Alessia Caracciolo, known professionally as Alessia Cara, is a Canadian singer-songwriter born on July 11, 1996, in Mississauga, Ontario, and raised in Brampton.
Of Italian descent, with her father a first-generation Canadian born to Italian parents and her mother an Italian immigrant from Calabria, Cara grew up in a culturally rich household where she was fluent in Italian.
Her passion for music emerged early, sparked by a guitar gifted by her parents at age 10.
By 13, she was posting acoustic covers of songs like “Love Yourself” and “Sweater Weather” on YouTube, which caught the attention of EP Entertainment.
Known for her introspective lyrics and blend of pop, R&B, and soul, Cara has become a voice for authenticity and self-empowerment, resonating with fans through her relatable storytelling.
Siblings
Alessia is the second of four siblings, raised in a tight-knit Italian-Canadian family.
Her older brother, Dario Caracciolo, born on July 16, 2000, is a videographer and photographer who has contributed to Alessia’s career by directing early music videos and editing a lyric video for her song “Growing Pains.”
He accompanied her to the 2015 American Music Awards, showcasing their close bond.
Dante Caracciolo, another brother, has gained some public attention as Alessia’s sibling and is known to be in a relationship with a woman named Tay.
The youngest, Danica Caracciolo, prefers to stay out of the public eye, maintaining a private life despite her sister’s fame.
Alessia has spoken fondly of her siblings, noting their support and the influence of their traditional Italian upbringing on her music and values.
Career
Cara’s career took off with her 2015 debut single “Here,” a raw anthem about feeling out of place at a party, which peaked at number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the Canadian Hot 100.
Produced by Pop & Oak and Sebastian Kole, the song’s honesty struck a chord, earning praise from outlets like MTV and Rolling Stone, which ranked it among the best songs of 2015.
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Her debut album, Know-It-All (2015), reached number 8 on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 9 on the Billboard 200, featuring hits like “Scars to Your Beautiful,” which climbed to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2017, she collaborated with Zedd on the seven-times platinum single “Stay” and joined Logic and Khalid on “1-800-273-8255,” a powerful track addressing mental health.
Her sophomore album, The Pains of Growing (2018), debuted at number 21 on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 71 on the Billboard 200, with singles like “Growing Pains” and “Trust My Lonely” showcasing her emotional depth.
Cara’s third album, In the Meantime (2021), earned positive reviews, and her fourth, Love & Hyperbole (2025), continued her evolution with tracks like “(Isn’t It) Obvious” and “Slow Motion.”
Beyond music, she contributed “How Far I’ll Go” to Disney’s Moana soundtrack and toured with acts like Coldplay, solidifying her as a versatile artist.
Accolades
In 2018, Cara became the first Canadian to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, a historic achievement that drew both celebration and controversy, with some fans of nominee SZA sending her hateful messages.
She has garnered four Grammy nominations, including nods for Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 2019 Latin Grammys for her collaboration with Juanes on “Querer Mejor.”
Her debut album Know-It-All won the 2017 Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year, while The Pains of Growing secured Juno Awards for Album of the Year, Pop Album of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year in 2020.
Cara has also claimed two MTV Video Music Awards, an iHeartRadio Music Award, five Juno Awards, an MTV Europe Music Award, and three Canadian Radio Music Awards.
Her 2016 single “Here” was nominated for a Streamy Award for Original Song, and she was shortlisted for the BBC Music Sound of 2016, finishing as runner-up.
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