Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive
mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...
voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with two
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
albums. In 1995, she released ''
Jagged Little Pill'', an
alternative rock-oriented album with elements of
post-grunge, which sold more than 33 million copies globally and is her most critically acclaimed work to date.
It earned her the
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regar ...
in 1996 and has been made into a
rock musical of the same name in 2017, which earned fifteen Tony Award nominations, including
Best Musical. The album was also listed in the 2003 and 2020 editions of
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time Guide. The lead single, "You Oughta Know", was also included at #103 in their
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
. A highly anticipated, more experimental follow-up, electronic-infused album, ''
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'', was released in 1998.
Morissette assumed creative control and production duties for her subsequent studio albums, including ''
Under Rug Swept'' (2002), ''
So-Called Chaos
''So-Called Chaos'' is the sixth studio album (fourth released internationally) by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on May 18, 2004, through Maverick Records. It was preceded by the single "Everything" on April 13, which w ...
'' (2004), ''
Flavors of Entanglement'' (2008), ''
Havoc and Bright Lights
High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) is a set of crewed NASA mission concepts to the planet Venus. All human portions of the missions would be conducted from lighter-than-air craft or from orbit.
Background
Venus is a planet with a ru ...
'' (2012), and ''
Such Pretty Forks in the Road
''Such Pretty Forks in the Road'' is the ninth (and seventh international) studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on July 31, 2020, through Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers in North America, and by RCA and ...
'' (2020). Her latest album, ''
The Storm Before the Calm
''The Storm Before the Calm'' (stylized in all lowercase) is the tenth (and eighth international) studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released June 17, 2022, via Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers, as well as by RC ...
'', which features
ambient music
Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. It may lack net composition, beat, or structured melody.The Ambient Century by Mark Prendergast, Bloomsbury, London, 2003. It u ...
, was released in 2022. Her well-known singles "
You Oughta Know", "
Hand in My Pocket
"Hand in My Pocket" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995). The song was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and was released as the second single fro ...
", "
Ironic", "
You Learn", "
Head Over Feet", "
Uninvited", "
Thank U", and "
Hands Clean
"Hands Clean" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, for her fifth studio album, ''Under Rug Swept'' (2002). It was written, composed, and produced by Morissette and released as the album's lead single in January 2 ...
" reached top 40 in the major charts around the world, including ten top-40 hits in the UK, 3
three top-10 in the US and Australia, and twelve top-10 hits in her native Canada. She also holds the record for the most No. 1s on the weekly
Billboard Alternative Songs chart
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
for any female soloist, group leader, or duo member. She is listed on
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
's 1999 "100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll" at number 53.
Morissette has won seven
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, fourteen
Juno Awards, one
Brit Award, and has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. She has been dubbed the "Queen of
Alt-Rock Angst" by ''
Rolling Stone''.
Early life
Morissette was born June 1, 1974, at
Riverside Hospital in
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to teacher Georgia Mary Ann ( Feuerstein) and high-school principal and French teacher Alan Richard Morissette. She has two brothers: older brother Chad is a business entrepreneur, and twin brother (12 minutes older)
Wade Morissette
Wade Imre Morissette (born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian kirtan and indie pop-rock musician.
Early life
Wade Morissette was born on 1 June 1974 at Riverside Hospital of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of Georgia Mary Ann Feuerstein, a Hunga ...
is a musician. Her father is of French and Irish descent, whereas her mother has Hungarian and
Jewish ancestry. Her parents were teachers in a military school and due to their work often had to move. Between the ages of three and six she lived with her parents in
Lahr (
Black Forest), West Germany.
When she was six years old, she returned to Ottawa and started to play the piano. In 1981, at the age of seven, she began taking dance lessons. Morissette had a Catholic upbringing. She attended
Holy Family Catholic School for elementary school and
Immaculata High School for Grades 7 and 8 before graduating from high school at
Glebe Collegiate Institute.
She appeared on the children's television
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...
''
You Can't Do That on Television'' for five episodes when she was in junior high school. Alanis composed her first song at the age of 10.
Music career
1987–1992: ''Alanis'' and ''Now Is the Time''
Morissette recorded her first demo called "Fate Stay with Me", produced by Lindsay Thomas Morgan at Marigold Studios in Toronto, and engineered by
Rich Dodson of Canadian classic rock band
The Stampeders. A second demo tape was recorded on cassette in August 1989 and sent to
Geffen Records, but the tape has never been heard as it was stolen, among other records, in a burglary of the label's headquarters in October 1989.
In 1991,
MCA Records Canada released Morissette's debut album, ''
Alanis'', in Canada only. Morissette co-wrote every track on the album with its producer,
Leslie Howe
Leslie Howe is a Canadian musician and record producer based in Ottawa, Ontario."Can you just Imagine It: Ottawa songwriter-producer finally leaves the basement". ''Ottawa Citizen'', February 20, 1992. He has been a member of the bands One to O ...
. The
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
album went
platinum,
["Search Certification Database"](_blank)
. Canadian Recording Industry Association. and its first single, "
Too Hot", reached the top 20 on the ''
RPM'' singles chart. Subsequent singles "
Walk Away" and "
Feel Your Love
"Feel Your Love" is a pop- dance and new jack swing song co-written by Alanis Morissette and Leslie Howe, and produced by Howe for Morissette's debut album, '' Alanis'' (1991). Its protagonist tells a boy she has "got this thing" for him, and ...
" reached the top 40. Morissette's popularity, style of music and appearance, particularly that of her hair, led her to become known as the
Debbie Gibson of Canada;
["Transcript: Profiles of Alanis Morissette, Margaret Cho"](_blank)
. CNN ''People in the News
This is a list of news programs broadcast by CNN. CNN is a 24-hour cable news network founded by media mogul Ted Turner. The network debuted on June 1, 1980.
Current programming
Broadcast specials
* ''Election Night in America'' (flagship ...
''. January 4, 2003. comparisons to
Tiffany
Tiffany may refer to:
People
* Tiffany (given name), list of people with this name
* Tiffany (surname), list of people with this surname
Known mononymously as "Tiffany":
* Tiffany Darwish, (born 1971), an American singer, songwriter, actress kn ...
were also common. During the same period, she was a concert opening act for rapper
Vanilla Ice.
[Farley, Christopher John]
"You Oughta Know Her"
''Time''. February 26, 1996. Morissette was nominated for three 1992
Juno Award
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
s:
Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year (which she won),
Single of the Year and
Best Dance Recording (both for "Too Hot").
