Claire Cottrill was just 19 when she uploaded “Pretty Girl” under Clairo on YouTube, a song she wrote in a single day. With straightforward, relatable lyrics (“And I could be a pretty girl/I'll wear a skirt for you”) and delicate bedroom pop melodies, the track unexpectedly went viral. “It was just a little thing,” she told us, reflecting on the career-making moment in 2021. “It wasn’t supposed to be anything.” 

Cottrill, who was born on Aug. 18, 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Carlisle, Massachusetts, dropped out of Syracuse University after one year to go on tour with Dua Lipa. She signed with Fader and released her debut, Immunity, in 2019. Co-produced by former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij, Immunity proved she wasn’t just a one-hit wonder (and industry plant, which she faced accusations of after it was revealed that her father was friendly with Fader’s founder Jon Cohen). With hits like “Bags” and “Sofia,” Immunity sparkled in its vulnerability and tenderness, as Cottrill sang about her bisexuality, battling depression and anxiety, and the overall struggle of growing up on the internet — transforming her into a Gen Z star. 

Over the next two years, Cottrill found herself craving privacy, and even briefly considered quitting the music industry. She adopted a dog and named her Joanie (after Joni Mitchell), and moved to Upstate New York. There, she created the gorgeous, meditative Sling, co-produced by Jack Antonoff. Recorded live at Allaire Studios just outside of Woodstock, Cottrill dabbled in Seventies instrumentation and introspective, cozy songwriting, taking a nod from her heroes like Mitchell and Judee Sill. In July 2021, she appeared on her first Rolling Stone digital cover.

In July 2024, Cottrill released her third album, Charm, co-produced by Leon Michels. With highlights like the homebody anthem “Sexy to Someone” and “Juna,” the record finds Cottrill expanding the cozy, stripped-down sounds on Sling and combining it with the Immunity-era bedroom pop flourishes that made her a star in the first place. — Angie Martoccio