Alanis Morissette

Since emerging in 1995, Alanis Morissette has become one of the premiere singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned the seven-time Grammy Award winner vast critical praise and a dedicated fanbase that extends throughout the world, with album sales exceeding 40 million.

Alanis’ groundbreaking 1995 Maverick debut jagged little pill heavily impacted listeners, revealing a talented young artist with a powerful voice and challenging vision. The monumental success of jagged little pill—which featured hits “You Oughta Know,” “Hand In My Pocket,” “Ironic” and “You Learn”—kept Alanis on the road for an 18-month world tour between 1995 and 1996 that started in clubs and ended in arenas. The album earned Alanis four Grammy Awards: “Album of the Year,” “Best Female Rock Vocal Performance (‘You Oughta Know’),” “Best Rock Song (‘You Oughta Know’)” and “Best Rock Album” in addition to a “Best Video/Long Form” Grammy Award in 1997 for co-directing the jagged little pill, LIVE! home video.

In 1998, Alanis wrote and co-produced the song “Uninvited” for the soundtrack for The City of Angels. The song featured a 22-piece string section and earned Alanis two Grammy Awards: “Best Female Rock Vocal Performance” and “Best Rock Song.”

Alanis returned in 1998 with the release of Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, which featured the hits “Thank U,” “Unsent” and “So Pure.” Upon the album’s completion, Alanis said: “I see every recording I’ve done as a snapshot of that time in my life. I feel fulfilled when I feel the songs were inspired and representative of myself in the moment.” Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie was a worldwide success, reflecting Alanis’ expanded musical artistry.

In 1999, Alanis produced her MTV Unplugged album, intimately re-working her material and introducing some unreleased work before a live audience at New York’s Brooklyn Academy of Music. The album, which featured the single “That I Would Be Good,” focused on her penetrating vocals and creative arrangements, becoming a fan favorite.

Alanis wrote and produced Under Rug Swept in 2002, creating songs by playing acoustic and electric guitars and keyboards while writing in a stream-of-consciousness accelerated way. In her Boston Herald review (February 26, 2002), Sarah Rodman called the single “Hands Clean” “a perfect Morissette tune…sung with the kind of wry clearheadedness at which she excels.”

In late 2002, Alanis issued Feast on Scraps: Inside Under Rug Swept. This special DVD and CD package was highlighted by a full concert from Rotterdam, Netherlands and eight unreleased songs from sessions for Under Rug Swept, plus an acoustic version of that album’s hit single “Hands Clean.” The DVD also featured exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Under Rug Swept and rare home videos.

At the same time, Alanis has remained at the forefront of humanitarian issues, Internet technology, and music artists’ rights. She’s also contributed to the literary world, writing the forward to the book Conversations With God For Teens (by Neale Donald Walsch). Additionally, she has written articles from various magazines on a range of women's issues.

Alanis’ universal appeal has led to a unique connection with fans and extensive worldwide touring. During her precedent-setting summer 2000 trek through the Middle East and Eastern Europe, Alanis documented visits and performances in 15 countries (including Lebanon, Croatia and Turkey) over the Internet. In most regions, a young ambassador escorted Alanis beyond the usual tourist attractions to see historical, cultural and political sites while sharing native customs and beliefs. Alanis wrapped up that tour with a special acoustic performance and question-and-answer session at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, which is dedicated to teaching youth the importance of accepting diversity and sharing cultures.

Earlier that same year, Alanis performed in Rome for Pope John Paul II and 300,000 youth at The Great Jubilee Concert For A Debt-Free World (to bring attention to the world’s poorest nations and the need for social justice).

Alanis’ worldwide travels also brought her to Cuba in 1998 on a cultural exchange journey whereby North American artists had the chance to meet the people, including students, of that country.