In 1992, she released her second album, ''
Now Is the Time
''Now Is the Time'' is the second studio album by Alanis Morissette, released only in Canada on October 20, 1992. It was her final album for MCA Records Canada. Morissette recorded the album with Leslie Howe, who produced her debut album, '' ...
'', a
ballad-driven record that featured less glitzy production than ''Alanis'' and contained more thoughtful lyrics.
Morissette wrote the songs with the album's producer, Leslie Howe, and Serge Côté. She said of the album, "People could go, 'Boo, hiss, hiss, this girl's like another Tiffany or whatever.' But the way I look at it... people will like your next album if it's a kick-ass one."
As with ''Alanis'' (1991), ''Now Is the Time'' (1992) was released only in Canada and produced three top 40 singles—"
An Emotion Away
"An Emotion Away" is a pop- dance song co-written by Alanis Morissette, Leslie Howe and Serge Côté, and produced by Howe for Morissette's second album '' Now Is the Time'' (1992). Its protagonist tells someone who "completely took erheart by ...
", the minor
adult contemporary hit "
No Apologies" as well as "(Change Is) Never a Waste of Time". The industry considered it a commercial failure, however, since it sold only a little more than half the copies of her first album.
[Wild, David]
"Adventures Of Miss Thing"
''Rolling Stone''. November 2, 1995. With her two-album deal with MCA Records Canada complete, Morissette was left without a major label contract.
1993–1997: ''Jagged Little Pill''
In 1993, Morissette's publisher Leeds Levy at MCA Music Publishing introduced her to manager Scott Welch.
Welch told
HitQuarters
HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...
he was impressed by her "spectacular voice", her character and her lyrics. At the time she was still living at home with her parents. Together they decided it would be best for her career to move to Toronto and start writing with other people.
After graduating from high school, Morissette moved from Ottawa to
Toronto.
Her publisher funded part of her development and when she met producer and songwriter
Glen Ballard, he believed in her talent enough to let her use his studio.
The two wrote and recorded Morissette's first internationally released album, ''Jagged Little Pill'', and by the spring of 1995, she had signed a deal with Maverick Records. In the same year she learned how to play guitar. According to manager Welch, every label they approached, apart from Maverick, declined to sign Morissette.
Maverick Records released ''
Jagged Little Pill'' internationally in 1995. The album was expected only to sell enough for Morissette to make a follow-up, but the situation improved quickly when
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM (106.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Pasadena, California, serving Greater Los Angeles. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an alternative rock format known as "The World Famous KROQ" (pronounced "kay-rock").
The stat ...
, an influential Los Angeles
modern rock radio station, began playing "
You Oughta Know", the album's first single, featuring
Flea and
Dave Navarro
David Michael Navarro (born June 7, 1967) is an American guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock band Jane's Addiction, with whom he has recorded four studio albums. Between 1993 and 1998, Navarro was the guitarist of the Red Hot Ch ...
.
The song instantly garnered attention for its scathing, explicit lyrics,
and a subsequent music video went into heavy rotation on MTV and
MuchMusic
Much (an abbreviation for its full name MuchMusic) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults.
MuchMusic launched on August 31 ...
.
After the success of "
You Oughta Know", the album's other hits helped send ''Jagged Little Pill'' to the top of the charts. "
All I Really Want" and "
Hand in My Pocket
"Hand in My Pocket" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995). The song was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and was released as the second single fro ...
" followed, and the fourth U.S. single, "
Ironic", became Morissette's biggest hit. "
You Learn" and "
Head over Feet", the fifth and sixth singles, kept ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995) in the top 20 on the
''Billboard'' 200 albums chart for more than a year. ''Jagged Little Pill'' sold more than 16 million copies in the U.S.; it sold 33 million worldwide,
making it the second biggest-selling album by a female artist (behind
Shania Twain's ''
Come On Over'').
[Newman, Melinda]
"10 Years On, Alanis Unplugs 'Little Pill'"
''Billboard''. March 4, 2005. Retrieved April 19, 2022.[Walker, Steven]
. '' The Age'' Blog. August 24, 2007.
Morissette's popularity grew significantly in Canada, where the album was certified twelve times platinum
and produced four ''RPM'' chart-toppers: "Hand in My Pocket", "Ironic", "You Learn", and "Head over Feet". The album was also a bestseller in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Morissette's success with ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995) was credited with opening doors for female singers such as
Meredith Brooks,
Tracy Bonham and
Patti Rothberg, and later
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. At age 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut studio album, ''Let Go (Avril Lavigne album), Let Go'' (2002), is the ...
and
Pink. She was criticized for collaborating with producer and supposed image-maker Ballard, and her previous disco pop albums also proved a hindrance for her respectability.
[Hannaham, James]
"Alanis In Wonderland"
''Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
''. November 2, 1995. Morissette and the album won six Juno Awards in 1996:
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to:
Awards
* ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia
* Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK
* Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US
* Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA
* Lati ...
,
Single of the Year ("
You Oughta Know"), Female Vocalist of the Year,
Songwriter of the Year and
Best Rock Album. At the
16th Brit Awards
Brit Awards 1996 was the 16th edition of the Brit Awards, an annual pop music awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. It was organised by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 19 February 1996 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in L ...
she won
Brit Award for International Breakthrough Act. At the
38th Annual Grammy Awards
The 38th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the main recipient, being awarded four trophies, inc ...
in 1996, she won
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance,
Best Rock Song (both for "
You Oughta Know"),
Best Rock Album and
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to:
Awards
* ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia
* Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK
* Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US
* Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA
* Lati ...
.
At the
1996 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1996 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 4, 1996, honoring the best music videos from June 16, 1995, to June 14, 1996. The show was hosted by Dennis Miller at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
The show centered on The Smashin ...
, she also won
Best New Artist in a Video and
Best Female Video, and was nominated for
Viewer's Choice,
Best Direction in a Video and
Video of the Year. All nominations were for the video of ''Ironic''. She performed instead "Your House".
Following the album release in 1995, Morissette embarked on an 18-month world tour in support of ''Jagged Little Pill'', beginning in small clubs and ending in large venues.
Taylor Hawkins, who later joined the
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
, was the tour's drummer and
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
joined as the opening act in the summer of 1996. "Ironic" was nominated for two
1997 Grammy Awards
The 39th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 26, 1997, at Madison Square Garden, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Babyface was the night's biggest winner, with 3 awards. Celine Dion, Toni B ...
