Fletcher | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Fletcher at theGrammy Museum inLos Angeles, October 2024 | |
| Born | Cari Elise Fletcher (1994-03-19)March 19, 1994 (age 31) Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Other names | Cari Fletcher |
| Alma mater | New York University |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2015–present |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Pop |
| Instruments |
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| Labels | Capitol |
| Website | findingfletcher |
Musical artist | |
Cari Elise Fletcher (born March 19, 1994), knownmononymously by her last name (stylized inall caps), is an American singer. Her breakthrough song "Undrunk", released in 2019, was her first single to chart on the U.SBillboard Hot 100.[1] "Undrunk" was released on January 25, 2019, as the lead single of her second extended play (EP),You Ruined New York City for Me (2019).
Fletcher's debut single as a solo artist, "War Paint", was released in 2015.[2] Her 2016 single, "Wasted Youth", reached No. 1 onBillboard's Emerging Artist Chart. Fletcher was included onForbes's 202230 under 30 list.[3] She released her debut album,Girl of My Dreams, in 2022. In March 2024, she released her second albumIn Search of the Antidote.[4]
Fletcher was born inAsbury Park, New Jersey,[5] to Bob and Noreen (née Napolitani) Fletcher; her father owned several car dealerships and her mother was a flight attendant.[citation needed] She began taking vocal lessons at the age of five.[6]
In 2012, Fletcher graduated fromWall High School in nearbyWall Township, New Jersey,[7] where she played women'svolleyball.[8] Upon graduating high school, she attended theClive Davis Institute of Recorded Music atNew York University (NYU).[6] She took a year-long leave of absence and moved toNashville, Tennessee, to pursue music full time. She completed NYU in 2016.[9] She is currently based inLos Angeles.
In 2011, Fletcher competed on thepremiere season ofThe X Factor. In the boot camp round,Simon Cowell paired Fletcher withHayley Orrantia, Paige Elizabeth Ogle, and Dani Knights to form the group Lakoda Rayne under mentorship ofPaula 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 atFortune Tech Conference in 2019 as a success story.[14] In September 2016, she released her debutEPFinding Fletcher independently.[15]
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In August 2018, Fletcher announced that she had signed withCapitol Records, which is based in Los Angeles.[16] She released her single "Undrunk" on January 25, 2019 and subsequently made her television debut onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[17] She also performed atBonnaroo 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 EPYou 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 forNiall Horan'sNice to Meet Ya Tour, set to begin in 2020 before it was cancelled due to theCOVID-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" withHayley Kiyoko, whichElle 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 USBillboard 200.[27] On March 22, 2024, she released her sophomore album,In Search of the Antidote,[28] which debuted at number three on the USBillboard Top Album Sales charts.[29]
Fletcher has said that her ancestry is mostly German. Her paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from Germany, where their last name was incorrectlyanglicized from the German 'Fleischhauer' (the English equivalent isButcher) to the English last name 'Fletcher', possibly due to itsphonetic 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'. Fletcher released "I Believe You" in support of sexual assault survivors in March 2018, penning a#MeToo-inspired letter toBillboard.[30] She supported the movement with appearances atIt's On Us and theUnited State of Women Summit. She's also participated inGirl Up and theTeen Vogue Summit in support ofwomen's empowerment efforts.
Fletcher is a member of theLGBTQ+ community, and actively supports organizations such asGLAAD,The Trevor Project andIt Gets Better.[31] In March 2017, she toldBillboard "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."[2] In December 2021, Fletcher stated that she identifies asqueer 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 YouTuberShannon Beveridge. In 2017, Beveridge starred in the music video for her single "Wasted Youth".[33] Fletcher's third EPThe 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 withLyme disease.[37][38] On June 5, 2025, upon releasing her new single "Boy", Fletcher revealed she is dating a man.[39]
Growing up, she was inspired by vocalists likeCeline Dion,Mariah Carey, andWhitney Houston.[40] She citedBob Marley,[41] and fellow New Jersey artistsBruce Springsteen,Bon Jovi,[42] andPatti Smith[43] as influences. Fletcher has also expressed admiration forTaylor Swift,Madonna,Lady Gaga,Amy Winehouse,Alanis Morissette,Demi Lovato, andTroye Sivan.[44]
| 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] |
Headline
Supporting
| 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] |
Fletcher, who was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and raised on Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen, moved back home for treatment, posting up in her childhood bedroom.
Senior Cari Fletcher continues to defy odds and has survived the latest cut on Simon Cowell's new talent showX Factor, which aired Tuesday.
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