Meghan Trainor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meghan Trainor
Trainor in 2020
Born	Meghan Elizabeth Trainor (1993-12-22) December 22, 1993 (age 31) Nantucket, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Singer-songwriter television personality
Years active	2009–present
Spouse(s)	Daryl Sabara ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop dance-pop R&B doo-wop blue-eyed soul
Instruments	Vocals guitar ukulele keyboards piano trumpet
Labels	Honest OG Epic
Signature

Meghan Elizabeth Trainor (born December 22, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and TV star. She became famous in 2014 after signing with Epic Records. Her first big song, "All About That Bass", went to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It sold millions of copies around the world!

Meghan has released six studio albums and won many awards. These include a Grammy Award and several Billboard Music Awards. She started loving music at a young age. She wrote, recorded, and produced three albums by herself before becoming famous. In 2013, she began writing songs for other artists.

In 2015, Meghan released her first major album, Title. It featured hit songs like "Lips Are Movin" and "Like I'm Gonna Lose You". This album also reached number one in the U.S. Her next album, Thank You (2016), included the popular song "No". Later, she released Treat Myself (2020) and a holiday album, A Very Trainor Christmas. Her recent albums are Takin' It Back (2022) and Timeless (2024). The song "Made You Look" from Takin' It Back was a big hit in many countries.

Meghan's songs often talk about being a woman, loving your body, and feeling strong. Her music mixes pop, R&B, and doo-wop sounds, often inspired by music from the 1950s. Besides music, Meghan has also lent her voice to animated movies like Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) and Playmobil: The Movie (2019). She has also been a judge on TV talent shows like The Four: Battle for Stardom (2018), The Voice UK (2020), and Australian Idol (2023).

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Meghan Elizabeth Trainor was born on December 22, 1993. Her parents, Kelli and Gary Trainor, were jewelers. She grew up in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Meghan has an older brother, Ryan, and a younger brother, Justin.

She started singing at age six in church with her dad. Her father was a music teacher and organist. Meghan's family always encouraged her love for music. She told her dad she wanted to be a recording artist. She began writing songs and recording them using computer software like GarageBand. Meghan started by creating her own version of the song "Heart and Soul". Her mother said Meghan "did a lot [of playing] by ear," meaning she played music without formal lessons.

At age 12, Meghan started performing in a band called Island Fusion. Her aunt, younger brother, and father were also in the band. They played soca music and Meghan's own songs. She was in the group for four years, singing and playing piano, guitar, and bongo drums. They even opened for the Jamaican singer Beenie Man. By age 13, Meghan wrote her first original song, "Give Me a Chance."

Meghan's family moved from Nantucket when she was in eighth grade. They settled in North Eastham, Massachusetts. She went to Nauset Regional High School. There, she studied guitar, played trumpet, and sang in a jazz band. As a teenager, her parents encouraged her to attend songwriting events. At 15, she took guitar lessons from Johnny Spampinato. During this time, Meghan used Logic Studio to record her music. She later worked in a home studio built by her parents.

Career Highlights

Early Career and Songwriting

Trainor singing "Take Care of Our Soldiers" at Nantucket United Methodist Church, July 2010

Between ages 15 and 17, Meghan released three albums on her own. She wrote, recorded, performed, and produced all the songs. She also attended the Summer Performance Program at the Berklee College of Music. Her first album, Meghan Trainor, came out on December 25, 2009.

In 2010, Meghan released "Take Care of Our Soldiers." All the money from this song went to help the United Service Organizations (USO). The next year, she released two more acoustic albums, I'll Sing with You and Only 17.

At a music conference, Meghan met Al Anderson. He was impressed by her songwriting. He introduced her to Carla Wallace, a music publisher. Even though Meghan was offered a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, she chose to focus on songwriting. She signed with Big Yellow Dog Music in 2012. She started writing songs for other artists. Her father said she didn't think she would become a recording artist herself.

In 2013, Meghan traveled to Nashville, New York City, and Los Angeles. She wrote and helped produce country and pop songs. She sang on demo recordings for other artists. Sometimes, her voice was even used on the final songs. In June 2013, she met producer Kevin Kadish. They both loved retro style music and started recording together. Meghan later moved to Nashville in November 2013. There, she wrote songs for artists like Hunter Hayes and Sabrina Carpenter.

Breakthrough with Title

Meghan and Kevin Kadish wrote "All About That Bass" in November 2013. The song was inspired by Meghan's own feelings about her looks. They offered the song to many record labels, but they all said no. They thought the doo-wop song wasn't "pop-y" enough.