—
Record of the Year and
Best Music Video, Short Form
The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Hon ...
—and won Single of the Year at the
1997 Juno Awards
The Juno Awards of 1997, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 9 March 1997 in Hamilton, Ontario at a ceremony in the Copps Coliseum. Jann Arden was host for the major ceremonies which were broad ...
, where Morissette also won Songwriter of the Year and the International Achievement Award. The video ''
Jagged Little Pill, Live'', which was co-directed by Morissette and is about the bulk of her tour won a
1998 Grammy Award for
Best Music Video, Long Form
The Grammy Award for Best Music Film is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally named the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality videos or musical programs. ...
.
Following the tour, Morissette began practicing
Iyengar Yoga for balance. After the last December 1996 show, she went to India for six weeks, accompanied by her mother, two aunts and two friends. The trip left her with an indelible impression and set the cornerstone for the concept of her next album.
1998–2000: ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'' and ''Alanis Unplugged''
Morissette was featured as a guest vocalist on
Ringo Starr
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
's cover of "
Drift Away
"Drift Away" is a song by Mentor Williams written in 1970 and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album ''Reunion''. Mentor Williams was a country songwriter, and John Henry Kurtz was an actor and swamp rock singer. It was later ...
" on his 1998 album, ''
Vertical Man'', and on the songs "
Don't Drink the Water" and "
Spoon" on the
Dave Matthews Band album ''
Before These Crowded Streets
''Before These Crowded Streets'' is the third studio album by Dave Matthews Band, released on April 28, 1998. It was the last official album by the group to be produced by longtime producer Steve Lillywhite until 2012's '' Away from the World'' a ...
''. She recorded the song "
Uninvited" for the soundtrack to the 1998 film ''
City of Angels''. Although the track was never commercially released as a single, it received widespread radio airplay in the U.S. At the
1999 Grammy Awards
The 41st Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1999, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1998. Lauryn Hill received the most nominations with 10, setting a record for the most no ...
, it won in the categories of Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, and was nominated for
Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. Later in 1998, Morissette released her fourth album, ''
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'', which she wrote and produced with Glen Ballard.
The label hoped to sell 1 million copies of the album on initial release;
instead, it debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart with first-week sales of 469,000 copies—a record, at the time, for the highest first-week sales of an album by a female artist. The wordy, personal lyrics on ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'' alienated many fans, and after the album sold considerably less than ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995), many labelled it an example of the
sophomore jinx
A sophomore slump or sophomore jinx or sophomore jitters refers to an instance in which a second, or sophomore, effort fails to live up to the relatively high standards of the first effort.
It is commonly used to refer to the apathy of students ...
.
However, it received positive reviews, including a four-star review from ''Rolling Stone''. In Canada, it won the Juno Award for Best Album and was certified four times platinum.
["2000 30th Juno Awards"](_blank)
. ''Los Angeles Times''. "
Thank U", the album's only major international hit single, was nominated for the
2000 Grammy Award
The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1999. Nominations were announced on January 4, 2000. Santana was the main r ...
for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance; the music video, which featured Morissette nude, generated mild controversy.
[Willman, Chris]
"The Second Coming of Alanis"
'' Entertainment Weekly''. November 6, 1998, iss. 457. Morissette herself directed the videos for "Unsent" and "
So Pure
"So Pure" is a song written and produced by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard for Morissette's fourth album, '' Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'' (1998). It was released internationally as the album's third single on June 14, 1999. One line i ...
", which won, respectively, the
MuchMusic Video Award for
Best Director and the
Juno Award for Video of the Year.
Morissette contributed vocals to "Mercy", where she paid homage to her roots by singing in Hungarian, "Hope", "Innocence" and "Faith", four tracks on
Jonathan Elias
Jonathan Elias (born 1956) is an American composer best known for his film soundtracks.
Background
Elias was born in New York City in 1956. He is of Jewish-Hungarian background. Elias started playing piano at the age of six, and was composin ...
's project ''
The Prayer Cycle
''The Prayer Cycle'' is a choral/orchestral album by American film and television composer Jonathan Elias. The album was released by Sony Classical Records in the United States on March 23, 1999.
The project, recorded and mixed by co-producer R. ...
'', which was released in 1999. The same year, she released the live acoustic album ''
Alanis Unplugged'', which was recorded during her appearance on the television show ''
MTV Unplugged''. It featured tracks from her previous two albums alongside four new songs, including "
King of Pain" (a cover of
The Police song) and "No Pressure over Cappuccino", which Morissette wrote with her main guitar player, Nick Lashley. The recording of the ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'' track "
That I Would Be Good
"That I Would Be Good" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette that was first included on her fourth studio album, ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'' (1998). An acoustic live version of the song was recorded during a sessi ...
", released as a single, became a minor hit on
hot adult contemporary radio in America. Also in 1999, Morissette released a live version of her song "Are You Still Mad" on the charity album ''
Live in the X Lounge II''. For her live rendition of "So Pure" at
Woodstock '99, she was nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the
2001 Grammy Awards
The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 2001, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Several artists earned three awards on the night. Steely Dan's haul included Album of the Year for ''Two Against Nature''. U2 took ...
. During the summer of 1999, Morissette toured with singer-songwriter
Tori Amos on the ''5 and a Half Weeks Tour'' in support of Amos' album ''
To Venus and Back
''To Venus and Back'' is a double album by American singer, songwriter and pianist Tori Amos. Released on September 21, 1999, it comprises her fifth studio album and first live album. The first disc, entitled ''Venus: Orbiting'', shows Amos inc ...
'' (1999).
2001–2005: ''Under Rug Swept'' and ''So-Called Chaos''
In 2001, Morissette was featured with
Stephanie McKay
Stephanie McKay is an American soul singer and songwriter from the Bronx in New York, whose music includes elements of soul, funk, rock and hip hop. McKay's career has spanned over 20 years, during which time she has collaborated with artists ...
on the
Tricky song "Excess", which is on his album ''
Blowback''. Morissette released her fifth studio album, ''
Under Rug Swept'', in February 2002. For the first time in her career, she took on the role of sole writer and producer of an album. Her band, comprising
Joel Shearer Joel or Yoel is a name meaning "Yahweh Is God" and may refer to:
* Joel (given name), origin of the name including a list of people with the first name.
* Joel (surname), a surname
* Joel (footballer, born 1904), Joel de Oliveira Monteiro, Brazili ...
