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If you’ve only heard of Grimes because of her relationship with Elon Musk, it’s time to look again. Claire Elise Boucher, better known as Grimes, is a genre-defying, boundary-pushing artist whose influence spans music, visual art, and technology.
Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Grimes has built an entire creative universe that’s entirely her own. Her journey began in Montreal, where she dropped her first two albums, Geidi Primes and Halfaxa, back in 2010. These early projects were otherworldly, combining sci-fi inspirations and experimental sounds into something that didn’t quite fit anywhere.
You might’ve first heard her name after Visions exploded onto the indie scene in 2012. That album won the Juno Award for Electronic Album of the Year and cemented Grimes as a force to be reckoned with. By 2015, she shifted her sound again with Art Angels, a dazzling, high-energy pop record. And in 2020, she delivered Miss Anthropocene, a concept album diving deep into dystopian and futuristic themes, showing us once again that Grimes doesn’t follow trends. She sets them.
But Grimes doesn’t stop at music. She’s also a prolific visual artist. From designing her own album covers to creating original artworks influenced by anime, manga, and alternative comics, her artistic vision is just as sharp as her sonic one. In 2021, she made headlines by selling digital artwork as NFTs, making $5.8 million in just 20 minutes. If you’re looking for someone who bridges the gap between traditional art and the digital future, she’s it.
And speaking of the future, Grimes is obsessed with it in the best way. She’s all in on tech. In 2021, she launched a podcast called Homo Techno and opened a Discord server to connect directly with fans. Then, in 2023, she publicly announced that she’ll allow anyone to use her AI-generated voice to create music. While other artists were wary of AI, Grimes ran toward it and invited her audience to come with her.
Yes, she shares children with Elon Musk. And yes, their relationship captured headlines. But what often gets missed is how she’s balanced motherhood with an unapologetically ambitious career and continues to use her platform to speak up on issues like climate change, creative freedom, and women in tech and art.
Right now, Grimes is working on new music, experimental projects, and collaborations that continue to defy labels. If you’re into pop music that doesn’t play by the rules, or art that embraces chaos and futurism, Grimes is someone to watch.
Grimes shouldn’t just be remembered for who she dated.
She’s unforgettable on her own terms.
Written by Alana Black | Evolution Media
Contact: ablack23@my.bcit.ca