Alanis Morissette

Born in Ottawa, Alanis Morissette began her musical journey at a young age, setting the stage for a remarkable career. Known for her emotive voice, she released two mildly successful pop albums in Canada when she was in her teens. Afterward, as part of a record deal, she moved to Los Angeles to develop a sound that she felt was more authentically “Alanis.” Her breakthrough came with her third studio album, 1995’s Jagged Little Pill. This emotionally charged record became a cultural phenomenon, with over 33 million copies sold worldwide — one of the best-selling albums of all time. Morissette became the voice of a generation, going on to win numerous accolades, including seven Grammy Awards.

In an interview, Morissette explained: “What I love for my music to be able to provide is just this intimacy, and it’s an invitation for our humanity. There’s this whole current of what it is to be human that is overlooked by culture. Enter music. Music is this giant allowance for whatever messy, gorgeous, luminous, terrifying thing that’s going on. It’s like a permission button.” She has gone on to create a number of highly acclaimed albums, including Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998), Under Rug Swept (2002), and, most recently, Such Pretty Forks in the Road (2020); in all, Morissette has sold more than 75 million records. She also adapted Jagged Little Pill into a rock musical that was nominated for 15 Tony Awards, the most of any show from the 2019–2020 Broadway season — and went on to win the 2021 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. “The thing I always default to,” says Morissette, “is that I’ll always be here to write songs.”

Instagram:@alanis

Twitter: @alanis