, Nick Lashley, Chris Chaney, and Gary Novak, played the majority of the instruments; additional contributions came from
Eric Avery,
Dean DeLeo
Dean DeLeo (born August 23, 1961) is an American guitarist known for his work with rock band Stone Temple Pilots. DeLeo is also known for his role in the short-lived bands Talk Show and Army of Anyone. He is the older brother of Robert DeLeo, ...
,
Flea, and
Meshell Ndegeocello.
''Under Rug Swept'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, eventually going platinum in Canada and selling one million copies in the U.S.
It produced the hit single "
Hands Clean
"Hands Clean" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, for her fifth studio album, ''Under Rug Swept'' (2002). It was written, composed, and produced by Morissette and released as the album's lead single in January 2 ...
", which topped the
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart was a chart compiled by the American-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan, which began publication in November 1996. It was published every Wednesday and also published on Thursday by '' Jam!''/Canoe. I ...
and received substantial radio play; for her work on "Hands Clean" and "
So Unsexy", Morissette won a
Juno Award for Producer of the Year. A second single, "
Precious Illusions", was released, but it did not garner significant success outside Canada or U.S. hot AC radio.
Later in 2002, Morissette released the combination package ''
Feast on Scraps'', which includes a DVD of live concert and backstage documentary footage directed by her and a CD containing eight previously unreleased songs from the ''Under Rug Swept'' recording sessions. Preceded by the single "Simple Together", it sold roughly 70,000 copies in the U.S. and was nominated for a
Juno Award for Music DVD of the Year.
Morissette hosted the
Juno Awards of 2004
The Juno Awards of 2004 were presented on April 4, 2004, at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and were hosted by Alanis Morissette.
Singer-songwriters Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan, and Nickelback led the nominations with five nominatio ...
dressed in a bathrobe, which she took off to reveal a flesh-colored bodysuit, a response to the era of
censorship in the U.S. caused by
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
's breast-flash incident during the
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.
Morissette released her sixth studio album, ''
So-Called Chaos
''So-Called Chaos'' is the sixth studio album (fourth released internationally) by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on May 18, 2004, through Maverick Records. It was preceded by the single "Everything" on April 13, which w ...
'', in May 2004.
She wrote the songs on her own again, and co-produced the album with
Tim Thorney and pop music producer
John Shanks. The album debuted at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart to generally mixed critical reviews, and it became Morissette's lowest seller in the U.S.
The lead single, "
Everything", achieved major success on
Adult Top 40 radio in America and was moderately popular elsewhere, particularly in Canada, although it failed to reach the top 40 on the U.S.
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
. Because the first line of the song includes the word "asshole", American radio stations refused to play it, and the single version was changed to include the word "nightmare" instead.
["Morissette laughs off her display of 'nudity'"](_blank)
Canadian Press
The Canadian Press (CP; french: La Presse canadienne, ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for the time's Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Pre ...
via CTV Television Network
The CTV Television Network, commonly known as CTV, is a Canadian English-language terrestrial television network. Launched in 1961 and acquired by BCE Inc. in 2000, CTV is Canada's largest privately owned television network and is now a divis ...
. April 7, 2004. Unhappy that U.S. radio networks had required her to change a word in the song, Canadian radio played the unaltered version, with Morissette stating at the 2004 Juno Awards in Canada: "Well, I am overjoyed to be back in my homeland, the true North, strong and censor-free." Two other singles, "
Out Is Through
"Out Is Through" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette for her sixth studio album, '' So-Called Chaos'' (2004). The song was released on July 19, 2004.
Chart performance
The song failed to become a hit despite being ...
" and "
Eight Easy Steps
"Eight Easy Steps" is a rock song written by Alanis Morissette for her sixth studio album, '' So-Called Chaos''. The album's opening track, it was released in 2004 as the ''So-Called Chaoss third (and final) single. The song may be seen a ...
", fared considerably worse, although a dance
mix
Mix, mixes or mixing may refer to:
Persons & places
* Mix (surname)
** Tom Mix (1880-1940), American film star
* nickname of Mix Diskerud (born Mikkel, 1990), Norwegian-American soccer player
* Mix camp, an informal settlement in Namibia
* Mix ...
of "Eight Easy Steps" was a U.S. club hit. Morissette embarked on a U.S. summer tour with long-time friends and fellow Canadians
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian rock band formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario. The band developed a following in Canada, with their self-titled 1991 cassette becoming the first independent release to be certified gold in Canada. They reach ...
, working with the non-profit environmental organization
Reverb.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995), Morissette released a studio
acoustic version, ''
Jagged Little Pill Acoustic'', in June 2005. The album was released exclusively through
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
'
Hear Music retail concept through their coffee shops for a six-week run. The limited availability led to a dispute between Maverick Records and
HMV North America, who retaliated by removing Morissette's other albums from sale for the duration of Starbucks's exclusive six-week sale. , ''Jagged Little Pill Acoustic'' had sold 372,000 copies in the U.S.,
and a video for "
Hand in My Pocket
"Hand in My Pocket" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995). The song was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and was released as the second single fro ...
" received rotation on
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
in America. The accompanying tour ran for two months in mid-2005, with Morissette playing small theatre venues. During the same period, Morissette was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
["Alanis Morissette – 2005 Inductee"](_blank)
Canada's Walk of Fame. The singer opened for
The Rolling Stones for a few dates of their
A Bigger Bang Tour in the autumn of 2005.
Morissette released the
greatest hits album ''
Alanis Morissette: The Collection'' in late 2005. The lead single and only new track, a cover of
Seal's "
Crazy", was an Adult Top 40 and dance hit in the U.S., but achieved only minimal chart success elsewhere. A limited edition of ''The Collection'' features a DVD including a documentary with videos of two unreleased songs from Morissette's 1996 Can't Not Tour: "King of Intimidation" and "Can't Not". (A reworked version of "Can't Not" had also appeared on ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie''.) The DVD also includes a ninety-second clip of the unreleased video for the single "
Joining You". , ''The Collection'' had sold 373,000 copies in the U.S., according to
Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
.
That same year, Morissette contributed the song "
Wunderkind" to the soundtrack of the film ''
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', and she was nominated for a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for
Best Original Song.
[Baltin, Steve]
"Alanis Writing Memoir, Album"
''Rolling Stone''. January 13, 2006.
