A live performance in an episode of the dance show, So You Think You Can Dance, changed Christina Perri’s life for the better. In July 2010, the aspiring singer and songwriter who was born on August 19, 1986 was asked to perform her song Jar of Hearts on national television for millions of audience watching. This life defining moment propelled the young musician into mainstream success and a record deal. In the following years, she has released two studio albums.
Born and raised in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Christina dreamed of pursuing music as a career since she was little. She was raised by her Italian father and Polish mother who earned a living as hairdressers. She cites her brother as being a great influence in her early life. Nick Perri, who is older than her, is a guitarist who has jammed with bands like Shinedown and Silvertide and played with Matt Sorum. She travelled with Silvertide and her brother when she was a teenager and attended university for two semesters after graduating Archbishop Ryan High School. When Christina turned 21, she settled in Los Angeles where she struggled to get exposure in the music industry. In Los Angeles, she wedded her then boyfriend and shortly divorced. She had been in a serious six years relationship with another ex boyfriend. Her struggle with love has been evident in many of her songs.
After the heart wrenching divorce, Christina dived into her music completely and it was then that she wrote the lyrics to Jar of Hearts. She worked day shifts as a waitress at a café and fervently wrote and recorded songs during her time off. Her bittersweet experience with love and life fueled her lyrics and music. In a matter of years, her net worth has rocketed to $4 million dollars. Jar of Hearts was first heard nationally on June 30, 2010 when it was played during an episode of So You Think You Can Dance. Within a week, Christina started receiving hundreds of fan mails and online recognition when the single sold thousands of copies online and crashed the Billboard Hot 100 list. She was instantly signed by Atlantic Records next month and she began work on The Ocean Way Sessions EP which released in November of that year. Her first studio album aptly titled Lovestrong created huge waves on charts in 2011 and her first tour ever was announced. The album consisted of tracks relating to her past relationships and resonating with her experience with love. Christina surpassed her own wildest expectations when A Thousand Years was received widely by the Twilight fans and non-fans alike. The single is listed on the movie’s original soundtrack and is her most commercially successful song till date. The single was certified multi-platinum by the RIAA with more than four million copies sold inside the United States. In 2013, she was awarded the BMI Award in honor of the success of A Thousand Years. The first single off her following album, Head or Heart, was released in late 2013 and was titled Human. In contrast to Lovestrong, with Head or Heart, she focused majorly on her inner self and her journey of self discovery. She opened for Demi Lovato on the North American World Tour and announced the Head or Heart Tour that year.
Christina’s life has been a whirlwind for the past four years. Since her debut with Jar of Hearts, her life has taken a sharp turn with her transforming from a mere waitress to an award winning musician. Besides her success as an artist, she is exclusively known for the multiple tattoos that adorn her skin. She has helped raise funds for the To Write Love on Her Arms charity.
With her chart slaying studio albums and emotionally raw performances, Christina Perri is one of the most successful new comers in the music industry in America. The soulful lyrics and bold expressions of this Italian American singer has left millions of fans wanting for more.