Meghan later met Paul Pontius from Epic Records. She sang "All About That Bass" for him. He set up a meeting with label chairman L.A. Reid. Meghan sang the song for Reid, and he signed her just 20 minutes later! She then hired Troy Carter as her manager.

"All About That Bass" was released on June 30, 2014. The song became number one in 58 countries. Its music video became very popular online. It sold 11 million copies worldwide. The song stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks.

Trainor performing in Philadelphia during the Jingle Ball Tour 2014

Meghan's first collection of songs, called an extended play (EP), Title, came out on September 9, 2014. It reached number 15 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Critics noted that the EP showed Meghan could be successful beyond her first hit song.

She released her second single, "Lips Are Movin", on October 21, 2014. This song also had a retro sound, similar to "All About That Bass." It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Billboard named her the fourth Top New Artist of the year.

Meghan's three albums she released by herself were removed from sale. This happened before her major-label album, Title, was released on January 9, 2015. The album received mixed reviews from critics. However, it debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It became the ninth best-selling album worldwide in 2015. Later songs from the album, "Dear Future Husband" and "Like I'm Gonna Lose You", also became top 20 hits. "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" even reached number one in Australia. Meghan also sang a duet with Charlie Puth on his song "Marvin Gaye" in February 2015.

Meghan started her first concert tour, That Bass Tour, on February 11, 2015. She also had the "MTrain Tour" to promote the album. However, she had to cancel some shows because she had a vocal cord injury. She needed surgery and six weeks to recover. In 2015, she also wrote "Better When I'm Dancin'" for The Peanuts Movie soundtrack. Meghan won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Thank You and Other Projects

Trainor performing in Washington, D.C. during Capital Pride in June 2016

On January 7, 2016, Meghan announced she was almost done with her second major album, Thank You. She said the album was inspired by artists like Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Bruno Mars. The first song from the album, "No", was released on March 4, 2016. This R&B song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

After "No," Meghan released other songs like "Watch Me Do" and "Mom." Her mother even appeared on the song "Mom." The second song from the album, "Me Too", came out on May 5. The music video for "Me Too" was briefly taken down and then re-released. The song reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. During a performance of "Me Too" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Meghan famously fell while trying to grab a microphone stand.

Thank You was released on May 6, 2016. The album received mixed reviews but debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200. It sold over a million copies in the US. In July, Meghan started The Untouchable Tour to support the album. She also appeared on songs by other artists like DJ Khaled and Michael Bublé. Meghan co-wrote songs for Jennifer Lopez and Little Mix that year. In February 2017, she released "I'm a Lady" for the movie Smurfs: The Lost Village, where she also voiced a character.

Treat Myself and Holiday Music

In December 2017, Meghan was announced as a judge on the TV show The Four: Battle for Stardom. She was on the show for two seasons in 2018. Meghan's third major album, Treat Myself, was planned for release in 2018 but was delayed. She wanted to write more songs for it. The first song from the album, "No Excuses", was released in March 2018.

Other songs like "Let You Be Right" and "Can't Dance" were released later. Meghan also appeared on Jason Mraz's song "More than Friends". In 2018, she released "Just Got Paid" with Sigala and Ella Eyre, featuring French Montana. This song was a hit in the UK and Ireland.

Treat Myself was finally released on January 31, 2020. It included the song "Nice to Meet Ya" featuring Nicki Minaj. The album debuted at number 25 on the US Billboard 200. Meghan released a deluxe version of the album in July 2020. She also released a holiday album, A Very Trainor Christmas, on October 30, 2020. In March 2021, she signed a deal with NBCUniversal to star in a comedy series. In September 2021, Meghan started a podcast called Workin' on It with her brother Ryan.

Recent Albums: Takin' It Back and Timeless

Meghan released "Bad for Me" in June 2022. This was the first song from her fifth studio album, Takin' It Back, which came out on October 21, 2022. The album reached number 16 on the US Billboard 200. In September 2022, it was announced that Meghan would be a judge on Australian Idol in 2023.

"Made You Look" was the second song from Takin' It Back. It became a top-10 hit in the UK and a top-five hit in countries like Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. It also reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2023, Meghan announced her first book, Dear Future Mama, which was released in April. Kris Jenner appeared in the music video for Meghan's song "Mother" (2023). Meghan also worked with other artists that year, including Sam Fischer, Spencer Sutherland, and Mae Stephens. She was featured on Jason Derulo's song "Hands on Me" in October 2023. She also released a Christmas duet with Jimmy Fallon, "Wrap Me Up".