2006–2010: ''Flavors of Entanglement''
2006 marked the first year in Morissette's musical career without a single concert appearance showcasing her own songs, with the exception of an appearance on ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' in January when she performed "Wunderkind".
On April 1, 2007, Morissette released a tongue-in-cheek cover of
The Black Eyed Peas's selection "
My Humps", which she recorded in a slow, mournful voice, accompanied only by a piano. The accompanying YouTube-hosted video, in which she dances provocatively with a group of men and hits the ones who act as if attempting to touch her breasts, had received 16,465,653 views as of February 15, 2009.
[The Celebrity Truth]
"PLW Live – Alanis Morissette Finally Explains My Humps"
. Undercover.com.au . June 7, 2008. Morissette did not take any interviews for a time to explain the song, and it was theorized that she did it as an
April Fools' Day joke.
[Saxberg, Lynn]
"Bloggers, 'Tubers all atwitter over Morissette's video parody of the Peas"
''The Ottawa Citizen
The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
History
Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris, it was renamed the ''Citizen'' in 1851. The newsp ...
''. April 5, 2007. Black Eyed Peas vocalist
Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson responded by sending Morissette a buttocks-shaped cake with an approving note. On the verge of the release of her following album, she finally elaborated on how the video came to be, citing that she became very much emotionally loaded while recording her new songs one after the other and one day she wished she could do a simple song like "My Humps" and the joke just took a life of its own.
Morissette performed at a gig for
The Nightwatchman, a.k.a.
Tom Morello of
Rage Against the Machine and
Audioslave, at the Hotel Café in Los Angeles in April 2007. The following June, she performed "
The Star-Spangled Banner" and "
O Canada", the American and Canadian
national anthems, in Game 4 of the
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
between the
Ottawa Senators and the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center.
...
in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
,
Ontario.
["Alanis Morissette to sing national anthems at Game 4 of Stanley Cup final"](_blank)
Canadian Press
The Canadian Press (CP; french: La Presse canadienne, ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for the time's Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Pre ...
via '' Maclean's''. June 1, 2007. (The NHL requires arenas to perform both the American and Canadian national anthems at games involving teams from both countries.) In early 2008, Morissette participated in a tour with
Matchbox Twenty and
Mutemath as a special guest.
Morissette's seventh studio album, ''
Flavors of Entanglement'', which was produced by
Guy Sigsworth, was released in mid-2008. She has stated that in late 2008, she would embark on a North American headlining tour, but in the meantime she would be promoting the album internationally by performing at shows and festivals and making television and radio appearances. The album's first single was "
Underneath", a video for which was submitted to the 2007 Elevate Film Festival, the purpose of which festival was to create documentaries, music videos, narratives and shorts regarding subjects to raise the level of human consciousness on the earth.
On October 3, 2008, Morissette released the video for her latest single, "
Not as We
"Not as We" is a 2008 song from Alanis Morissette's seventh studio album, ''Flavors of Entanglement''. The song premiered on the American television series ''House (TV series), House'' in House (season 4), season 4 of episode 3, "97 Seconds". "Not ...
".
Morissette contributed to ''
1 Giant Leap
1 Giant Leap is a British electronic music duo consisting of the two principal artists, Jamie Catto ( Faithless founding member) and Duncan Bridgeman.
Career
Based in the UK, the two musicians set out to create a multimedia project that would ...
'', performing "Arrival" with
Zap Mama and she has released an acoustic version of her song "Still" as part of a compilation from Music for Relief in support of the
2010 Haiti earthquake
A disaster, catastrophic Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest (department), Ouest department, a ...
crisis. In 2008 she contributed a recording of "Versions of Violence" for the album
Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace to promote
peace. Morissette has also recorded a cover of the 1984
Willie Nelson and
Julio Iglesias hit, "
To All the Girls I've Loved Before", re-written as "To All the Boys I've Loved Before".
Nelson played rhythm guitar on the recording.
In April 2010, Morissette released the song "I Remain", which she wrote for the ''
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'' soundtrack. On May 26, 2010, the season finale of ''
American Idol'', Morissette performed a duet of her song "You Oughta Know" with Runner Up
Crystal Bowersox
Crystal Lynn Bowersox (born August 4, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter and actress who was the runner-up on the ninth season of ''American Idol''. She was the first female finalist in three years.
Bowersox's debut album, ''Farmer's Daug ...
. Morissette left Maverick Records after all promotion for ''Flavors'' was completed.
2011–2016: ''Havoc and Bright Lights'' and ''Jagged Little Pill'' 20th anniversary
On November 20, 2011, Morissette appeared at the
American Music Awards. When asked about the new album during a short interview, she said she had recorded 31 songs, and that the album would "likely be out next year, probably
nsummertime". On December 21, 2011, Morissette performed a duet of "Uninvited" with finalist Josh Krajcik during the performance finale of the X-Factor.
Morissette embarked on a
European tour for the summer of 2012, according to Alanis.com. In early May 2012, a new song called "Magical Child" appeared on a
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
compilation called
Every Mother Counts.
On May 2, 2012, Morissette revealed through her Facebook account that her eighth studio album, entitled ''
Havoc and Bright Lights
High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) is a set of crewed NASA mission concepts to the planet Venus. All human portions of the missions would be conducted from lighter-than-air craft or from orbit.
Background
Venus is a planet with a ru ...
'', would be released in August 2012, on new label Collective Sounds, distributed by Sony's RED Distribution. On the same day, ''Billboard'' specified the date as August 28 and revealed the album would contain twelve tracks. The album's lead single, "Guardian", was released on iTunes on May 15, 2012, and hit the radio airwaves four days prior to this.
The single had minor success in North America, charting the ''Billboard''
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
in the US and almost reaching the top 40 in Canada. However, the song did become a hit in several countries in Europe. "Receive", the second single off the album, was released early December the same year.
Morissette received the
UCLA Spring Sing
Spring Sing is an annual music competition held in May at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. Touted as "UCLA's oldest and greatest musical tradition," the competition brings together UCLA students to perform as solo artists, duets, bands, and a cappella gr ...
's
George and Ira Gershwin Award on May 16, 2014, at
Pauley Pavilion. On her website starting in the summer of 2014, in celebration of her fortieth birthday, the
LP record
The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a ...
for her song "Big Sur" was offered for sale, which was previously available on the
Target edition of her 2012 album, ''
Havoc and Bright Lights
High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) is a set of crewed NASA mission concepts to the planet Venus. All human portions of the missions would be conducted from lighter-than-air craft or from orbit.
