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Sarah Ann McLachlan OC OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is '' Surfacing'', for which she won two
Grammy Award 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 pr ...
s (out of four nominations) and four
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 o ...
s. In addition to her personal artistic efforts, she founded the Lilith Fair tour, which showcased female musicians.


Early and personal life

McLachlan was born on January 28, 1968, in
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. Th ...
, Canada. She was placed with the McLachlan family, which later legally
adopted Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...
her. As a child, she was a member of
Girl Guides of Canada Girl Guides of Canada (GGC; french: Guides du Canada) is the national Guiding association of Canada. Guiding in Canada started on September 7, 1910, and GGC was among the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts ...
, participating in Guiding programs. She played music from a very young age, beginning with the
ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...
when she was four. She studied classical guitar, classical piano, and voice at the
Maritime Conservatory of Music The Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts (the Conservatory) is a Canadian performing arts school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that offers courses in higher education in music, dance, and theatre. It is the largest and the oldest (1887) of such or ...
through the curriculum of The Royal Conservatory of Music. At 17, while she was still a student at Queen Elizabeth High School, in Halifax, she fronted a short-lived rock band called The October Game. One of the band's songs, "Grind", credited as a group composition, can be found on the independent Flamingo Records release ''Out of the Fog'' and the CD ''Out of the Fog Too''. It has yet to be released elsewhere. Following The October Game's first concert at
Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus in Saint John, New Brunswick. Dalhousie offer ...
opening for Moev, McLachlan was offered a recording contract with Vancouver-based independent record label Nettwerk by Moev's Mark Jowett. McLachlan's parents insisted that she finish high school and complete one year of studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design before moving to Vancouver and embarking on a new life as a recording artist. She finally signed to Nettwerk two years later before having written a single song. When she was 19, a mutual acquaintance introduced her to her birth mother. McLachlan did not seek her out and was ambivalent about meeting her. In 1994, McLachlan was sued by Uwe Vandrei, an obsessed fan from
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 c ...
, who alleged that his letters to her had been the basis of the single " Possession". The lawsuit was also challenging for the Canadian legal system since Vandrei was an admitted
stalker Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The term ...
whose acknowledged goal in filing the lawsuit was to be near McLachlan. Consequently, precautions were taken to ensure McLachlan's safety if she had to be in the same location as Vandrei. Before the trial began, however, Vandrei was found dead in an apparent
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...
. Vandrei's preoccupation with McLachlan was explored at length in Canadian author Judith Fitzgerald's book, ''Building a Mystery: The Story of Sarah McLachlan & Lilith Fair''. In 1997, McLachlan married her drummer,
Ashwin Sood Ashwin Sood (born 25 September 1967) is an English–born Canadian musician and drummer. He is best known for his musical association with his ex-wife, Sarah McLachlan. Sood was born in the United Kingdom to Indian immigrant parents, and grew u ...
, in
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...
. While she was pregnant with her first child, her mother died from
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
in December 2001. While working on her next album, '' Afterglow'', she gave birth to daughter India in Vancouver on April 6, 2002. On June 22, 2007, she gave birth to her second daughter, Taja, also in Vancouver. McLachlan announced her separation from Sood in September 2008 and they divorced the same year.


Career and albums


1987–92: ''Touch'' and ''Solace''

The signing with Nettwerk prompted McLachlan to move to
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
. There she recorded her first album, '' Touch'', in 1987, which received both critical and commercial success and included the song "Vox". During this period she also contributed to an album by Moev, provided vocals on
Manufacture Manufacturing is the creation or Production (economics), production of goods with the help of equipment, Work (human activity), labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary secto ...
's "As the End Draws Near", and embarked on her first national concert tour as an opening act for
The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Priz ...
. Her 1991 album, ''
Solace Consolation, consolement, and solace are terms referring to psychological comfort given to someone who has suffered severe, upsetting loss, such as the death of a loved one. It is typically provided by expressing shared regret for that loss and ...
'', was her mainstream breakthrough in Canada, spawning the hit singles " The Path of Thorns (Terms)" and " Into the Fire". ''Solace'' also marked the beginning of her partnership with Pierre Marchand. Marchand and McLachlan have been collaborators ever since, with Marchand producing many of McLachlan's albums and occasionally co-writing songs.


