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Fletcher (singer)

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Fletcher
Born
Cari Elise Fletcher

(1994-03-19) March 19, 1994 (age 30)
Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S.
Other namesCari Fletcher
Alma materNew York University
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2015–present
Musical career
GenresPop
Instrument(s)Vocals, Guitar
LabelsCapitol
Websitefindingfletcher.com

Cari Elise Fletcher (born March 19, 1994), known mononymously by her last name (stylized as FLETCHER), is an American pop singer. Her breakthrough single "Undrunk", released in January 2019, was her first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on Spotify's Viral Chart in the United States.[1] "Undrunk" was released on her second extended play You Ruined New York City for Me, and according to Mediabase, the song was the fastest-rising song at pop radio for a new artist since 2014.[2]

Fletcher's debut single as a solo artist, "War Paint", was released in June 2015.[3] Her 2016 single, "Wasted Youth", reached No. 1 on Billboard's Emerging Artist Chart. Fletcher was included on Forbes's 2022 30 under 30 list.[4] She released her debut album Girl of My Dreams in 2022. In March 2024, she released her second album In Search of the Antidote.[5]

Early life

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Fletcher was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey, to Bob and Noreen (née Napolitani) Fletcher; her father owned several car dealerships and her mother was a flight attendant. She began taking vocal lessons at the age of five.[6]

In 2012, Fletcher graduated from Wall High School in nearby Wall Township, New Jersey,[7] where she played women's volleyball.[8] Upon graduating high school, she attended the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University (NYU).[6] She took a year-long leave of absence and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue music full time. She completed NYU in 2016.[9] She currently is based in Los Angeles.

Ancestry

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Fletcher has said that her ancestry is mostly German. Her parental grandparents emigrated to the United States from Germany, where their last name was incorrectly anglicized from the German 'Fleischhauer' (the English equivalent is Butcher) to the English last name 'Fletcher', possibly due to its phonetic similarity. On a video, Fletcher stated that her family last name was 'Fleischhauer' but changed to 'Fletcher' and was shocked when informed that Fleischhauer was actually the German equivalent of 'Butcher'.

Career

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In 2011, Fletcher competed on the premiere season of The X Factor. In the boot camp round, Simon Cowell paired Fletcher with Hayley Orrantia, Paige Elizabeth Ogle, and Dani Knights to form the group Lakoda Rayne under mentorship of Paula Abdul.[10] They disbanded after being eliminated from the competition.[11][12] In 2015, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee and began collaborating with producer Jamie Kenney, during which the single "War Paint" was released. The song went viral on Spotify after its release.[13] In 2016, Spotify added Fletcher to their Spotify Spotlight list, helping catapult her as an independent artist. She was invited to speak on behalf of the company at Fortune Tech Conference in 2019 as a success story.[14] In September 2016, she released her debut EP Finding Fletcher independently.[15]

Fletcher performing in 2022

In August 2018, Fletcher announced that she had signed with Capitol Records, which is based in Los Angeles.[16] She released her single "Undrunk" on January 25, 2019 and subsequently made her television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[17] She also performed at Bonnaroo Music Festival,[18] Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival,[19] Lollapalooza[20] that year.

In April 2019, she released "If You're Gonna Lie", marketed as a prequel to "Undrunk" and "About You", another single about the same ex.[21] In August 2019, Fletcher released her second EP You Ruined New York City for Me, with all prior releases along with two new songs, "All Love" and "Strangers".[22] In October 2019, Fletcher was announced as an opening act for Niall Horan's Nice to Meet Ya Tour, set to begin in 2020 before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[23]

In September 2020, Fletcher released her EP, The S(ex) Tapes, which shares the raw aftermath of a breakup.[24] She later released "Cherry" with Hayley Kiyoko, which Elle called "luscious, flirtatious, but fun".[25]

On September 16, 2022, she released her debut album Girl of My Dreams,[26] which debuted at number fifteen on the US Billboard 200.[27]

On March 22, 2024, she released her sophomore album In Search of the Antidote[28], which debuted at number three on the US Billboard Top Album Sales charts.[29]

Personal life

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Fletcher released "I Believe You" in support of sexual assault survivors in March 2018, penning a #MeToo-inspired letter to Billboard.[30] She supported the movement with appearances at It's On Us and the United State of Women Summit. She's also participated in Girl Up and the Teen Vogue Summit in support of women's empowerment efforts.