Background
Venus is a planet with a ru ...
''. July 25, 2014, was the start of the ten-show
Intimate and Acoustic
Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with two ...
tour.
In celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the release of ''Jagged Little Pill'', a new four-disc collector's edition was released on October 30, 2015. The four-disc edition includes remastered audio of the original album as well as an entire disc of 10 unreleased demos from the era, handpicked by Morissette from her archives, offering a deeper and more personal look at the classic album. Also included is a previously unreleased concert from 1995 as well as 2005's ''Jagged Little Pill Acoustic''.
2017–present: ''Such Pretty Forks in the Road'' and meditation album
While on tour in August 2017, Morissette teased a song which would become known as "I Miss The Band". On October 27, 2017, she premiered a new song entitled "Rest", which was released officially in May 2021, and performed "
Castle of Glass" with members of the band
No Doubt and
Mike Shinoda at the
memorial concert. In November 2017, she tweeted that she was writing 22 songs with
Michael Farrell.
On March 16, 2018, Morissette performed a new song called "Ablaze" during her 2018 tour. In October 2018, she revealed on social media that she had written 23 new songs, and hinted at a new album with hashtag "#alanismorissettenewrecord2019", after a six-year hiatus. Song titles from the writing session include "Reckoning", "Diagnosis", "Her" and "Legacy". On May 5, 2018, ''
Jagged Little Pill'', a
jukebox musical featuring Morissette's songs, premiered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the
American Repertory Theater. Morissette contributed two new songs to the musical, "
Smiling" and "Predator". The musical transferred to
Broadway in fall of 2019, starting previews on November 3 and opening on December 5 at the
Broadhurst Theatre. The production received fifteen
Tony Award nominations, the most of any production
that season.
In June 2019, Morissette went into the studio in Los Angeles. According to an interview, she had written all the songs, and "Smiling" would be included on the new album, likely to be released early 2020. On August 8, 2019, she revealed that the new album was produced by
Alex Hope and
Catherine Marks
Catherine J Marks is a record producer, mixing engineer and audio engineer. She has worked with such artists as Foals, Manchester Orchestra, The Killers, Local Natives, Wolf Alice, Beware of Darkness, The Big Moon, Frank Carter & The Rattlesna ...
. On December 1, 2019, Morissette announced her first studio album in eight years, ''
Such Pretty Forks in the Road
''Such Pretty Forks in the Road'' is the ninth (and seventh international) studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on July 31, 2020, through Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers in North America, and by RCA and ...
'', set for release on May 1, 2020. The first single off the record, "
Reasons I Drink
"Reasons I Drink" is a song by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette from her ninth studio album, '' Such Pretty Forks in the Road'' (2020). It was released as the lead single from the album on December 2, 2019, through Epiphany Records.
L ...
", was released on December 2, 2019.
Morissette was featured on
Halsey's song "Alanis' Interlude", released on January 17, 2020. On February 5, 2020, she revealed that her upcoming album was mixed by
Chris Dugan. The second single from the album, "Smiling", was released on February 20, 2020. On April 15, 2020, Morissette announced that the album's release would be postponed due to concerns over the
COVID-19 pandemic. It was released on July 31, 2020.
Morissette was originally scheduled to embark on a world tour for 25th anniversary of ''Jagged Little Pill'' in June 2020 with
Garbage
Garbage, trash, rubbish, or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or gaseous wastes, or toxic waste produc ...
and
Liz Phair, both already opened for Morissette in 1999 during
Junkie Tour
The Junkie Tour is the second concert tour by Canadian American recording artist, Alanis Morissette. The tour promoted her fourth studio album, ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie''. Beginning January, the tour played over 100 shows in the Amer ...
. The latter cancelled her shows in North America and was replaced by
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a ...
instead. Due to
COVID-19 pandemic, the tour was postponed to summer 2021.
Beth Orton
Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician, known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall, ...
announced that she will join to UK and Europe leg of the summer tour 2022.
On May 18, 2022, Morissette premiered the new track ''Safety-Empath in Paradise''. The new album of meditation music titled ''
The Storm Before the Calm
''The Storm Before the Calm'' (stylized in all lowercase) is the tenth (and eighth international) studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released June 17, 2022, via Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers, as well as by RC ...
'' was released on June 17, 2022.
Acting career
In 1986, Morissette had her first stint as an actress in five episodes of the children's television show ''
You Can't Do That on Television''. She appeared on stage with the
Orpheus Musical Theatre Society in 1985 and 1988.
In 1999, Morissette delved into acting again, for the first time since 1993, appearing as God in the
Kevin Smith comedy ''
Dogma'' and contributing the song "Still" to its soundtrack. Morissette reprised her role as God for a
post-credits scene in Smith's next film, ''
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'', to literally close the book on the
View Askewniverse. She also appeared in the hit
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
comedies ''
Sex and the City'' and ''
Curb Your Enthusiasm
''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' is an American television sitcom produced and broadcast by HBO since October 15, 2000, and created by Larry David, who stars as a semi-fictionalized version of himself. It follows David's life as a semi-retired televisio ...
'', appeared in the play ''
The Vagina Monologues'', and had brief cameos playing herself in the
Brazilian hit soap operas ''
Celebridade'' and ''
Malhação''.
In late 2003, Morissette appeared in the
Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
play ''
The Exonerated'' as Sunny Jacobs, a
death row
Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting Capital punishment, execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of ...
inmate freed after proof surfaced that she was innocent. In April 2006,
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
reported that Morissette would reprise her role in ''The Exonerated'' in London from May 23 until May 28.
She expanded her acting credentials with the July 2004 release of the
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film.
Born to ...
biographical film
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
''
De-Lovely
''De-Lovely'' is a 2004 American musical biopic directed by Irwin Winkler and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay by Jay Cocks is based on the life and career of Cole Porter, from his first meeting with his wife, Linda Lee Thomas, ...
'', in which she performed the song "
Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)" and had a brief role as an anonymous stage performer. In February 2005, she made a guest appearance on the Canadian television show ''
Degrassi: The Next Generation'' with ''Dogma'' co-star
Jason Mewes and director Kevin Smith. Also in 2005, Morissette, then engaged to Ryan Reynolds, made a
cameo appearance as "herself" as a former client of Reynolds' character in the film ''
Just Friends''. This scene was deleted from the theatrical release, and is only available on the DVD.