1993–2000: ''Fumbling Towards Ecstasy'', ''Surfacing'', and ''Mirrorball''

1993's '' Fumbling Towards Ecstasy'' was an immediate hit in Canada. From her Nettwerk connection, her piano version of the song " Possession" was included on the first ''
Due South ''Due South'' is a Canadian crime comedy-drama television series created by Paul Haggis, and produced by Alliance Communications from its premiere on April 26, 1994, to its conclusion after four seasons on March 14, 1999. The series starred P ...
''
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
in 1996. Over the next two years, ''Fumbling Towards Ecstasy'' became McLachlan's international breakthrough as well, scaling the charts in a number of countries. Following the success from ''Fumbling Towards Ecstasy'', McLachlan returned in 1997 with '' Surfacing'', her best-selling album to date. The album earned her two 1998
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 pre ...
, one for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
(for "
Building a Mystery "Building a Mystery" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan from her fourth studio album, '' Surfacing'' (1997). At a live performance, Sarah explains the song as being "basically about the fact that we all... have insecurities t ...
") and one for Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance (for " Last Dance"), and four
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 o ...
s, including Album of the Year for ''Surfacing'' and Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for "Building a Mystery". Reaching number one on the
Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Oce ...
and number two on the US ''Billboard'' 200, the album has since sold over 16 million copies worldwide and brought her much international success. Still in the spotlight from the album, McLachlan launched the highly popular Lilith Fair tour. Her song "
Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...
"—inspired by the fatal overdose of Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin—made sales skyrocket. One of the songs from ''Surfacing,'' "Full of Grace," features in the Season 2 finale of ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the 1992 film of the same name, also written by Whedon, although the events of the film are not consid ...
'', "Becoming (Part II)", ''
Dawson's Creek ''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college that ran from 1998 to 2003. T ...
s Season 1 episode 4 "Discovery" and the film Moll Flanders (1996 film). Fellow adoptee
Darryl McDaniels Darryl Matthews McDaniels (born May 31, 1964), better known by his stage name DMC, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Run-DMC, and is considered one of the pioneers of hip hop culture. Early life McDaniels gre ...
was so touched by "Angel" that it inspired him to reassess his life and career. He credits McLachlan and her album ''Surfacing'' (on which "Angel" appeared) with saving his life. They have collaborated on many projects in support of the rights of adoptees. In 1999, McLachlan released a live album, '' Mirrorball''. The album's singles included a new live version of her earlier song, "I Will Remember You", a studio recording of which had previously been released on '' The Brothers McMullen'' soundtrack as well as '' Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff''. The song was released as a single twice, once in 1995 where it peaked No. 65 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 10 in Canada, and again in 1999 at No. 14 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 10 in Canada. The 1999 version garnered McLachlan her third
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 pre ...
for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
(for " I Will Remember You") in 2000. In 1998, the motion picture '' City of Angels'' featured "Angel". The
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
reached number one on the ''Billboard'' chart. More than five months after the film disappeared from the theatres, the soundtrack remained firmly entrenched among ''Billboard''s top 40 albums and earned quadruple-platinum status. In 1999, McLachlan recorded the
Randy Newman Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist known for his Southern-accented singing style, early Americana-influenced songs (often with mordant or satirical lyrics), and vari ...
song " When She Loved Me" on the '' Toy Story 2'' soundtrack. This song was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Original Song The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is presented to the ''songwriters'' who have composed ...
in 2000, and McLachlan performed it at the awards ceremony, but she didn't win.


2006: ''Wintersong''