Fletcher is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and actively supports organizations such as GLAAD, The Trevor Project and It Gets Better.[31] In March 2017, she told Billboard "I definitely identify within the LGBTQ community, but as far as putting a label on like gay, straight, bisexual, lesbian, queer... it's all in the family and spectrum, and sexuality and gender is not black and white. It's a spectrum that we all fall somewhere in the world on. That's how I feel comfortable expressing myself – loving who I feel like loving and who I'm attracted to."[3] In December 2021, Fletcher stated that she identifies as queer and that she is "attracted to strong feminine energy which [sic] just so happens to more likely than not be women".[32]

From 2016 to 2020, Fletcher dated YouTuber Shannon Beveridge. In 2017, Beveridge starred in the music video for her single "Wasted Youth".[33] Fletcher's third EP The S(ex) Tapes, released in 2020, was inspired by the aftermath of their breakup.[24] Beveridge filmed and directed all of the music videos for the EP, including "Sex (With My Ex)".[34] In July 2022, Fletcher released the single "Becky's So Hot" about Beveridge's then-girlfriend.[35][36]

In 2023 after falling ill, Fletcher was diagnosed with Lyme disease.[37][38]

Influences

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Growing up, she was inspired by vocalists like Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston.[39] She cited Bob Marley,[40] and fellow New Jersey artists Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi,[41] and Patti Smith[42] as influences. Fletcher has also expressed admiration for Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Troye Sivan.[43]

Discography

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Main article: Fletcher discography

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Notes Ref.
2011 The X Factor Contestant [45][36]
2022 The L Word: Generation Q Herself; Episode: "Little Boxes" [46]
Miley's New Year's Eve Party Herself [47]

Tours

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Headline

  • Finding Fletcher Tour (2017)
  • You Ruined New York City For Me Tour (2019)
  • Fletcher 2020 Tour (2020), postponed[48] due to COVID-19
  • Girl of My Dreams Tour (2022)
  • In Search of the Antidote Tour (2024)


Supporting

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Nominated Work Result Ref
2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards Best New Pop Artist Herself Nominated [49]
2021 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist Herself Nominated [50]
2023 MTV Europe Music Awards Best Push Act Herself Nominated [51]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Music Artist Herself Won [52]
MTV Video Music Awards Push Performance of The Year "Becky's So Hot" Nominated [53]

