Christina Perri

She's played piano since age 8 and written songs since she was 15 years old, but singer-songwriter Christina Perri was propelled into the public eye in July 2010 when she was asked to perform “Jar of Hearts” on the Fox show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”

The haunting single, written and sung by the 24-year-old Philadelphia native, captured the hearts of viewers and she hasn't failed to impress listeners ever since. “Jar of Hearts” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 63 without any radio play and went on to sell 1 million downloads and Perri landed a deal with Atlantic Records soon after.

The defiant break-up song represents the album, "lovestrong," in a very big way. The album embodies two extremes: love and the pain that can come with a lost love along with the strength to be happy. “Arms,” is Perri’s second released single, featuring a happier, more hopeful song.

“They’re all songs I felt I needed to give away,” Perri says. “I have been writing songs since I was 15, so I reached into my arsenal and picked the ones I felt others should hear. My intention for my music is pretty simple: I want to make people feel less broken and alone.”

Growing up in Bensalem, Pa. (a suburb of Philadelphia) Perri began her music career at a young age; at 6 she first sang at her Holy Communion. Her parents realized her talents and enrolled her in piano lessons as well as musical theater groups. Perri always knew what she liked musically and said her piano teacher "fired" her because she used to change the endings to songs -- she didn't like the way they were written and believed her versions were better! At the age of 16, Perri taught herself how to play the guitar by watching VHS tapes of Blind Melon. 

Perri isn't the only creative talent in her family. Her older brother Nick has played guitar in rock bands such as Shinetown and Silvertide. Christina  traveled to London with her brother's band, working as a gofer. It was during this time she found out she was accepted to Philadelphia’s University of the Arts with a scholarship. She only stayed in school for one year and felt the need to do some soul-searching, so she left to visit her father’s family in Italy. Christina has said of the situation, "I was 19 and needed to soul search. I was still writing music, but I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life." 

When Perri was 21, she packed up a suitcase and her guitar and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her musical dreams, posting YouTube videos of her singing her own songs and covers until she was recognized. Within four months, she got married and, along with her husband, started their own production company, but the marriage only lasted four months. Perri says about that time, "In theory, it all sounds perfect... I had the house, the job, the dogs. It was the coolest life ever, but it was somebody else's life." 

After the divorce, Perri began writing new songs and posting videos of herself on YouTube. Her song "Tragedy" caught the eye of Bill Silva Management who now represents her. 

“Every day something happens that blows my mind,” Perri says. “Being able to wake up and play music is more than I’ve ever dreamed my life could be. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences, my hope, my strength, my guts and my heart with the world.”