In October 2006, McLachlan released a Christmas album, ''
Wintersong ''Wintersong'' is the sixth album and first Christmas album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released in October 2006. It was produced by longtime collaborator Pierre Marchand and includes contributions from Jim Creeggan of Baren ...
''. The album included 11 new recordings, featuring covers of
Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her st ...
's "
River A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...
",
Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1 ...
's "
Song for a Winter's Night "Song for a Winter's Night" is a song written by Gordon Lightfoot, and first recorded for his album '' The Way I Feel'' (1967). Lightfoot recorded another version of the song for '' Gord's Gold'' (1975), a greatest hits compilation on which other ...
", and
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's " Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", which she recorded with her outreach children and youth choir, and seasonal favourites: "Christmas Time Is Here", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "Silent Night", "The First Noel", and "Greensleeves (What Child Is This?)", among others. The title track is an original work of McLachlan's. ''Wintersong'' debuted at No. 42 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart the week ending November 4, 2006. It peaked at No. 7. Worldwide the album has sold over 1.1 million copies to date. It has been certified Platinum in the U.S. and 2× Platinum in Canada, where it became her third consecutive album to reach number one. ''Wintersong'' was nominated for both a
Grammy Award 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 pr ...
, in the
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented ...
category, as well as for a
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 o ...
, for ''Pop Album of the Year''. On October 3, 2006, the live album '' Mirrorball'' was re-released as ''Mirrorball: The Complete Concert''. This release contains two discs that were compiled from two concerts performed on consecutive nights in April 1998 at the Rose Garden arena in Portland, Oregon.


2014–2015: ''Shine On''

In late January 2014, McLachlan announced the release of her next studio album, '' Shine On'', which was inspired by the death of her father. It was her first release on
Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simon ...
, after leaving Nettwerk/Arista after over twenty years. The album was released on May 6, 2014. In March 2014 McLachlan announced a schedule for a Shine On tour across the United States, which began in Seattle on June 20, 2014. The tour visited 30 cities all together. The Canadian leg of the tour was to include 25 shows in 21 cities. On May 14, 2014, it was announced that ''Shine On'' debuted at No. 4 on the US ''Billboard'' charts, with 42,000 copies. In March 2015, McLachlan won a Juno for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year for ''Shine On''.


2016–present: ''Wonderland''

On October 21, 2016, McLachlan released ''
Wonderland Wonderland may refer to: Places Municipalities * Wonderland, California, a ghost town in Plumas County * Wonderland, Ohio, a ghost town in Columbus, Ohio, U.S. Roads, streets, and trails * Wonderland Avenue, a roadway in Laurel Canyon, Los A ...
'', her ninth studio album and second Christmas album. Wonderland contains interpretations of 13 traditional and contemporary holiday classics. McLachlan performed at the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States wit ...
on November 24 as well as NBC's annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center special on November 30. She also performed on ABC's CMA Country Christmas Special on November 28, ''Live with Kelly!'' on December 8 and ''Harry TV'' on December 16. McLachlan released the single "The Long Goodbye" in December 2016. In January 2019, McLachlan was announced as the host of the Juno Awards of 2019. In a February 2019 interview, McLachlan stated that she was set to debut a new song titled "Wilderness" during her then-current tour.


Lilith Fair

In 1996, McLachlan became frustrated with concert promoters and radio stations that refused to feature two female musicians in a row. Bucking conventional industry wisdom, she booked a successful tour for herself and Paula Cole. At least one of their appearances together – in McLachlan's home town, on September 14, 1996 – went by the name "Lilith Fair" and included performances by McLachlan, Cole, Lisa Loeb, and
Michelle McAdorey Michelle McAdorey is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Toronto, Ontario. She was a member of the 1990s band Crash Vegas, and also performed and recorded as a solo artist. Early life McAdorey was born in Toronto. She is the niece of Canadian ...
, formerly of Crash Vegas. The next year, McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour, taking ''Lilith'' from the medieval Jewish legend that Lilith was
Adam Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
's first wife. In 1997, Lilith Fair, featuring McLachlan as one of the headlining acts, garnered a $16 million gross, making it the top-grossing of any touring festival. Among all concert tours for that year, it was the 16th highest grossing. Lilith Fair tour brought together two million people over its three-year history and raised more than $7 million for charities. It was the most successful all-female
music festival A music festival is a community event with performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock, blues, folk, jazz, classical music), nationality, locality of musicians, or ho ...
in history, one of the biggest music festivals of the 1990s, and helped launch the careers of several well-known female artists. Subsequent Lilith Fairs followed in 1998 and 1999 before the tour was discontinued. Nettwerk CEO and Lilith Fair co-founder Terry McBride announced that the all-female festival would make its return in mid-2010 in Canada, the United States, and Europe. A list of 36 North American shows was released. But poor ticket sales, financial problems, and headliners' withdrawing out of fear of not being paid caused 13 of the shows to be cancelled. The two-week European tour never materialized.


