Biography
Who is Carly Rae Jepsen?
Early life
Carly Rae Jepsen was born on November 21, 1985, in Mission, British Columbia, to Alexandra and Larry Jepsen. She grew up as the second of three children with an older brother named Colin and a younger sister named Katie. Her family background includes Danish, English, and Scottish heritage. During her school years at Heritage Park Secondary School, she developed a strong passion for musical theatre and performed in several student productions, including Annie, Grease, and The Wiz.
Because her parents and stepparents worked as teachers, Carly initially considered music instruction as a backup career option. She applied to several music-related programs at local institutions. Following the advice of her high school drama teacher, she successfully auditioned for the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Oak Bay, British Columbia, joining the year-long program in 2004 as one of twenty-five female students admitted.
Early career and Canadian Idol
After graduating from her performing arts program, Carly relocated to Vancouver and worked various jobs, including serving as a barista, assistant pastry chef, and bartender. During this period, she lived modestly while continuing to write songs in her spare time. Encouraged by her former drama teacher, she auditioned for the fifth season of Canadian Idol in 2007 by performing her original song Sweet Talker.
Carly finished the competition in third place, which she later viewed as an ideal outcome for her career trajectory. Her demo recordings drew the attention of music manager Jonathan Simkin, who signed her to a management deal with 604 Records. In 2008, she released her debut studio album, Tug of War, which featured promotional covers and original tracks that entered the Canadian charts.
Mainstream success
Carly achieved international breakthrough status in 2012 with the release of her smash hit single Call Me Maybe. Co-written with Tavish Crowe and Josh Ramsay, the song received promotional support from fellow Canadian pop artist Justin Bieber. This endorsement led to a joint worldwide recording contract with Schoolboy Records and Interscope Records.
The single became the best-selling worldwide track of 2012, topping charts in over nineteen countries and spending nine weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Capitalizing on this momentum, she released her second studio album, Kiss, later that year, featuring collaborations with Owl City on the top ten duet Good Time.
Later projects and albums
Throughout the following years, Carly expanded her artistic portfolio by starring as Cinderella in a twelve-week Broadway theatre run in 2014. She released her critically acclaimed third studio album, Emotion, in 2015, which included the lead single I Really Like You alongside a music video featuring actor Tom Hanks. She also contributed music to television specials and animated films.
She continued releasing new music with her fourth studio album, Dedicated, in 2019, followed by companion releases like Dedicated Side B, The Loneliest Time, and The Loveliest Time. In September 2026, she released her eighth studio album, Day and Night, further expanding her extensive pop discography.
Birthday and age
Carly Rae Jepsen was born on November 21, 1985, which makes Carly 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Carly shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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