Grimes, born Claire Elise Boucher, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist known for her genre-bending sound and futuristic aesthetic.
She rose to fame with her 2012 album Visions and has become a key figure in the independent electronic music scene.
Songs like “Oblivion” received widespread critical acclaim. Her music often incorporates elements of dream pop, electronic and experimental sounds.
Over the years, Grimes has established herself as a multi-faceted creator, expanding her influences beyond music into visual art and technology. She remains an important and unique presence in contemporary pop culture.
contour
- Full name: Claire Elise Boucher
- Nickname: Grimes
- Date of birth: March 17, 1988
- Age: 36 years old
- Gender: Female
- Birthplace: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Nationality: Canadian
- Occupation: Musician, producer, visual artist
- Height: 5 feet 5 inches
- Parents: Sandy Garossino (former prosecutor)
- Siblings: Mac Boucher (brother), Jay Worthy (stepbrother)
- Spouse: N/A (collaborates with Elon Musk, unmarried)
- Children: X Æ A-12 Musk, Exa Dark Sideræl Musk
- Relationship status: Single (as of 2024)
- Religion: Roman Catholic
- Ethnicity: French, Italian, Métis, Ukrainian
- Net worth: $10 million
early life and education
Claire Elise Boucher, now known as Grimes, was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on March 17, 1988. She is 36 years old as of 2024. She grew up with her mother in a multicultural household. ,
Sandy Garossino is a former Crown prosecutor turned arts advocate. Her father was a banker. The Boucher family raised Claire and her brother Mike in a Roman Catholic environment, and she attended Catholic schools in Vancouver.
Her parents’ divorce when she was 11 had a major impact on her growing up. Through his mother’s remarriage, Grimes had a stepbrother, Jay Worthy, a hip-hop artist best known for his time in the group LNDN DRGS.
Grimes completed his early education at Lord Byng High School before moving to Montreal in 2006 to study at McGill University, where he majored in a joint bachelor’s degree in arts and sciences.
Although she initially claimed to study neuroscience and philosophy, she was also actively involved in electroacoustic music. Her academic journey at McGill was cut short in 2011 when she was expelled for persistent absences from classes.
While in college, Grimes immersed himself in the underground music scene, experimenting with music and creating the persona known as Grimes.
personal life
Grimes’ personal life has often been the subject of public attention, particularly her high-profile relationship with Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. The two began dating in 2018 after meeting online over a pun about Roko’s Basilisk.
They have an unusual relationship and have two children: a son named X Æ A-12 Musk, born on May 4, 2020, and a daughter named Exa Dark Sideræl Musk, adopted in December 2021 Birth by surrogate.
Before Musk, Grimes was in relationships with musicians Devin Welsh and James Brooks. Her relationship status remains ambiguous.
Profession
Grimes’ music career officially began in 2007, when she began experimenting with sound production. In 2010, she released her debut album Geidi Primes, a lo-fi project inspired by the Dune series.
Her second album, Halfaxa, was released later that year and marked her gradual rise in the indie electronic scene. In 2012, her third album Visions became her breakthrough project, featuring the hit song “Oblivion” and received widespread critical acclaim.
Known for her DIY spirit, Grimes not only wrote and produced the album herself, but also developed her signature sound through intense isolation.
Her subsequent albums Art Angel (2015) and Miss Anthropocene (2020) continued to showcase her evolution as an artist, blending influences from punk to ultra-pop and exploring climate change and existentialism etc. topics.
In addition to music, Grimes also explores visual art, directing her music videos and creating digital art collections such as the WarNymph project.
She has also contributed to technology companies such as Endel, an artificial intelligence-driven music software, and collaborations in the NFT art field. Grimes remains a major force in the music industry, often pushing the boundaries of genre and technology.
Awards
- Juno Award, Electronic Album of the Year (2013)
- Webby Awards Artist of the Year (2013)
- Harper’s Bazaar Woman of the Year and Musician of the Year (2016)
- Juno Awards Video of the Year (2017)
- A2IM Libera Award, Video of the Year (2017)
net worth
Grimes has an estimated net worth of approximately $10 million. Her income comes from album sales, live performances, music streaming, and collaborations. She has also generated significant income from partnerships, art sales, and venture capital investments in the NFT space.
dispute
Grimes has been involved in a number of controversies, often intertwined with her relationship with Elon Musk and her outspoken views on a variety of topics. One of the most high-profile controversies was the naming of her first child, X Æ A-12, which caused widespread confusion and ridicule.
The unconventional name, which needed to be adjusted to comply with California law, sparked debate over parental rights and the influence of celebrities on cultural norms. Her involvement in the NFT and cryptocurrency markets has also caused controversy.
Critics accuse her of promoting environmentally damaging blockchain technology because her digital art sales result in massive energy consumption. Grimes defended her stance, saying she intended to support ecological sustainability in other areas of life.
Politically, Grimes faced backlash for defending Elon Musk’s anti-union statements at Tesla. Her appearances with Musk, such as attending the Met Gala while pregnant with X Æ A-12, sparked discussions about the ethics of extreme wealth and labor practices.
Additionally, her aesthetic and personality have drawn criticism from some feminist circles, who believe that combining edgy imagery with pop culture often sends mixed messages. Her social media presence has also gotten her into hot water, with fans accusing her of being cryptic or insensitive in her tweets.
She sparked further debate over the ethics of technology when she claimed in a 2021 TikTok video that artificial intelligence could “save humanity” from grunt work. The controversy surrounding Grimes is multifaceted and reflects the complexities of her public and private life.
social media
- Instagram account: @grimes
- Twitter account: @Grimezsz
film chronology
discography
- Geddy Primes (2010)
- Halifax(2010)
- Vision(2012)
- Art Angel(2015)
- Miss Anthropocene(2020)
- Death Eyes (2022, single)
- Welcome to the Opera (2023, with Anyma)
- I want to be a software (2023, with Ilangelo)