References

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  1. ^ One to watch: Fletcher at The Guardian; by Michael Cragg; published December 21, 2019; retrieved January 4, 2020
  2. ^ Fletcher's "Undrunk" Earns Most Added Honor At Pop Radio at Headline Planet; by Brian Cantor; published 2019; retrieved January 4, 2020
  3. ^ a b Payne, Chris (March 16, 2017). "Pop Shop Podcast: Meet Fletcher, the Fast-Rising Pop Artist Who's Owning the Streaming Game Without a Major Label". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  4. ^ "Fletcher". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  5. ^ Raza-Sheikh, Zoya (2024-03-22). "For Fletcher, love isn't the drug - it's the antidote". GAY TIMES. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  6. ^ a b "Fletcher: Biography & History". AllMusic.com. 1994-03-19. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  7. ^ Brown, Keith. "Wall High School Student Cari Fletcher Makes Cut On X Factor Fletcher, part of a group of women singers, makes it to final 16 acts", Wall, NJ Patch, October 19, 2011. Accessed February 6, 2020. "Senior Cari Fletcher continues to defy odds and has survived the latest cut on Simon Cowell's new talent show X Factor, which aired Tuesday."
  8. ^ "Cari Fletcher @ Wall High School". NJ.com. 2012-01-01. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  9. ^ Clive Davis Institute alumni are leaders and tastemakers shaping a continually shifting landscape. Archived 2019-12-28 at the Wayback Machine at NYU.edu; retrieved January 4, 2020
  10. ^ "'X Factor' Redux: Simon Cowell Says Lakoda Rayne Got Voted Off For Being 'Too Pretty'". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  11. ^ "VIDEO: Wall High School Senior Cari Fletcher Sings On X Factor". Wall, NJ Patch. 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  12. ^ "The X Factor recap: Leroy Bell, Lakoda Rayne eliminated". EW.com. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  13. ^ Schwartz, Alexandra (December 29, 2015). "Rising Music Star Fletcher Talks Going Viral, Her Love for Lorde, and What's Next in 2016". Glamour. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  14. ^ About Fletcher: How Spotify 'Playlisting' Turned an Unknown Into a Star at Fortune; by Robert Hackett; published July 15, 2019; retrieved February 6, 2020
  15. ^ "'War Paint' Singer FLETCHER Debuts New EP: Meet the 'Jennifer Lawrence' of Music". People.com. 2016-09-29. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  16. ^ "FLETCHER - Capitol Records". www.capitolrecords.com. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  17. ^ FLETCHER - Undrunk (Live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon), 19 April 2019, retrieved 2022-11-21
  18. ^ 10 Artists You Must See at Bonnaroo 2018 at iEDM; by Kylie de la Bruyère; published May 30, 2018; retrieved January 4, 2020
  19. ^ Life is Beautiful daily lineup announced, single-day tickets on sale May 17 at News3 Las Vegas; published May 15, 2018; retrieved January 4, 2020
  20. ^ Highlights from the BMI Stage at Lollapalooza 2018 – Day 1 at BMI; retrieved January 4, 2020
  21. ^ "FLETCHER Struggles With Thoughts Of An Ex On "About You"". Idolator.com. 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  22. ^ "2010-2019 🍵". Instagram. December 31, 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  23. ^ Smith, Lindsey (October 30, 2019). "iHeartRadio Music News Niall Horan Announces 2020 'Nice To Meet Ya' Arena Tour With Lewis Capaldi". iHeartRadio Music News. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  24. ^ a b Cerón, Ella (10 September 2020). "Fletcher Talks New Album, Breakup, and White Privilege". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  25. ^ Gonzales, Erica (2021-12-17). "Fletcher and Hayley Kiyoko Get Caught in a Love Triangle in Their "Cherry" Music Video". Elle. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
  26. ^ "FLETCHER ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM GIRL OF MY DREAMS TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 16". UMusic. Retrieved 4 October 2022.[permanent dead link‍]
  27. ^ "This Artist Went Viral With A Song About Liking A Photo Of Her Ex's New Girlfriend". Bustle. 2022-10-11. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  28. ^ Aramesh, Waiss (2024-03-16). "Fletcher Worried She Might Have to Quit Music. Now, She's Healing in More Ways Than One". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  29. ^ Caulfield, Keith (2024-04-03). "Fletcher's 'In Search of the Antidote' Debuts at No. 3 on Top Album Sales Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  30. ^ FLETCHER Shares #MeToo-Inspired Track 'I Believe You' With Poignant Open Letter: 'I'm Listening, We All Are' at Billboard; by Patrick Crowley; published March 9, 2018; retrieved January 4, 2020
  31. ^ "FLETCHER Opened Up About Her Sexuality in Heartfelt Instagram Post". www.out.com. 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  32. ^ Rude, Mey (December 20, 2021). "FLETCHER Opened Up About Her Sexuality in Heartfelt Instagram Post". Out. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  33. ^ FLETCHER - Wasted Youth, 7 March 2017, retrieved 2022-07-21
  34. ^ FLETCHER - Sex (With My Ex), 18 September 2020, retrieved 2022-07-21
  35. ^ "Fletcher Is Not Your Typical Jealous Ex On New Song "Becky's So Hot"". Genius. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  36. ^ a b Guy, Zoe (2022-07-21). "TikTok Is in Shambles Over Fletcher's Messy Breakup Song". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  37. ^ "INTERVIEW: Fletcher on the creation of her second album 'In Search of the Antidote': "It's a deeper self-reflection than anything I've ever put out before."", Women In Pop, March 25, 2024, retrieved April 26, 2024
  38. ^ Raza-Sheikh, Zoya (2024-03-22). "For Fletcher, love isn't the drug - it's the antidote". GAY TIMES. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  39. ^ "Inside BMI's Patch House Writers Camp". American Songwriter. 18 July 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  40. ^ "FLETCHER ON HEARTBREAK, BOB MARLEY AND MOVING PAST THE PETTINESS". TMRW Magazine. 18 August 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  41. ^ ""I Don't Belong In A Box!" FLETCHER Is Speaking Her Truth". Clash. August 12, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  42. ^ Macias, Ernesto (August 2, 2019). "Fletcher On Writing Her Own Story, And Not Writing Drunk Texts". Interview Magazine. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  43. ^ Cockburn, Paige (December 11, 2021). "INTERVIEW WITH FLETCHER". A Modern Gay's Guide. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  44. ^ "Fletcher Ran Into Her Ex At A Taylor Swift Concert & Wrote A Song About It [Exclusive]". Elite Daily. 2024-03-22. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  45. ^ "Fletcher: I questioned for a long time if I would ever be able to be a pop star". Dork. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  46. ^ "FLETCHER joins the cast of The L Word: Generation Q for season 3". Gay Times. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  47. ^ "Miley Cyrus and Fletcher Heat Up 'Miley's New Year's Eve Party'". Rolling Stone. December 31, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  48. ^ "Tour".[permanent dead link‍]
  49. ^ "Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Jonas Brothers & More Nominated for iHeartRadio Music Awards: See Full List". Billboard. January 8, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  50. ^ "GLAAD Media Awards 2021: The Complete List of Nominations". E! News. January 28, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  51. ^ "MTV EMAs 2023 Nominations Revealed". NME. October 4, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  52. ^ "GLAAD Media Awards: 'Bros,' 'A League of Their Own' Take Top Prizes". The Hollywood Reporter. March 20, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  53. ^ "Taylor Swift, SZA, Doja Cat Lead 2023 MTV VMA Nominations". Rolling Stone. August 8, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
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