Vanessa Carlton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vanessa Carlton
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Carlton in 2010
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Vanessa Lee Carlton
August 16, 1980 Milford, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Years active | 2000–present |
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John McCauley
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| Children | 1 |
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Vanessa Lee Carlton, born on August 16, 1980, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. She became well-known with her first album, Be Not Nobody, released in 2002. This album reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart.
Her most famous song, "A Thousand Miles", was a big hit. It stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 41 weeks. The song also received three nominations for the Grammy Awards. Other popular songs from her first album included "Ordinary Day" and "Pretty Baby".
Her second album, Harmonium, came out in 2004. It reached number 33 on the Billboard 200. After this, Carlton decided to leave her record label, A&M Records, in 2005.
She released her third album, Heroes & Thieves, in 2007. Critics praised this album. Later, she produced her own albums, Rabbits on the Run (2011) and Liberman (2015). Both albums were liked by critics for their personal style.
In 2019, Vanessa Carlton performed on Broadway for the first time. She had a main role in the musical Beautiful. Her sixth studio album, Love Is an Art, was released in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Vanessa Carlton was born in Milford, Pennsylvania, on August 16, 1980. She was the oldest of three children. Her father, Edmund Carlton, was a pilot. Her mother, Heidi Lee, was a pianist and music teacher. Vanessa has a sister named Gwen and a brother named Edmund.
Vanessa's love for music started very early. When she was just two years old, she visited Disneyland. After coming home, she played the song "It's a Small World" on the piano. Her mother then began teaching her music. Vanessa learned about classical music.
By age nine, she was very interested in ballet. In 1994, when she was 14, she joined the School of American Ballet. After finishing school, she sang in nightclubs. This helped her feel comfortable performing on stage. Later, she moved to New York City. She attended Columbia University for one year before leaving to focus on her music.
Music Career Highlights
Early Recordings and First Album
Vanessa Carlton met songwriter and producer Peter Zizzo at a music event. He invited her to his studio to record some songs. A few months later, she signed with A&M Records. She started working on an album called Rinse. This album was never fully released. However, some songs from it were used for her first official album, Be Not Nobody.
One song, "Interlude", was later renamed "A Thousand Miles". Other songs like "Rinse", "Ordinary Days" (later "Ordinary Day"), "Twilight", and "Pretty Baby" were also included. Her album also featured a cover of the song "Paint It Black".
After hearing "A Thousand Miles", A&M Records president Ron Fair helped record and produce the song. "A Thousand Miles" became a huge hit. It was one of the most played songs of 2002. It also received three Grammy Award nominations. Ron Fair produced the rest of her album.
Be Not Nobody was released in April 2002. It quickly reached number five on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The album sold over two million copies around the world. Two more songs, "Ordinary Day" and "Pretty Baby", were released as singles. Vanessa toured the U.S. in 2002 to promote her album. She also toured Europe in 2003.
Vanessa also worked with other artists. She sang on the Counting Crows' version of "Big Yellow Taxi". She played piano for Italian singer Zucchero.
Harmonium and New Directions
Vanessa Carlton's second album, Harmonium, was released in November 2004. It debuted at number 33 on the Billboard 200. The album was produced by Stephan Jenkins from the band Third Eye Blind. Vanessa and Stephan had met while touring together.
Carlton felt that Harmonium showed more of her true musical style. The first single from the album was "White Houses". It reached number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. Vanessa toured North America in late 2004 and early 2005 to support the album.
In mid-2005, Vanessa Carlton left A&M Records. She felt that her ideas for music did not fit with the label's plans. She wanted to find a new record deal. During this time, she wrote songs with other artists like Linda Perry. She also collaborated with Italian singer Zucchero Fornaciari.