Additional projects and guest appearances

In 1997, McLachlan co-wrote and provided guest vocals on the Delerium song " Silence" for their album ''
Karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively ...
''. This song achieved a massive amount of US top 40 airplay when released as a single in late 2000 and also featured on the soundtrack for the movie '' Brokedown Palace''. It has been hailed as one of the greatest
trance Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
songs of all time, over a decade after its initial release. The Tiësto remix of the song was voted by ''
Mixmag ''Mixmag'' is a British electronic dance and clubbing magazine published in London. Launched in 1983 as a print magazine, it has branched into dance events, including festivals and club nights. History The first issue of ''Mixmag'' was prin ...
'' readers as the 12th greatest dance record of all time. In 2001, McLachlan provided background vocals, guitar, and piano on the closing track "Love Is" from
Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...
' eighth solo album, '' Trouble in Shangri-La'', in addition to drawing the dragon used for the "S" in Stevie's name on the album cover. In May 2002, her
duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a sol ...
with Bryan Adams was released on the '' Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron'' soundtrack. She sang harmonies and played the piano on the song "Don't Let Go" while Sood did the drum work. In November 2006, McLachlan performed the song "Ordinary Miracle" for that year's feature film, ''
Charlotte's Web ''Charlotte's Web'' is a book of children's literature by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams; it was published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. The novel tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and hi ...
''. There were rumors of a potential Oscar nomination for the song, but the song was not nominated. She performed the song on ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois. Produced ...
'', during the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States wit ...
, and at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics. In early 2007, she sang on Dave Stewart's ''Go Green'', alongside
Nadirah X Nadirah X aka Nadz born Nadirah Sabreen Seid, April 19, is a Jamaican rap/ hip hop poet. Career In 2002, Nadirah (also known as Nadz) won the Irie FM / CME Big Break competition which led to a performance at Island Village where she met Bria ...
, Imogen Heap, Natalie Imbruglia, and others. In 2009, she did backing vocals on Susan Enan's song "Bring on the Wonder" which was featured in the
television show A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed b ...
'' Bones''. It was subsequently featured on both Enan's (''Plainsong'') and McLachlan's (''
Laws of Illusion ''Laws of Illusion'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released on 11 June 2010 on Arista Records in the United States and 15 June 2010 on Nettwerk in Canada. Recording for the album took place in M ...
'') albums. On September 10, 2011, McLachlan performed ''I Will Remember You'' and ''Angel'' at a ceremony in Stonycreek, Pennsylvania, commemorating the passengers and crew of hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 who fought the hijackers and brought down their airplane on September 11, 2001. The event marked the dedication of the Flight 93 National Memorial and was attended by former President George W. Bush, former First Lady
Laura Bush Laura Lane Welch Bush (''née'' Welch; born November 4, 1946) is an American teacher, librarian, memoirist and author who was First Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Bush previously served as First Lady of Texas from 1995 to 2000. ...
, former President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...
, Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker
John Boehner John Andrew Boehner ( ; born , 1949) is an American retired politician who served as the 53rd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served 13 terms as the U.S. represe ...
. On June 13, 2019, McLachlan sang "
O Canada "O Canada" (french: Ô Canada, italic=no) is the national anthem of Canada. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Théodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony; Calixa Lavallée composed the ...
" before Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals.


Awards and achievements

McLachlan has been nominated for 26
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 o ...
s and has won twelve. In 1992, her video for "Into the Fire" was selected as best music video. In 1998, she won Female Vocalist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year (along with Pierre Marchand), Single of the Year for "Building a Mystery", and Album of the Year for ''Surfacing''. In 2000, she won an International Achievement award and in 2004, won Pop Album of the Year for ''Afterglow'' and again shared the Songwriter of the Year award with Pierre Marchand for the singles "Fallen", "World on Fire", and "Stupid". In 2009 she was presented with the Humanitarian Award and she won the Adult Contemporary Album of the year award in 2015 for "Shine On" and again in 2017 for "Wonderland". McLachlan has also won three
Grammy Award 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 pr ...
s. She was awarded
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
in 1997 for "Building a Mystery" and again in 1999 for the live version of "I Will Remember You". She also scored Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1997 for "Last Dance". McLachlan's song "Building a Mystery" came in at 91 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s. McLachlan was awarded the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Visionary Award in 1998 for advancing the careers of women in music. In 1999, she was appointed as an Officer of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...
by then-
Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...
Adrienne Clarkson Adrienne Louise Clarkson (; ; born February 10, 1939) is a Hong Kong-born Canadian journalist who served from 1999 to 2005 as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation. Clarkson arrived in Canada with her family in 19 ...
in recognition of her successful recording career, her role in Lilith Fair, and the charitable donations she made to women's shelters across Canada. In 2001, she was inducted to the Order of British Columbia. On June 15, 2011, she was recognized with an honorary degree from Simon Fraser University.
Kiwanis International Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organiza ...
presented McLachlan with the 2013 Kiwanis International World Service Medal to recognize her for founding the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, a free music school for at-risk youth in
Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...
. On November 20, 2013, McLachlan was recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the
University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a Public university, public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexande ...
. In 2012, McLachlan was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. In May 2015, she received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts. On April 2, 2017, at the Juno Awards ceremony, McLachlan was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.


