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Sarah McLachlan: A Brief Biography

Sarah McLachlan has emerged as one of Canada’s most beloved singers and a leading artist on the world stage of popular music. McLachlan has paralleled her music career with a keen devotion to causes she finds most close to her heart.

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1968, she studied classical piano, guitar and voice and was first discovered fronting a new wave band in 1985 by the then-fledgling Vancouver-based company Nettwerk Records. The label signed the 19-year-old singer to a recording contract in 1987.

Since her debut Album Solace in 1988, every one of her studio and live albums and videos has been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA. Sarah has sold over 40 million recordings worldwide and won three Grammy Awards and eight Juno Awards among many other distinctions.

McLachlan conceived and launched the much-heralded Lilith Fair tour, a multi-artist bill showcasing the talents of women performers from around the world. The touring festival brought together two million people over its three-year history (1997-1999) and raised more than $7 million for charities.

Over her long career, McLachlan has received numerous entertainment and achievement distinctions. In 2001, she was awarded the Order of Canada and The Order of British Columbia. Other distinctions include the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Visionary Award, for advancing the careers of woman in music. The award, presented by New York Governor George E. Pataki, recognizes her work with Lilith Fair, which gives both established and aspiring women artists a chance to showcase their talents to a broad audience. In 2002 Sarah received a life time Achievement award from FACTOR  (The Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Records) http://www.factor.ca/.

In 2003, the singer founded the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Program for the purpose of providing free music education classes to inner city youths whose school music programs have been reduced or abolished by budget cuts. Sarah also helped to organize and performed in a landmark concert event October 10^th 2002 which raised over 1.8 Million dollars  for the BC Cancer Foundation’s new research facility slated to open in 2004.

In September 2004, Sarah McLachlan released the socially charged video "World On Fire," directed by Sophie Muller. The video made what Jon Pareles, writing in the New York Times, called “a modestly brilliant gesture: it stacks up budget items for a typical clip against what the same $150,000 budget would buy as relief efforts—cattle, bicycles, housing, education, medicine…The contrast between show-business splurges and practical aid is startling.” “World On Fire,” a Grammy nominee for Best Short Form Music Video, cost only $15 to make—the price of a Sony mini DV tape. The remainder of the $150,000 video budget was distributed among eleven charitable organizations around the world including CARE, Engineers Without Borders, Help The Aged, Warchild, and Heifer International.

Sarah is also an avid supporter of the ASPCA and animal welfare. She filmed a two-minute advertisement for the organization and McLachlan's appeal for donations has raised $30 million for the ASPCA since it began to air in 2006. Recently Sarah also received the the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award at the 2009 Juno awards.

Sarah is currently recording a new studio album and has plans to bring back the Lilith Fair tour in the summer of 2010.