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
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Imago/Warner Bros. Columbia Decca 675 Recordings

Paula Dorothy Cole (born April 5, 1968) is an American singer and songwriter. She first became known for singing with Peter Gabriel on his Secret World Tour from 1993 to 1994.

Her second album, This Fire (1996), made her famous around the world. It included two hit singles. The first was "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?". The second was "I Don't Want to Wait", which became the theme song for the popular TV show Dawson's Creek.

In 1998, Cole won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. She was also the first woman to be nominated for the "Producer of the Year" Grammy all by herself. Besides singing, she has been a teacher at Berklee College of Music since 2013.

Early Life and Education

Paula Cole grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts. Her mother was an art teacher, and her father was a college professor who played bass in a band. Her older sister, Irene, played the piano.

In high school, Cole was president of her senior class. She also acted in school plays like South Pacific. After high school, she went to the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, she studied jazz singing.

After graduating, Cole moved to San Francisco. She lived simply while writing songs and building a small home studio. One of the songs she started writing then later became her big hit, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?". In 1992, she signed a contract with Imago Records.

Music Career

1993–1998: A Big Break and Stardom

Cole's first major opportunity came when she was asked to join Peter Gabriel's Secret World Tour. She replaced another singer and had only one rehearsal before performing for 16,000 people. She sang duets with Gabriel, including the famous song "Don't Give Up". The tour gave her valuable experience on a big stage.

In 1994, she released her first album, Harbinger. Unfortunately, her record label closed down soon after, so the album wasn't promoted well.

In 1996, Cole released her second album, This Fire, which she produced herself. This album was a huge success. The song "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" became a top ten hit. Her next single, "I Don't Want to Wait", was also very popular, especially after it was used as the theme for Dawson's Creek.

Cole was a main performer at the Lilith Fair music festival in 1997 and 1998. This festival featured many talented female artists. Her success led to several Grammy Award nominations in 1997, and she won the award for Best New Artist in 1998.

1999–2006: A New Sound and a Break

In 1999, Cole released her third album, Amen. It had a different sound, with some R&B and hip-hop styles. The album did not sell as well as This Fire. After this, Cole took a break from music to raise her daughter, Sky.

2007–Present: Return to Music

Cole performing in 2013

Cole returned in 2007 with her album Courage. In 2010, she released Ithaca, which sounded more like her folk-rock music from the 1990s.

She used the website Kickstarter to ask fans for help funding her next albums. This allowed her to release Raven in 2013 and Ballads in 2017. Ballads was an album of her singing classic jazz songs and it did very well on the Billboard jazz chart.

Her more recent albums include Revolution (2019), American Quilt (2021), and Lo (2024).

Music with a Message

Paula Cole often writes songs about important topics. She wants her music to make people think about the world.

Her song "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" was meant to be a funny take on how people expect men and women to act. Some of her other songs have discussed protecting the environment and important events in American history. She believes that music can be about love, but it should also talk about important issues in society.

Other Work and Appearances

Besides her music career, Paula Cole has been a professor at her old school, Berklee College of Music, since 2013. She teaches voice to new students while still performing and recording.

In 2007, she sang "God Bless America" at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In 2024, she appeared on the TV show The Masked Singer as the character "Ship."

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)

Live Album

• This Bright Red Feeling (2016)

Greatest Hits Album

• Greatest Hits: Postcards from East Oceanside (2006)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Paula Cole para niños