Feel like the NBA regular season has gone on for too long now? Well, a major break is coming the fans’ way. The Bay Area is all set to host the annual NBA All-Star Weekend! Three nights of on-court events, including the All-Star game and the dunk/3-point challenges, accompanied by a string of musical performances, are sure to make the occasion a memorable one. The fact that the All-Star Weekend is being held in California holds more significance this year than before. But why? And who is Alessia Cara, the ‘Canadian Singer’ lending her voice?
As Los Angeles went through the destructive wildfires where 29 lives were lost, and over 200,000 people were forced to evacuate, the mood is yet not back to joy in the California town. Therefore, the usual line of performances will also include a tribute to the Los Angeles Area. This will include the singing of the U.S. national anthem, a presentation of the colors by fellow LAFD firefighters, and the Canadian national anthem. Therefore, there is no better time than now to learn more about the Canadian native Alessia Cara.
Who is the singer Alessia Cara?
Alessia Cara, the now 28-year-old lady, was born in Mississauga, Ontario. Cara’s native roots go down to Italy. Her father was born in Canada but was a baby blessing to Italian parents. Whereas her mother is an Italian immigrant from Calabria. The singer is the second of four children and has always known her responsibilities. And do you know, Justin Bieber was her icon? Not just now; the lady had a knack in the musical world since her childhood.
Cara, in her childhood days, had very few friends to play with after she moved to Brampton, Ontario. Sadly, she spent loads of time inside the house. But who knows what turns into a blessing, and when? The free time, in turn, allowed her to develop a taste for the arts. Growing up, she wrote poetry and did theatre. She would paint, draw, and make crafts. A perfect all-rounder.
Quite adamant about her goal, Cara reportedly begged her parents to buy her a guitar when she was just 10! After that, she took a few lessons and taught herself how to play by learning various other songs. Cara also learned the piano and the ukulele. At 13, she began her own YouTube channel and posted covers of songs performed by herself. From Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors and Sam Smith’s Stay With Me to other songs like ‘Valerie’, ‘Love Yourself’ and ‘Sweater Weather’ the trend of that era was highlighted by the aspiring singer’s covers, in which she added her flair. Impressive, right?
Alessia Cara’s career, and her NBA All-Star weekend performance in 2025: A tribute to those affected by the LA wildfire
Alessia Cara’s music career took off back in 2014 when she signed with EP Entertainment. She started to work on her debut studio album that very same year. Cara’s official debut single, titled ‘Here’, debuted back in 2015. The song was on Billboard’s ‘20 Pop Songs You Need For Your Summer Playlist’ in June 2015. ‘Here’ also peaked at number 19 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. Across the border, in America, ‘Here’ was declared a ‘sleeper hit’. A debut blockbuster!
Alessia Cara performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Aug. 2, 2019.
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From headlining tours to appearing as a music guest on Saturday Night Live starring Jimmy Fallon, Alessia Cara’s popularity took an upward trajectory. Back in 2016, she was even announced as one of the supporting acts for Coldplay! With the work comes the rewards, and Cara saw that as she got nominated for four Grammy Awards. It was a moment of pride, as she was the first Canadian artist to win the Best New Artist title in 2018.
Time flew, but Cara continued to grow. Today, she stands to honor the victims of LA this weekend, as a performer in the NBA All-Star Weekend. She is set to honor her country by singing the Canadian National Anthem. But believe it or not, this is not Cara’s first time performing for NBA fans. She performed the Canadian national anthem at the 2021 NBA All-Star Game too!
Alessia Cara was not personally affected by the fires. Believe it or not, though, she did get into the headlines because of it. The singer was set to release her song, “Fire”, as part of her fourth studio album, Love & Hyperbole. Due to the situation in California, she delayed the release. Sensitive to the cause, ‘Slow Motion,’ another track, replaced ‘Fire’.
What body condition does Alessia Cara suffer from?
Back when she was still in late elementary school, early high school, Alessia began showing symptoms of Alopecia Areata, aka a hair loss disease. According to reports, after getting teased by her peers for having ‘frizzy’ hair, Cara started straightening her brunette curls. There, she noticed that “I started losing my hair in chunks in the shower. It was one of the scariest things. It got to the point where it was visibly gone”. If that wasn’t enough, Cara also suffers from a skin condition named ‘keratosis pilaris’. While the name makes it sound quite frightful, it isn’t anything as serious as Alopecia Areata. After all, the skin disease only causes small, dry bumps to appear around the body. The journey was never smooth.
Jun 2, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Singer and songwriter Alessia Cara sings the Canadian national anthem before game two of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Despite her struggles, her ailments did not refrain Cara from being open about her struggles. She has openly discussed her issues in interviews and put updates on her official X account. They are worth a read! Through her song, “Scars To Your Beautiful”, she promoted and advocated for loving your true self. Reminding people that they’re beautiful just the way they are. For such a person to open the All-Star event with the Canadian National Anthem is the perfect way to kick off the festivities.
The post Who is Alessia Cara? Details of Canadian Singer Performing at 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend as Tribute to LA Wildfires appeared first on EssentiallySports.