In 2006, she guest-starred in an episode of
Lifetime
Lifetime may refer to:
* Life expectancy, the length of time a person is expected to remain alive
Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
* Lifetime (band), a rock band from New Jersey
* ''Life Time'' (Rollins Band album), by Rollins Band
* ...
's ''
Lovespring International'' as a homeless woman named Lucinda, three episodes of
FX's ''
Nip/Tuck'', playing a lesbian named Poppy, and the
mockumentary-documentary ''
Pittsburgh'' as herself.
Morissette appeared in eight episodes of ''
Weeds'', playing Dr. Audra Kitson, a "no-nonsense obstetrician" who treats pregnant main character
Nancy Botwin. Her first episode aired in July 2009.
In early 2010, Morissette returned to the stage, performing a one-night engagement in ''
An Oak Tree'', an experimental play in Los Angeles. The performance was a sell-out. In April 2010, Morissette was confirmed to be in the cast of season six of ''
Weeds'' season six again portraying Dr. Audra Kitson.
Morissette also starred in a film adaptation of
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928March 2, 1982), often referred to by his initials PKD, was an American science fiction writer. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his l ...
's novel ''
Radio Free Albemuth
''Radio Free Albemuth'' is a dystopian novel by Philip K. Dick, written in 1976 and published posthumously in 1985. Originally titled ''VALISystem A'', it was his first attempt to deal in fiction with his experiences of early 1974. When his pu ...
''. Morissette plays Sylvia, an ordinary woman in unexpected remission from
lymphoma. Morissette stated that she is "...a big fan of Philip K. Dick's poetic and expansively imaginative books" and that she "feel
blessed to portray Sylvia, and to be part of this story being told in film".
She appeared as Amanda, a former bandmate of main character Ava Alexander (played by
Maya Rudolph
Maya Rudolph (born July 27, 1972) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. In 2000, she became a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''), and later played supporting roles in the films '' 50 First Dates'' ...
), in one episode of NBC's ''
Up All Night'' on February 16, 2012. Rudolph officiated as minister for Morissette's wedding with both performing the explicit version of their hit hip hop song "Back It Up (Beep Beep)".
In 2014, Morissette played the role of Marisa Damia, the lover of architect and designer
Eileen Gray, in the film ''The Price of Desire'', directed by
Mary McGuckian.
In 2021, Morissette was featured as a recurring character on adult-animation show ''
The Great North''.
Other work
In October 2015, ''Conversation with Alanis Morissette'' features conversations with different individuals from different schools and walks of life discussing everything from psychology to art to spirituality to design to health and well-being, to relationships (whether they be romantic or colleagueship or parent with children relationships). The monthly podcast is currently available to download on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
and free to listen to on
YouTube.
In January 2016, she began a short-lived
advice column in ''
The Guardian'' newspaper.
In May 2018, the American Repertory Theater (Cambridge, Massachusetts) premiered ''
Jagged Little Pill,'' a musical with music by Morissette and Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, book by
Diablo Cody, and directed by
Diane Paulus.
''
Jagged
''Jagged'' is the fifteenth solo studio album by English musician Gary Numan, his first original album in over five years, following ''Pure'' in 2000. Stylistically ''Jagged'' was a development of its predecessor's chorus-driven, anthemic ...
'', a documentary film about Morissette and ''Jagged Little Pill'' by filmmaker
Alison Klayman, premiered at the
2021 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, the 46th event in the Toronto International Film Festival series, was held from September 9 to 18, 2021.Barry Hertz"TIFF planning ‘substantially bigger’ 2021 film festival compared to last year’ ...
before airing on
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
as part of the ''Music Box'' series of documentary films about music history.
Personal life
Morissette was raised in a devout
Roman Catholic family in Canada. She became a
US citizen in 2005, while retaining her Canadian citizenship.
Morissette has since then been practising
Buddhism.
Throughout her teen years and 20s, Morissette had depression and various eating disorders. She recovered from them and started to eat a healthier diet. In 2009, she ran a marathon promoting awareness for the
National Eating Disorders Association.
In the 2021 documentary ''Jagged'', Morissette said men committed
statutory rape offenses against her when she was 15 years old.
Over seven years, Morissette's business manager Jonathan Schwartz stole over $5 million from her. He confessed to doing so in April 2017 and was sentenced to six years in prison.
On October 22, 2019, Morissette shared her nearly decade-long experience with
postpartum depression on ''
CBS This Morning''.
In 1996, Morissette bought a home in
Brentwood, Los Angeles. She also had an apartment in Ottawa and a home in
Malibu, the latter of which was partially destroyed in the
Woolsey Fire. In 2019, she and her family moved to
Northern California
Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...
; she said in an interview with ''
The New York Times'' that she was "finally done with living in Los Angeles".
Relationships
Morissette dated actor and comedian
Dave Coulier
David Alan Coulier ( ; born September 21, 1959) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, impressionist, and television host. He played Joey Gladstone on the ABC sitcom ''Full House'', voiced Peter Venkman on ''The Real Ghostbusters'', and voiced ...
for a short time in the early 1990s. In a 2008 interview, Coulier said he was the ex-boyfriend who inspired Morissette's song "
You Oughta Know"; Morissette has not commented on the subject of the song.
Morissette met Canadian actor
Ryan Reynolds at
Drew Barrymore's birthday party in 2002, and the couple began dating soon afterwards. They announced their engagement in June 2004.
In February 2007, representatives for Morissette and Reynolds announced they had decided to end their engagement.
Morissette has said that her album ''
Flavors of Entanglement'' was created out of her grief after the breakup, saying "it was cathartic."
On May 22, 2010, Morissette married rapper
Mario "Souleye" Treadway in a private ceremony at their Los Angeles home. The couple have three children: son Ever born in 2010; daughter Onyx born in 2016;
and another son Winter born in 2019.
Discography
* ''
Alanis'' (1991)
* ''
Now Is the Time
''Now Is the Time'' is the second studio album by Alanis Morissette, released only in Canada on October 20, 1992. It was her final album for MCA Records Canada. Morissette recorded the album with Leslie Howe, who produced her debut album, '' ...
'' (1992)
* ''
Jagged Little Pill'' (1995)
* ''
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'' (1998)
* ''
Under Rug Swept'' (2002)
* ''
So-Called Chaos
''So-Called Chaos'' is the sixth studio album (fourth released internationally) by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on May 18, 2004, through Maverick Records. It was preceded by the single "Everything" on April 13, which w ...