Philanthropy


Sarah McLachlan School of Music

McLachlan also funds an outreach program in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...
that provides music education for inner city children. In 2007, the provincial government announced $500,000 in funding for the outreach program. Originating at the "Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach", this program evolved into the Sarah McLachlan School of Music. This program provided children with high quality music instruction in guitar, piano, percussion and choir. In 2011 McLachlan opened the Sarah McLachlan School of Music in Vancouver, a free music school for at-risk youth. The School of Music provides group and private lessons to hundreds of young people every year. It is their goal that through music education, students will develop a love of the arts and have greater self-esteem. On May 25, 2016, the Sarah McLachlan School of Music expanded to
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city an ...
, Alberta, opening in Rundle Elementary School and Eastglen High School. The music school contains the same initiative as the Vancouver school.


ASPCA

McLachlan supported the ASPCA by appearing in advertisements. She filmed a two-minute advertisement for the organization which featured her song "
Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...
". The advertisement's imagery of shelter animals mixed with the soundtrack and McLachlan's simple appeal for donations has raised $30 million for the ASPCA since it began to air in 2006, which allowed the organization to air appeals in higher profile prime-time cable ad slots; subsequently the organization produced a new ad for the 2008 holiday season featuring McLachlan appealing for the ASPCA over her ''
Wintersong ''Wintersong'' is the sixth album and first Christmas album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released in October 2006. It was produced by longtime collaborator Pierre Marchand and includes contributions from Jim Creeggan of Baren ...
'' performance of " Silent Night", and a new ad with her was released in January 2009 featuring the song "Answer". In 2012, McLachlan wrote a letter on behalf of
PETA Peta or PETA may refer to: Acronym * Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943 * People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization * People Eating Tasty Animals, a ...
to then-Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Harper is the first and only prime minister to come from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada, ...
, protesting that country's annual seal hunt. During Super Bowl XLVIII on February 3, 2014, McLachlan parodied her ASPCA appeals in an
Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. ...
commercial featuring a "Doberhuahua" dog gnawing on the neck of her guitar.


