Alessia Cara

Background

Alessia Cara is a Canadian singer who was born on July 11, 1996, to parents of Italian heritage. When she was 10 years old, her parents gave her a guitar, which became the starting point of her passion for music. Three years later, at the age of 13, she began covering her favorite songs on YouTube, a major media platform to show the world that she possessed the talent, skills, and courage to become a singer. Indeed, one of the covers, ‘Sweater Weather,’ ended up getting her noticed by a record label called EP Entertainment, which allowed her to write and create her songs.

In 2015, at 19, she published her first debut single, ‘Here.’ The single was a hit and received praise from critics and listeners alike. It peaked at number 19 on the Canadian Hot 100 and Billboard Hot 100. Even “Rolling Stone” named the hit one of the ‘Best Songs of 2015.’ In that same year, she released her debut album “Know It All” with the third song ‘Scars to Your Beautiful’ being one of five original tracks that peaked at Billboard charts, including the Canadian Albums Chart, Billboard 200, and Billboard Hot 100. This particular track was special since, based on her interview with “Rap-Up,” many listeners related to her journey of doubting herself and learning how to love herself.

Cara is known for incorporating messages about mental health, kindness, and self-love into her music. Everything stems from her personal journey, as she has struggled with mental health issues and insomnia. According to a “Reuters” interview, she describes her album as half tumultuous and half perfected. She found growth through therapy and she encourages others to seek help if necessary.