'' (2004)
* ''
Flavors of Entanglement'' (2008)
* ''
Havoc and Bright Lights
High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) is a set of crewed NASA mission concepts to the planet Venus. All human portions of the missions would be conducted from lighter-than-air craft or from orbit.
Background
Venus is a planet with a ru ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Such Pretty Forks in the Road
''Such Pretty Forks in the Road'' is the ninth (and seventh international) studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on July 31, 2020, through Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers in North America, and by RCA and ...
'' (2020)
* ''
The Storm Before the Calm
''The Storm Before the Calm'' (stylized in all lowercase) is the tenth (and eighth international) studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released June 17, 2022, via Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers, as well as by RC ...
'' (2022)
Awards and nominations
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage
Tours
Opening act
* To the Extreme Tour (1991) (opening act for
Vanilla Ice)
* 1999 Summer Tour (1999) (opening act for
Dave Matthews Band–Denver)
*
A Bigger Bang Tour (2005) (opening act for
The Rolling Stones)
Headlining
* Jagged Little Tour (1995)
* Intellectual Intercourse Tour (1995–96)
* Can't Not Tour (1996) featuring
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
* Dhanyavad Tour (1998)
*
Junkie Tour
The Junkie Tour is the second concert tour by Canadian American recording artist, Alanis Morissette. The tour promoted her fourth studio album, ''Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie''. Beginning January, the tour played over 100 shows in the Amer ...
(1999) featuring
Garbage
Garbage, trash, rubbish, or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or gaseous wastes, or toxic waste produc ...
and
Liz Phair
* One Tour (2000)
* Under Rug Swept Tour (2001)
* Toward Our Union Mended Tour (2002)
* All I Really Want Tour (2003)
* So-Called Chaos Tour (2004)
* Diamond Wink Tour (2005) featuring
Jason Mraz
* Jagged Little Pill Acoustic Tour (2005)
*
Flavors of Entanglement Tour
The Flavors of Entanglement Tour was the seventh headlining concert tour by Canadian American recording artist, Alanis Morissette. The tour supports her seventh studio album, ''Flavors of Entanglement''. Beginning in May 2008, the tour played ov ...
(2008–09)
*
Guardian Angel Tour
The Guardian Angel Tour was a concert tour by Canadian-American musician Alanis Morissette. The tour promoted her August 2012 album '' Havoc and Bright Lights''. The tour ran from June to December 2012 and took place in Europe, North America and ...
(2012)
*
Intimate and Acoustic
Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with two ...
(2014)
* World Tour (2018)
* 2021 World Tour: Celebrating 25 Years of Jagged Little Pill featuring
Garbage
Garbage, trash, rubbish, or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or gaseous wastes, or toxic waste produc ...
,
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a ...
and
Beth Orton
Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician, known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall, ...
(2021–22)
Co-headlining
*
5 ½ Weeks Tour
''To Venus and Back'' is a double album by American singer, songwriter and pianist Tori Amos. Released on September 21, 1999, it comprises her fifth studio album and first live album. The first disc, entitled ''Venus: Orbiting'', shows Amos incr ...
(1999) (with
Tori Amos)
*
Au Naturale Tour
The Au Naturale Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies and Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. The tour promotes their albums, ''Everything to Everyone'' and '' So-Called Chaos''. Over the course ...
(2004) (with the
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian rock band formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario. The band developed a following in Canada, with their self-titled 1991 cassette becoming the first independent release to be certified gold in Canada. They reach ...
)
* Exile in America Tour (2008) (with
Matchbox Twenty)
See also
*
Canadian rock
*
Music of Canada
*
List of diamond-certified albums in Canada
The following diamond-certified albums in Canada have sold at least one million units (individual CDs, tapes or LPs) as determined by Canadian Recording Industry Association, the national music recording sales certification agency.
The first ...
*
List of best-selling albums
References
Further reading
Rock on the Net
*
"Alanis Morissette – Artist Chart History" ''Billboard''. Retrieved August 23, 2006.
*
"Alanis Morissette – Billboard Singles" Allmusic. Retrieved August 23, 2006.
* ''Rock Chicks:The Hottest Female Rockers from the 1960s to Now'' by Stieven-Taylor, Alison (2007). Sydney. Rockpool Publishing.
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morissette, Alanis
1974 births
Living people
Actresses from Los Angeles
Actresses from Ottawa
Alternative rock singers
American Buddhists
American dance musicians
American women pop singers
American women rock singers
American women singer-songwriters
American feminists
American film actresses
American harmonica players
American mezzo-sopranos
American music video directors
American people of French descent
American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent
American people of Irish descent
American rock songwriters
American stage actresses
American television actresses
American women record producers
Brit Award winners
Canadian child actresses
Canadian dance musicians
Canadian emigrants to the United States
Canadian women pop singers
Canadian women rock singers
Canadian women singer-songwriters
Canadian feminists
Canadian film actresses
Canadian harmonica players
Canadian mezzo-sopranos
Canadian music video directors
Canadian people of Hungarian-Jewish descent
Canadian people of Irish descent
Canadian record producers
Canadian Buddhists
Canadian stage actresses
Canadian television actresses
Canadian women guitarists
Canadian women record producers
Child pop musicians
Echo (music award) winners
Female music video directors
Feminist musicians
Former Roman Catholics
Franco-Ontarian people
Fraternal twin actresses
Grammy Award winners
Guitarists from California
Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award winners
Juno Award for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year winners
Juno Award for Album of the Year winners
Juno Award for Artist of the Year winners
Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year winners
Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year winners
Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year winners
Juno Award for Single of the Year winners
Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year winners
Juno Award for Video of the Year winners
Juno International Achievement Award winners
Maverick Records artists
MCA Records artists
MTV Europe Music Award winners
Musicians from Ottawa
Naturalized citizens of the United States
People from Brentwood, Los Angeles
Record producers from Los Angeles
Singers from Los Angeles
Twin musicians
Canadian twins
Warner Music Group artists
Women post-grunge singers
Women rock singers
Writers from Los Angeles
Writers from Ottawa
20th-century Canadian actresses
20th-century Canadian guitarists
20th-century Canadian women singers
20th-century Canadian women writers
21st-century American actresses
21st-century American singers
21st-century American women guitarists
21st-century American guitarists
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American women writers
21st-century Buddhists
21st-century Canadian actresses
21st-century Canadian guitarists
21st-century Canadian women singers
21st-century Canadian women writers
Singer-songwriters from California