friend and songwriter Tavish Crowe. He helped her write "Call Me Maybe." In May 2022, Jepsen announced her new song "Western Wind" at her Coachella performance. It was released on May 6, 2022.

On August 3, 2022, Jepsen announced her sixth album, The Loneliest Time. It was released on October 21, 2022. Soon after, she released the songs "Beach House" and "Talking to Yourself." The song "The title track" with Rufus Wainwright was the fourth and final single. This song became very popular on TikTok. Many celebrities, like Meghan Trainor, used it in their videos.

After its release, the album reached number 18 in Canada and number 19 in the US. It also reached number 16 in the UK. This was her highest-charting album in the UK in ten years. To support the album, Jepsen started The So Nice Tour in September 2022. She planned to play 40 shows in North America, Europe, and Australia. Jepsen also sang the theme song for the Amazon Kids+ show Hello Kitty: Super Style!, which started in December 2022.

On June 23, 2023, Jepsen released a new disco-inspired song called "Shy Boy." It was produced by James Ford. The music video was mostly black-and-white. On July 6, 2023, Jepsen announced her seventh album, The Loveliest Time. She called it a "companion album" to The Loneliest Time. It was released on July 28.

Her Amazing Music

Jepsen performing in Seoul, South Korea, 2019

Musical Style

Carly Rae Jepsen is known for her "catchy lyrics" and "clever music." She often experiments with pop sounds. Her voice is described as "hushed" and "flawless." It is also called "airy yet precise."

Jepsen says she loves folk music because her parents did. She named artists like Leonard Cohen and James Taylor as inspirations for her first album, Tug of War (2008). When she recorded her EP Curiosity and her second album, Kiss (both 2012), Jepsen said she was more influenced by pop and dance music. She liked artists such as Dragonette and Robyn. Her third album, Emotion (2015), was inspired by 1980s pop artists. These included Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and Prince.

Jepsen has also said she admires artists like Kate Bush, Bob Dylan, and the Spice Girls.

Impact and Beliefs

Carly Rae Jepsen has performed at several pride parades. In March 2013, Jepsen decided not to perform at the Boy Scouts of America event. She explained that she could not support an organization that did not treat all people equally. She believes in fairness for everyone.

Her Life

In September 2024, Jepsen announced that she was engaged to American record producer Cole M.G.N..

Her Albums

• Tug of War (2008)
• Kiss (2012)
• Emotion (2015)
• Dedicated (2019)
• Dedicated Side B (2020)
• The Loneliest Time (2022)
• The Loveliest Time (2023)

Her Tours

Movies and TV Shows

Images for kids

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  Jepsen performing on Canada Day in 2010

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  Jepsen performing on Justin Bieber's Believe Tour in 2012

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  Jepsen performing on her Gimmie Love Tour in 2016

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  Jepsen performing on her Dedicated Tour in 2020

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  Jepsen performing in Seoul, South Korea, 2019

See also

In Spanish: Carly Rae Jepsen para niños