Kanye West – Biography Early Life and Background Kanye West was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, but grew up primarily in Chicago after his parents divorced. His mother, Donda West, a respected English professor, played a pivotal role in nurturing his creativity
Alicia Keys – Biography Early Life and Background Alicia Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Raised primarily by her mother, Teresa, after her parents separated, Alicia grew up in a diverse
Billie Eilish – Biography Early Life and Background Billie Eilish was born on December 18, 2001, in Los Angeles, California. Raised in a family deeply connected to music and the arts, her parents, Maggie Baird and Patrick O’Connell, encouraged creativity from a young age. Billie
Shawn Mendes – Biography Early Life and Background Shawn Mendes was born on August 8, 1998, in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. Growing up in a supportive family, he developed an early interest in music. Mendes taught himself to play guitar by watching YouTube tutorials and began
Katy Perry – Biography Early Life and Background Katy Perry was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson on October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California. Raised in a devoutly religious household, both her parents were Pentecostal pastors who restricted her exposure to secular music. Despite these limitations,
Justin Timberlake – Biography Early Life and Background Justin Timberlake was born on January 31, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee. Raised in a musical family, his early exposure to music came from his grandfather, who introduced him to classic country and gospel songs. As a child,
Rihanna – Biography Early Life and Background Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados. Raised in a modest home with her two younger brothers, her childhood was marked by her father’s struggles with addiction and her parents’ eventual
Lady Gaga – Biography Early Life and Background Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta on March 28, 1986, in New York City. Raised in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, she grew up in a tight-knit Italian-American family. Her father, Joseph Germanotta, ran an internet
Bruno Mars – Biography Early Life and Background Bruno Mars was born Peter Gene Hernandez on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Raised in a family with deep musical roots, his father, Peter Hernandez, was a percussionist from Brooklyn with Puerto Rican heritage, and his
Lenny Kravitz – Biography Early Life and Musical Roots Lenny Kravitz was born on May 26, 1964, in New York City, into a family steeped in creativity. His mother, Roxie Roker, was a well-known actress best remembered for her role on “The Jeffersons,” while his
Quincy Jones – Biography Early Life and Musical Foundation Quincy Delight Jones Jr. was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up during the Great Depression, Quincy faced a challenging childhood. His parents separated when he was young, and his mother struggled with
Pharrell Williams – Biography Early Life and Musical Roots Pharrell Lanscilo Williams was born on April 5, 1973, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Raised in a supportive household, his father worked as a handyman while his mother was a teacher. From a young age, Pharrell was
Adele – Biography Early Life and Passion for Music Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on May 5, 1988, in Tottenham, North London. Raised by her mother after her father left when she was very young, Adele grew up in a modest household but found
Ed Sheeran – Biography Early Life and Love for Music Ed Sheeran was born on February 17, 1991, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, but spent most of his childhood in the quiet town of Framlingham, Suffolk. Growing up in a creative family, with his father
Bruce Springsteen – Biography Early Life and Musical Roots Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey, and grew up in the nearby town of Freehold. Raised in a working-class Catholic family, Bruce experienced the everyday struggles of blue-collar life,
Keith Richards – Biography Early Life and Love for Music Keith Richards was born on December 18, 1943, in Dartford, Kent, England. Growing up in post-war Britain, his early years were filled with music, thanks in large part to his grandfather, Augustus Theodore “Gus” Dupree,
Mick Jagger – Biography Early Life and Musical Beginnings Michael Philip Jagger, better known as Mick Jagger, was born on July 26, 1943, in Dartford, Kent, England. From a young age, he showed an interest in music, singing in the church choir and listening to
John Lennon – Biography Early Life and Influences John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England, during the turmoil of World War II. Raised by his Aunt Mimi after his parents separated, John had a complex upbringing marked by both affection and
Paul McCartney – Biography Early Life and Musical Roots Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942, in Liverpool, England. Raised in a modest household, Paul’s early life was filled with music thanks to his father, Jim McCartney, who played the piano and encouraged his
Elton John – Biography Early Life and Background Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947, in Pinner, Middlesex, England, grew up in a modest household with a strong musical presence. His parents, Stanley Dwight and Sheila Eileen, both had an appreciation for