On March 14, 2024, Meghan and T-Pain released "Been Like This". This song was the first single from her sixth major album, Timeless (2024). Meghan and Jimmy Fallon also sang "Sweet Morning Heat" for the Netflix movie Unfrosted (2024). The music video for "To the Moon" (2024), the second single from Timeless, featured her husband, son, and other famous faces. The album was released on June 7, 2024.

In July 2024, Meghan worked with Paul Russell on "Slippin'" and with Paris Hilton on "Chasin'". To support Timeless, she started her first big concert tour in over seven years, The Timeless Tour, in September 2024.

Musical Style and Influences

Musical Influences

Meghan's father introduced her to music from the 1950s, doo-wop, and jazz when she was young. She grew up listening to soca and Caribbean music. She says 1950s music, soca, and the music of Frank Sinatra influenced her style. Her aunt married a Trinidadian soca singer, Burton Toney, when Meghan was seven.

As a songwriter, Meghan has been inspired by Sinatra's songs. She feels that "No one writes like that anymore, because it's hard." She also looks up to Stevie Wonder and Phil Collins. Meghan considers Bruno Mars one of her biggest influences. She thinks doo-wop is the "catchiest stuff" and wants to write a song like "Lollipop" by The Chordettes. She also studies Beyoncé's performances. Meghan has mentioned Ariana Grande, Jason Mraz, and T-Pain as influences for the "upbeat and happy" feel of her music.

Musical Style and Themes

Meghan Trainor is a singer-songwriter. Her music is often described as pop, R&B, doo-wop, and blue-eyed soul. Her first EP, Title, had a throwback sound with 1950s doo-wop inspired songs. These songs blended modern R&B and pop. Her songwriting style, with catchy parts, has been compared to famous composers like Carole King.

Her album Title mixes girl group pop with old-school hip hop. Thank You is an R&B album with dance-pop parts. On Treat Myself, Meghan added electronic dance music and funk influences. Meghan plays many instruments, including bass, guitar, ukulele, keyboard, trumpet, percussion, and piano. She believes a song's melody is more important than its words. She also writes country, hip hop, reggae, and soca music.

Meghan's songs often talk about being a woman, body image, and feeling strong and confident. Billboard magazine noted that Meghan started writing more songs about body positivity. She did this after some discussions about her song "All About That Bass." Songs like "Me Too" and "Woman Up" are good examples.

Meghan has an alto voice. Her vocals have been called "soulful" and "highly resonant." One critic said she is a "very capable singer" who shows "lots of character and emotion."

Other Activities

Helping Others

Meghan has worked with the American Cancer Society. She has also appeared at charity events like We Day California. In 2018, she helped the charity Make Some Noise by presenting a large check to them.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Meghan donated money to feed healthcare workers. She also helped restaurants in Connecticut provide lunches to local hospitals. She held online concerts to raise money for Feeding America.

Standing Up for What She Believes In

Meghan is open about her support for LGBTQ rights and gun control. She was one of many artists who signed an open letter to the United States Congress. This letter asked for an end to gun violence. In 2017, she publicly supported the legalization of same-sex marriage. A year later, she wrote a "love letter" to the LGBTQ community. In it, she said they were "some of [her] biggest fans."

Awards and Achievements

Meghan Trainor has won many awards. These include four ASCAP Pop Music Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, a People's Choice Award, and a Grammy Award. She won Best Female Artist at the 2009 International Acoustic Music Awards. She also won the Grand Prize at the 2010 New Orleans Songwriter's Festival.

In 2014, the Music Business Association named her "Breakthrough Artist of the Year." She was the 21st female artist whose first song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. She was also the fifth female artist to have her first number-one song followed by another top-five hit. In 2015, Billboard listed her as the seventh Top Artist and second Top Female Artist of the year.

Billboard also ranked her at number 40 on their list of top artists of the 2010s. Her album Title was placed 98th on the magazine's list of "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums by Women." As of October 2015, "All About That Bass" was the only first song by any artist to get a billion views on YouTube.

Discography

• Title (2015)
• Thank You (2016)
• Treat Myself (2020)
• A Very Trainor Christmas (2020)
• Takin' It Back (2022)
• Timeless (2024)

Tours

• That Bass Tour (2015)
• MTrain Tour (2015)
• The Untouchable Tour (2016)
• The Timeless Tour (2024)

Film and Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Meghan Trainor para niños

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States