Celeste (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Celeste
Celeste at the 2020 Royal Variety Performance
Background information
Birth name	Celeste Epiphany Waite
Born	(1994-05-05) 5 May 1994 (age 31) Culver City, California, U.S.
Origin	Brighton, East Sussex, England
Genres	British soul alternative R&B jazz neo-soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2014–present
Labels	Polydor Interscope

Celeste Epiphany Waite (born 5 May 1994), known simply as Celeste, is an English singer and songwriter famous for her soulful voice. Her music blends British soul, jazz, and alternative R&B.

Celeste began her career in 2014 by singing on tracks for electronic music producers like Avicii. At the same time, she posted her own music on SoundCloud. She signed with Polydor Records in 2018 and quickly gained attention.

In 2019, she won the Rising Star Award and was named the winner of the BBC's Sound of 2020 poll. Her first album, Not Your Muse, came out in 2021 and went straight to number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album earned her nominations for major awards, including Album of the Year. She also co-wrote the song "Hear My Voice" for the film The Trial of the Chicago 7, which was nominated for an Academy Award.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Celeste Epiphany Waite was born in Culver City, California, on May 5, 1994. Her mother is English and her father was Jamaican. After her parents separated, Celeste moved to the United Kingdom with her mother when she was three years old. She grew up in Dagenham and later in Saltdean, a village near Brighton.

From a young age, Celeste was interested in music. She discovered singers like Aretha Franklin through her family. By age 14, she was exploring music on her own, finding artists like Thelonious Monk on YouTube. One of her earliest musical memories is singing hymns at her church in Brighton.

When Celeste was 16, her father passed away from lung cancer. This sad event inspired her to write her first song, "Sirens," with her band. She posted the song on YouTube, where it was discovered by her future manager.

Celeste worked at a charity shop in her local town of Saltdean when she was 17.

As a teenager, she played in bands and wrote music. After graduating from Varndean College, where she studied Music Technology, she began to take her music career more seriously. She started playing her first shows in and around Brighton. In 2014, she began uploading songs to SoundCloud, which helped her get noticed. She also provided vocals for other artists, including the dance producer Tieks on his single "Sing That Song" and the famous Swedish DJ Avicii on his song "Touch Me."

Career Breakthrough

2016–2019: First EPs and Gaining Fame

In 2016, Celeste released her first single, "Daydreaming," on a record label started by singer Lily Allen. She wrote the song while working at a pub, dreaming of performing on big stages like Carnegie Hall. The song got airplay on BBC Radio 1, which helped introduce her to a wider audience.

In 2017, she released her first EP (a short album), called The Milk & the Honey. After signing with the major label Polydor Records in 2018, she released her second EP, Lately, in March 2019. One of its songs, "Both Sides of the Moon," became a favorite of music legend Elton John.

Celeste performing at Omeara in London in 2019

During 2019, Celeste's popularity grew quickly. She performed at major music festivals like Glastonbury and Primavera Sound. She also released the single "Strange", which became a big hit. TV personality James Corden praised the song, telling his followers, "I dare you not to love her." By the end of the year, she had won the BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year award and the prestigious Rising Star Award at the Brit Awards.

2020–present: Not Your Muse and Major Success

At the start of 2020, many magazines and music critics predicted Celeste would be a huge star. She was named the winner of the BBC's Sound of 2020 poll. She then released the energetic single "Stop This Flame", which was used as the theme song for Sky Sports' coverage of the Premier League.

Her debut album, Not Your Muse, was released on January 29, 2021. It was a massive success, debuting at number one in the UK. The album received nominations for Album of the Year, Best Female Solo Artist, and Best New Artist at the 2021 Brit Awards.

In addition to her album, Celeste has worked on several high-profile projects. She co-wrote and performed "Hear My Voice" for the movie The Trial of the Chicago 7, earning an Academy Award nomination. She also sang "A Little Love" for the popular John Lewis Christmas advertisement in 2020. In 2024, she appeared as a jazz club singer in the film Blitz.

Personal Life

Celeste moved to London in 2017 to focus on her music career. She once told the BBC she would rather skip her job to go to the studio than earn money for the month. She currently lives in the Ladbroke Grove area of London. She is also a fan of football and supports Arsenal F.C.

Discography

Studio Albums

Awards and Nominations

Celeste has won and been nominated for many awards. Here are some of the most important ones.

See also

In Spanish: Celeste (cantante) para niños