Portrait

Born: 2 November 1961Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Singer and songwriterCanada65th birthday

k.d. lang

k.d. lang brought an unmistakable voice and an androgynous stage presence from country music into pop, becoming an openly lesbian star.

k.d. lang was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1961. She grew up in the small town of Consort and began attracting attention in the 1980s with country performances that combined vocal assurance, humour and an unconventional cowgirl image.

Her early recordings drew on singers such as Patsy Cline while establishing a distinctive style. A duet with Roy Orbison on “Crying” brought wider recognition. Later collaborations, including work with Tony Bennett, showed how readily her voice could move between country, pop and jazz standards.

In 1992 she released “Ingénue”, featuring “Constant Craving”, and came out as a lesbian in an interview with “The Advocate”. Her openness and androgynous appearance made her an important public figure for many queer listeners. Her animal-rights campaigning also challenged the expectations of parts of the country music industry.

A celebrated performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics introduced her singing to another vast audience. Alongside music, she has supported LGBTQ rights and Tibetan causes.

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