Elle King
A raspy-voiced singer-songwriter who smashed genre boundaries, blending punk attitude with bluesy heart and country storytelling.
Born 1989 (age 37)·American musician·Birthday: July 3·Millennials
Biography
Elle King, the daughter of comedian and actor Rob Schneider and model London King, forged her own path with a defiantly eclectic sound. She spent her teenage years immersed in the punk scene, playing banjo and developing a tough, soulful vocal style that owed as much to The Distillers as it did to classic country and rockabilly. Her 2015 debut single 'Ex's & Oh's' was a sleeper hit, a swaggering rock track with a pop hook that climbed to number one on alternative charts and earned her two Grammy nominations. King refused to be pigeonholed; she followed it with collaborations across the musical spectrum, from Dierks Bentley in country to Miranda Lambert in roots rock. Her 2023 album 'Come Get Your Wife' fully embraced her country influences, yielding the massive, chart-topping hit 'Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)' with Miranda Lambert, cementing her status as a versatile and unpredictable force in modern music.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Elle was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Elle Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Elle's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her breakthrough single 'Ex's & Oh's' (2015) reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned two Grammy nominations.
- Won two CMA Awards in 2023 for Musical Event and Video of the Year for 'Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)' with Miranda Lambert.
- Her album 'Come Get Your Wife' (2023) debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart.
- Became the second woman ever to top Billboard's Country Airplay chart as a solo artist and co-artist with 'Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home).'
Did You Know?
She is named after the fashion model Elle Macpherson.
She dropped out of high school at age 16 and later earned her GED.
She is a skilled banjo player, which she incorporates into her music.
She made her acting debut in the 2010 film 'The Last Exorcism.'
Her song 'Playing for Keeps' was the theme for the VH1 reality series 'Mob Wives Chicago.'
“I'm not trying to be a pop star. I'm just trying to be a badass.”
