If her mother wasn’t being absolutely careful with her words, she would get beaten up by her father.
And the singer herself was subjected to a number of unpleasant situations, including pushing, shoving, fighting, and quarreling.
But music became her sanctuary — a lifeline that would transform her pain into power. Today, she is known as the “Voice of a Generation” and has a shining star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Moved around constantly
Looking back at old photos of celebrities is always fascinating, a reminder that every one of us was once an innocent child, full of dreams, carefree energy, and a natural spark for life.
And when we look back at childhood photos of this girl from Staten Island…
No one could have predicted that she would grow up to become one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
She was born in Ocean Breeze, New York, at Staten Island University Hospital in December 1980. Her father was far from musical — an Ecuadorian immigrant from Guayaquil and a sergeant in the United States Army. Her mother, on the other hand, had a musical gift; she played violin in the American Youth Symphony but would later work as a Spanish translator.
Because this future star’s father was in the military, the family had to move around constantly and the money was short. For a few years, they lived in Japan, but in 1986 they returned to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania.
Her father struck her
All the moving naturally made life somewhat unstable, but there was one serious issue that haunted the young Grammy-winner-to-be. Her father’s physical and emotional abuse affected the entire family. She grew up watching her mother feel powerless under her father’s control, enduring his abuse with little recourse.
But the violence wasn’t limited to her mother. The young girl herself also faced harsh treatment, including pushing, shoving, and fighting.
In an interview, her mother, Shelly, recalled one occasion when her daughter was physically abused by her father. Blood was dripping down the young girl’s chin when her mother asked what had happened. She explained that her father had wanted to take a nap, and because she had made too much noise, he struck her violently in response.
Reflecting on her childhood, the star explained, “Growing up in an unstable environment and whatnot, music was my only real escape.”
Moved in with her grandmother
Old-school music became her refuge, the singer once recalled. “Soul and blues spoke to me at an age when most people would think I was too young to appreciate it. I was six years old, listening to Billie Holiday as if it were my entire world.”
When she was 7, her parents finally divorced. She later described her parents’ divorce as the “greatest gift” of her childhood.
Our young artist eventually moved in with her grandmother, and that change opened a whole new world for her. There, she discovered her grandmother’s record collection, filled mostly with soul and blues legends.
Her love for music grew quickly, and she soon began singing in public and entering local talent competitions.