Other charitable contributions

McLachlan contributed the track " Hold On" to the 1993 AIDS-benefit album '' No Alternative'', produced by the
Red Hot Organization Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...
. She also performed at the Leonard Peltier Defense Fund Benefit Concert on February 12, 1997, and went on to release a cover version of '' Unchained Melody'' created as part of her support for Peltier. It was later included on the album ''
Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff Volume 2 ''Rarities, B-Sides, and Other Stuff Volume 2'' is the second compilation album of rarities by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan OC OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she ...
''. In early 2005, McLachlan took part in a star-studded tsunami disaster relief telethon on NBC. On January 29 McLachlan was a headliner for a benefit concert in Vancouver along with other Canadian superstars such as
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'' (2002), is the best-selling album of the 2 ...
and
Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...
. The show also featured a performance by the Sarah McLachlan Musical Outreach Choir & Percussion Ensemble, a children's choir and percussion band from the aforementioned Vancouver outreach program. Entitled ''One World: The Concert for Tsunami Relief'', the concert raised approximately $3.6 million for several Canadian aid agencies working in south and southeast Asia. On July 2, 2005, McLachlan participated in the Philadelphia installment of the Live 8 concerts, where she performed her hit "Angel" with Josh Groban. These concerts, which were held simultaneously in nine major cities around the world, were intended to coincide with the G8 summit to put pressure on the leaders of the world's richest nations to fight poverty in Africa by cancelling debt. In 2008, she donated a song to Aid Still Required's CD to assist with the restoration of the devastation done to Southeast Asia from the 2004 tsunami. On November 30, 2012, McLachlan lent her support to
Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, inc ...
's Golden Hat Foundation together with
Tim Janis Tim Janis is an American composer with 10 ''Billboard'' charting CDs, over one million albums sold, five television specials, and a constant touring presence. Career On 30 November 2012, Janis produced "The American Christmas Carol" concert f ...
, Loreena McKennitt, Andrea Corr,
Hayley Westenra Hayley Dee Westenra (born 10 April 1987) is a New Zealand classical crossover singer and songwriter. Her first internationally released album, '' Pure'', reached number one on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million ...
,
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys Sleepy Man (prior to late 2014 known as Sleepy Man Banjo Boys) is a bluegrass music band from Lebanon Township, New Jersey, United States. It is composed of the Mizzone brothers: Jonny (born 14 March 2002, banjo), Robbie (born 7 November 1998, ...
, Dawn Kenney,
Jana Mashonee Jana Mashonee, (born Jana; May 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Jana, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, author and philanthropist. She is originally from Robeson County, North Carolina. Jana is a two-time Grammy nominee a ...
, Amy Petty and a choir etc. performing on "The American Christmas Carol" concert in
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...
. McLachlan is a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism.


Discography


Studio albums

* '' Touch'' (1988) * ''
Solace Consolation, consolement, and solace are terms referring to psychological comfort given to someone who has suffered severe, upsetting loss, such as the death of a loved one. It is typically provided by expressing shared regret for that loss and ...
'' (1991) * '' Fumbling Towards Ecstasy'' (1993) * '' Surfacing'' (1997) * '' Afterglow'' (2003) * ''
Wintersong ''Wintersong'' is the sixth album and first Christmas album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released in October 2006. It was produced by longtime collaborator Pierre Marchand and includes contributions from Jim Creeggan of Baren ...
'' (2006) * ''
Laws of Illusion ''Laws of Illusion'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released on 11 June 2010 on Arista Records in the United States and 15 June 2010 on Nettwerk in Canada. Recording for the album took place in M ...
'' (2010) * '' Shine On'' (2014) * ''
Wonderland Wonderland may refer to: Places Municipalities * Wonderland, California, a ghost town in Plumas County * Wonderland, Ohio, a ghost town in Columbus, Ohio, U.S. Roads, streets, and trails * Wonderland Avenue, a roadway in Laurel Canyon, Los A ...
'' (2016)


References


External links

* *
Sarah McLachlan
Video produced by '' Makers: Women Who Make America'' {{DEFAULTSORT:McLachlan, Sarah 1968 births Living people 20th-century Canadian keyboardists 20th-century Canadian guitarists 20th-century Canadian multi-instrumentalists 20th-century Canadian women singers 21st-century Canadian keyboardists 21st-century Canadian guitarists 21st-century Canadian multi-instrumentalists 21st-century Canadian women singers Arista Records artists Ballad musicians Canadian adoptees Canadian agnostics Canadian banjoists Canadian feminist writers Canadian feminists Canadian harpists Canadian mezzo-sopranos Canadian multi-instrumentalists Canadian music video directors Canadian philanthropists Canadian pop guitarists Canadian pop pianists Canadian Screen Award winners Canadian ukulele players Canadian women guitarists Canadian women pianists Canadian women pop singers Canadian women singer-songwriters Female music video directors Feminist musicians Governor General's Performing Arts Award winners Grammy 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 Pop Album of the Year winners Juno Award for Single of the Year winners Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year winners Juno International Achievement Award winners Members of the Order of British Columbia Music festival founders Musicians from Halifax, Nova Scotia Musicians from Vancouver Nettwerk Records artists NSCAD University alumni Officers of the Order of Canada RCA Records artists The Royal Conservatory of Music alumni Women harpists Women keyboardists Writers from Halifax, Nova Scotia Writers from Vancouver 20th-century women guitarists 21st-century women guitarists 20th-century women pianists 21st-century women pianists Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees