Grimes

Name:
Grimes
Real name:
Claire Elise Boucher
Birth date:
(37 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Vancouver
Height:
5'5 ft ()
Weight:
110 lb (50 kg)
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:

Biography of Singer Grimes

Grimes is a singer whose ethereal, otherworldly voice creates songs that sound like they're beamed from the future. Her unique blend of diverse styles, flawless soprano, and sharp artistic instincts make her a standout in the entertainment industry.
Singer Grimes
Singer Grimes

Early Life

The singer's real name is Claire Elise Boucher. She was born in Vancouver on March 17, 1988. Claire's mother, Sandy Garossino, is a prosecutor and well-known public figure in Canada. Grimes' maternal grandmother was Ukrainian, which is why she often heard her grandparents speaking Russian during her childhood and even learned a bit of the language herself.
The singer's real name is Claire Elise Boucher
The singer's real name is Claire Elise Boucher
She's woven hints of her heritage throughout her work over the years. The cover of her "Visions" album, for example, features the words "I love" and a quote from Anna Akhmatova's "Song of the Last Meeting" — Akhmatova being one of her favorite poets. During one concert, she sang a musical adaptation of Alexander Pushkin's poem "I Loved You," and in February 2019, she sang the song "I repeat 10 times and again" by Russian punk singer Yanka Dyagileva.
Singer Grimes as a child
Singer Grimes as a child
In Vancouver, Boucher attended a Catholic school. After graduating in 2006, she enrolled at McGill University in Montreal, Canada's oldest institution. Claire had always been drawn to science, visual arts, and literature, but after much deliberation, she chose to major in neurobiology.
Grimes in her youth
Grimes in her youth
During her college years, Claire became passionate about music. In 2007, she started performing in Montreal clubs as DJ Grimes, blending hip-hop, rock, and electronic music. Through this genre experimentation, she discovered her unique sound. Along with other musicians, she put on performances in an abandoned textile factory outside Montreal and recorded two original songs that were included in a 2009 Canadian electronic music compilation.

Creative Career

Drawing inspiration from Frank Herbert's "Dune" and other sci-fi writers, Claire released two albums on her own label, Arbutus Records, in 2010. "Geidi Primes" and "Halfaxa" didn't make her famous, but they caught the attention of artists and music critics who recognized Grimes' unique voice and artistry.
All music critics highlight Grimes' originality
All music critics highlight Grimes' originality
In 2011, Claire left university as music was now consuming all her time. That spring, she toured North America with Swedish indie artist Lykke Li and later recorded several songs with young Canadian avant-garde musician Chris d'Eon.

In 2012, Claire released her third album "Visions" under the 4AD label, which received rave reviews from the most respected music publications. She recorded it entirely using computer software in just three weeks, with some sources calling it the "album of the year." The New York Times called "Visions" the most impressive album of the year, and in 2013 it won the Juno Award for Electronic Album of the Year.
Grimes - Vanessa - 2013 ACL Festival
Evan Rytlewski, an editor at "Club," described the album's style as "melancholic electro-pop." Pop Matters' Matt James called it an absolute intellectual explosion.

Claire directed the music video for "Genesis" and designed the album cover, incorporating lines from an Anna Akhmatova poem written in Russian.
Grimes - Genesis
In 2014, Boucher released the track "Go," which she had offered to Rihanna. However, the star passed on it, finding it uninteresting. Rolling Stone editors called the track one of the year's best songs.
In 2014, Boucher released the track 'Go'
In 2014, Boucher released the track 'Go'
In 2015, Grimes joined Lana Del Rey's concert tour and later that year, she released "Art Angels." Janelle Monáe and Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes contributed to the album, which became Grimes' most successful work. Less gloomy than its predecessor and more personal and candid, "Art Angels" topped the year's 50 best albums list.
The singer toured Asia and Europe in 2016
The singer toured Asia and Europe in 2016
In 2016, the singer toured Asia and Europe and announced a new album for 2017. Work on this project would span several years. "Miss Anthropocene," a concept album about climate change, was released in February 2020 on indie label 4AD. Grimes wrote and produced all ten tracks, each addressing humanity's extinction in its own way.
Grimes – Delete Forever
In February 2019, she posted a cover of a song by Yanka Dyagileva on Twitter, which Russian-speaking fans of Claire particularly appreciated.
Canadian singer Grimes covered a song by Yanka Dyagileva

Other Projects

Beyond music, Claire has made her mark as a visual artist. Drawing inspiration from Japanese anime and manga for her album covers, her artwork has been featured in galleries worldwide.
Grimes also showcases her talent as an artist and designer
Grimes also showcases her talent as an artist and designer
Claire has also dabbled in fashion design, creating prints for a T-shirt collection by luxury brand Yves Saint-Laurent.
Grimes: Music, AI, and the Future of Humanity
Since 2016, Grimes has served as a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton.

Grimes' Personal Life

Early in her career, Grimes briefly dated Canadian musician Devon Welsh before entering a multi-year relationship with musician James Brooks.

In spring 2018, news broke that she was dating tech mogul Elon Musk, one of the world's richest people. The pair frequently appeared together at public events, with media noting that Musk had introduced her to his children—fueling speculation about their serious commitment.
Grimes and Elon Musk
Grimes and Elon Musk
In May 2020, they welcomed their first child together—a son named X Æ A-12. The unconventional name was Grimes' brainchild: "X" represents an unknown variable, "Æ" stands for AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Elvish, and "A-12" references a fighter jet model that Elon loves.

In September 2021, Grimes and Elon announced their split while maintaining an amicable relationship. Soon after, Elon began dating Shivon Zilis, a top executive at his company Neuralink, who later gave birth to twins. Initially, there was tension between Grimes and Shivon, but they eventually became friends.
Grimes Reflects on 10 Life-Changing Moments
During a March 2022 interview with Vanity Fair at her home, a child's cry could be heard from another room. Grimes revealed that she and Elon had welcomed a daughter months earlier, named Exa Dark Sideræl. "Exa" references the computing term exaflops, "Dark" alludes to dark matter, and "Sideræl" means "stellar" while also sounding like an Elvish name. A surrogate mother carried the child.
Grimes with her eldest son
Grimes with her eldest son
Around this time, Grimes was linked to transgender activist and former intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. The romance was brief, and by June, Grimes and Chelsea had parted ways.
Chelsea Manning
Chelsea Manning
On September 10, 2023, news emerged that Grimes had given birth to her third child with Elon—a boy named Tau Techno Mechanicus.

In interviews, Grimes has mentioned having a slight speech impediment but doesn't consider it significant. Fans believe her subtle lisp only adds to her charm.

Claire is a committed vegetarian who believes it's wrong to consume meat or wear leather and fur.

Grimes Now

In March 2021, Grimes began working with Columbia Records. Despite her history of releasing music exclusively on indie labels, the major label partnership didn't pan out. By April 2023, she had left, releasing only two singles in that time: "Player of Games" and "Shinigami Eyes".
Grimes – Shinigami Eyes
She revealed that her sixth album "Book 1", announced in September 2022, was held up by "legal complications". In early 2023, Grimes declared her career was now a "side quest", putting family and friends first. Soon after, she let AI use her voice in compositions, calling it a "great opportunity to destroy the concept of copyright".

In September 2023, Grimes introduced her new song "I Wanna Be Software".
  • Barbara Williamson, her grandmother is Ukrainian.
    2022-09-20 06:27:46
  • Barbara Williamson, no, she has Ukrainian roots.
    2022-09-20 06:26:28
  • A very artistic young performer who is interesting to watch. I wish her great creative success!
    2021-04-29 14:47:43
  • I wonder if it is true that she has Russian roots? All this is unusual... She often mentions in her concerts and songs about something connected with Russia!
    2021-04-21 23:03:31
  • This Grimes is so cool. A peculiar, but attention-grabbing girl. She is still young and I hope that she will become even more popular.
    2021-04-11 09:36:26
  • Who is this Grimes? I personally have not heard one of her songs. And why is she so popular?
    2021-03-27 08:42:14
  • I love the music of this performer! I don`t even know what could be better for me. This unusual style of hers is mesmerizing.
    2021-01-08 23:08:42
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