Paula Cole facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paula Cole
Cole performing in 2009
Background information
Born	(1968-04-05) April 5, 1968 (age 57)
Origin	Rockport, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter producer
Instruments	Vocals piano guitar
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Imago/Warner Bros. Columbia Decca 675 Recordings

Paula Dorothy Cole (born April 5, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. She became well-known after singing with Peter Gabriel on his 1993–1994 Secret World Tour. Her first album, Harbinger, came out in 1994.

Her second album, This Fire (1996), made her famous worldwide. It included two big hit songs: "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" and "I Don't Want to Wait". "I Don't Want to Wait" became the theme song for the popular TV show Dawson's Creek. Paula Cole also performed at the Lilith Fair music festivals in 1997 and 1998. In 1998, she won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. She was also the first woman to be nominated for "Producer of the Year" for her own work.

Her third album, Amen (1999), had a different style. Since then, she has released many more albums, like the jazz-influenced Courage (2007) and Ithaca (2010). Her music often talks about important topics like gender roles and the environment. Besides making music, Cole has also taught at Berklee College of Music since 2013.

Early Life and Music Journey

Paula Cole grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts. Her mother, Stephanie Cole, was an art teacher and artist. Her father, Jim Cole, was a biology professor and played bass in a polka band. Paula's older sister, Irene, played the piano.

Paula went to Rockport High School and was the president of her senior class. She also performed in school plays. Later, she studied jazz singing at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She sang jazz songs in clubs and lounges. After college, she moved to San Francisco to work on her own songs. She signed with Imago Records in 1992.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out with Peter Gabriel

Paula Cole got her first big chance when she was asked to sing on Peter Gabriel's Secret World Tour in 1993–1994. She joined the tour quickly and performed in front of thousands of people. She sang important parts, including songs originally sung by Kate Bush and Sinéad O'Connor.

A video of the concert, called Secret World Live, was filmed shortly after she joined. This video won a Grammy Award. The tour helped Paula Cole gain international attention and experience performing on large stages.

First Albums: Harbinger and This Fire

After the tour, Paula Cole released her first album, Harbinger, in 1994. This album explored her personal thoughts. However, the record company, Imago Records, closed down soon after, so the album didn't get much promotion.

In 1996, Cole released her second album, This Fire, which she produced herself. The first song from the album, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?", became a top 10 hit. Another song, "I Don't Want to Wait", became even more popular when it was used as the theme song for the TV show Dawson's Creek. The album also included a duet with Peter Gabriel called "Hush, Hush, Hush".

Paula Cole was a main performer at the Lilith Fair tours in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, she was nominated for several Grammy Awards. She won "Best New Artist" and was also the first woman to be nominated for "Producer of the Year" for her own album.

Later Albums and Breaks

In 1999, Cole released Amen, which had some R&B and hip-hop influences. After this, Paula took a break from music to raise her daughter, Sky.

She returned in 2007 with her fourth album, Courage. Her fifth album, Ithaca, came out in 2010. She wrote and co-produced all the songs on this album.

Her sixth album, Raven, was released in 2013. Fans helped fund this album through a Kickstarter campaign. Many of the songs were recorded in just one week at a barn in Massachusetts.

Recent Music

7, Paula Cole's seventh album, was released in 2015. She described it as a collection of songs that came to her suddenly.

In 2016, she released a live album called This Bright Red Feeling. She also released a covers album, Ballads, in 2017, which included a cover of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child". This album reached number 9 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Album Chart.

Her ninth album, Revolution, came out in 2019. In 2021, she released the album American Quilt, and in 2024, she released Lo.

Other Activities

Paula Cole has performed at Berklee College of Music and toured with other artists like Mandy Moore. She is also a member of Artists Against Racism, a Canadian charity.

She has sung "God Bless America" at a Major League Baseball All-Star Game and "The Star-Spangled Banner" at an NBA Finals game. Since 2013, she has been a voice teacher at Berklee College of Music while still performing.

In 2024, Paula Cole appeared on the TV show The Masked Singer as "Ship".

Personal Life

Paula Cole has one daughter named Sky, who was born in 2001.

Discography

Studio albums

• Harbinger (1994)
• This Fire (1996)
• Amen (1999)
• Courage (2007)
• Ithaca (2010)
• Raven (2013)
• 7 (2015)
• Ballads (2017)
• Revolution (2019)
• American Quilt (2021)
• Lo (2024)

EP

• Ravenesque (2013)

Live album

• This Bright Red Feeling (2016)

Compilation

• Greatest Hits: Postcards from East Oceanside (2006)

Singles

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

• 

  Cole performing in 2013

See also

In Spanish: Paula Cole para niños