Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan was born on January 28, 1968 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Since she was a little girl she had interest in music and showed signs of growing up to become a brilliant singer. She took lessons in voice and piano and learnt classical music as well.

She studied at the Queen Elizabeth High School and while she was still in the school she became a part of a rock band called ‘The October Game’. She was offered a music contract but her parents insisted on her finishing the school first.

She completed her studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and moved to Vancouver where she signed a contract with the recording label ‘Nettwerk’.

In 1988, McLachlan recorded her first album ‘Touch’ after she moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, to work with the label company ‘Nettwerk’. The album had the hit single ‘Vox’ and did very well commercially and critically.

After the release and success of her first album, McLachlan embarked on the first musical tour of her life. It was a national concert tour, an opening act for ‘The Grapes of Wrath’.

In 1991, McLachlan released her second album called ‘Solace’, the breakthrough album of her career. It included the hit singles like: ‘The Paths of Thorns’ and ‘Into the Fire’. She collaborated with Pierre Marchand for the first time for this album.

In 1993, her third album ‘Fumbling Towards Ecstasy’ came out and became an instant hit with the Canadian audience. Within the period of next two years, this album also became McLachlan’s ticket to international fame.

In 1996, McLachlan founded a tour called ‘Lilith Fair’ and gave out performances with female artists like Cole, Lisa Loeb and Michelle McAdorey. The reason for forming ‘Lilith Fair’ was McLachlan’s frustration with concert promoters and radio stations as they refused to feature two female musicians in a row. Bucking conventional industry wisdom, she booked a successful tour for herself and Paula Cole.

In total, McLachlan has been nominated for 21 Juno Awards and received 8 out of them in the categories of ‘Best Music Video’, ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’, ‘Songwriter of the Year’, ‘Single of the Year’, etc.

She has received three Grammy Awards until now: ‘Best Female Pop Vocal Performance’ for ‘Building a Mystery (1997)’ and ‘I Will Remember You (1999)’ and ‘Best Pop Instrumental Performance’ for ‘Last Dance (1997)’.

She has also been the winner of Elizabeth Cady Station Visionary Award for taking the career of women in music further with her ‘Lilith Fair’. She was also appointed as an Officer of the ‘Order of Canada’.