Heroes & Thieves and Independent Music
In August 2005, Carlton began recording her third album with producer Linda Perry. The album, Heroes & Thieves, was released and received good reviews. It debuted at number 44 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
The first single, "Nolita Fairytale", reached number 26 on Billboard's Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. To promote the album, Carlton went on the Haunted Club Tour in November 2007. The second single, "Hands on Me", reached number 30 on the Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. After promoting Heroes & Thieves, Carlton left her record label, The Inc.
She also contributed a song called "More than This" to Songs for Tibet. This album supported Tibet and raised awareness about human rights. In September 2008, Carlton traveled to the Arctic Circle with other musicians and scientists. They worked with researchers to study climate change.
Rabbits on the Run and Liberman
Vanessa Carlton's fourth album, Rabbits on the Run, was released on July 26, 2011. It was released under Razor & Tie, her third record label. Music critics praised the album for its personal songs. Before making this album, Carlton thought about scoring films instead of making more music.
She decided to record the album at Real World Studios in England. The album's title, Rabbits on the Run, was chosen because rabbits often represent "time slipping" or "mind floating". These were feelings she had experienced. The album was also inspired by A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking and Watership Down by Richard Adams.
The album's first single, "Carousel", was released on May 3. Another song, "Hear the Bells", later got a music video. In November 2011, Carlton released a holiday EP called Hear the Bells. It included acoustic versions of "Hear the Bells" and "A Thousand Miles".
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In late 2012, Carlton returned to Real World Studios to work on a new album. She wanted the album to have a theme of happiness and excitement. She performed new songs like "Willows" and "House Of Seven Swords" during a tour in late 2013.
On February 28, 2014, Carlton announced that her new album, Liberman, was finished. It had ten songs. She said the album was "lush, trippy and beautiful." She also mentioned it was meant to be listened to with headphones.
Liberman was released in October 2015 and received positive reviews. Critics noted its personal themes. The Boston Globe said the album showed her in a "better place, artistically." In July 2015, she released the Blue Pool EP, which included songs that were part of a deluxe version of the Liberman album.
In October 2016, Carlton released Liberman Live. This album featured eight live songs recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, during her tour.
Recent Work and Broadway Debut
On February 17, 2017, Vanessa Carlton released another live album called Earlier Things Live. This album included six songs from her earlier albums, performed live during her Liberman tour. She began writing songs for her sixth album in June 2017.
In March 2018, she started releasing one cover song each month. These included covers of songs by Robyn, Fleetwood Mac, and Neil Young. She released these cover songs as a triple vinyl collection in November 2018.
In May 2019, it was announced that Carlton would make her Broadway debut. She took on a main role in the Carole King musical Beautiful. Her performances began on June 27, 2019, for a limited time. Carlton described her first Broadway experience as emotional and exhilarating.
On May 27, 2019, Carlton announced that her sixth album would be called Love is an Art. The album was produced by Dave Fridmann. Love is an Art was released on March 27, 2020. In January 2021, Carlton shared that she planned to re-release the album in March 2021 with new songs.
In 2023, a video of a puppet singing "A Thousand Miles" became very popular online. The puppeteer, Ben Howard, met Carlton at one of her concerts. She seemed to really enjoy his performance.
In 2024, Carlton and her husband, John McCauley, created the music for the film Wish You Were Here. The film was directed by Carlton's friend, actress Julia Stiles. It was released in January 2025.
Personal Life
In 2005, Vanessa Carlton completed the New York City Marathon. She donated the money she raised to Musicians on Call. This group brings live music to hospital patients.
Carlton married John J. McCauley III, from the band Deer Tick, on December 27, 2013. The ceremony was led by Stevie Nicks. In January 2015, Carlton gave birth to their daughter, Sidney Aoibheann Carlton-McCauley.
Carlton lived in Nashville, Tennessee with her family until 2021. She now lives in Warwick, Rhode Island.
Discography
Studio albums
- Be Not Nobody (2002)
- Harmonium (2004)
- Heroes & Thieves (2007)
- Rabbits on the Run (2011)
- Liberman (2015)
- Love Is an Art (2020)
See also
In Spanish: Vanessa Carlton para niños
