Rachel Crow

Early life

Rachel Kelly Crow was born on January 23, 1998, in Mead, Colorado, to an abusive household and cocaine-addicted mother. She was fostered at six months old and adopted a year later by Barbara, a former hospital counselor, and Kelly Crow, owner of an excavation business in Boulder. She has one younger sister, Hannah.

According to her mother, Crow sang her first song, "This Kiss" by Faith Hill, when she was 18 months old. At the age of six, Crow sang in her school's talent show. In 2008, when she was 10 years old, she moved with her family to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a career in music. From ages 10 to 12, she performed stand-up comedy and was part of the first group of kids to go to Las Vegas and perform at Harrah's casino. She was homeschooled.

Music career

2011: ''The X Factor''

Crow auditioned for the first season of the US version of The X Factor in 2011 with the song "Mercy" (2008) by Duffy. She reached the live shows and finished in the bottom two of the quarterfinals, which meant she had to participate in a sing-off with fellow contestant Marcus Canty. After a judge's deadlock, she was sent home because she received the fewest votes. When the results were announced, Crow broke down sobbing and had to be picked up by her mentor Simon Cowell and consoled by her mother.

2012–present: Music debut

In February 2012, it was announced that Crow signed a music deal with Columbia Records and a television deal with Nickelodeon for her own show. She was also featured on Big Time Rush's Summer Tour 2012 along with Cody Simpson and starred on a two-part episode of Fred: The Show.

In June 2012, Crow announced via Twitter that she would be releasing a five-song EP, featuring one song co-written by Crow herself. She later announced via her website that it would be released on June 26, 2012, and would be self-titled. The lead single, "Mean Girls," was co-written by Crow and Toby Gad and produced by Gad. The four other songs are "Rock With You" featuring rapper Mann, "Lemonade," "My Kind of Wonderful", and "What A Song Can Do." She has also worked with producer Jonas Jeberg, who has worked with singers such as The Wanted. In a review of "Mean Girls", The Re-View complimented Crow's "intelligence and aspirations" and finished the article saying of the singer: "I don't doubt that her vocal ability to out-diva some of the best singers will lead to even greater things in the future."

On April 21, 2017, Crow released "Solo" for the soundtrack of the Netflix film Deidra and Laney Rob a Train, which she also starred in. A month later, she released her single "Dime" through BMG Rights Management, describing the song as "just kind of a fun, feel-good summer song, and it was mostly just about telling everyone who hates on you goodbye." In interviews with Pop Crush and iHeart, she stated that she had "darker, edgier" songs coming out at the end of summer and that she might release an EP later that year, but neither came to fruition.

In 2018, Crow released "Coulda Told Me" featuring American rapper Chika through S-Curve Records. Written while Crow was on a plane, the song deals with feeling unheard and invisible. The accompanying music video uses an Alice in Wonderland theme "to make people ask if what she was feeling was real."

On January 25, 2019, Crow released "Up All Night", which was written by Crow, Emlyn, Sam Fischer, and Emanuel Kiriakou and produced by Kiriakou. In an interview with AOL, Crow said the song was "inspired by a sort-of relationship I had the summer of 2017" and was about "that feeling of wanting to spend every waking moment with that person and staying up all night with them." She later released a remix with Australian producer Ryan Riback.

Television and acting career

Rachel Crow appeared on a few Nickelodeon shows in the early 2010s such as Fred: The Show, and Big Time Rush and had signed a series development deal with the network, though this did not result in an aired series. Crow said that she would have wanted to duet with Eminem if she had a series.

Crow voiced Carla in the film Rio 2, which was released in 2014. Crow also provided the voice of Gratuity "Tip" Tucci on the Netflix cartoon Home: Adventures with Tip and Oh.

In 2017, Crow starred alongside Ashleigh Murray in the Netflix original film Deidra & Laney Rob a Train, which holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Crow also starred in ABC's Schooled as recurring character "Felicia Somers". Crow appeared in four episodes of the first season.

Crow was reported to be cast in the 2018 Transformers film Bumblebee, but this did not come to fruition.

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

Extended plays

Singles

Other appearances

Music videos

References

References

1. "Twitter / iamrachelcrow: @CassidyCrow kelly". En.twitter.com.
2. The X Factor USA. (September 7, 2025). "FIRST X Factor Audition EVER! Rachel Crow 🎤🤩".
3. "Rachel Crow". Buddy TV December 17, 2011.
4. Mastrogiannis, Nicole. (September 10, 2017). "New Music Report: Emerging Artist of the Week - Rachel Crow".
5. Benson, Kirstin. (December 12, 2011). "Rachel Crow Is 'Perfect' For Disney — Casting Director & Talent Manager Agree". hollywoodlife.com.
6. Silberman, Lindsay. (February 22, 2012). "X Factor Finalist Rachel Crow Lands Nickelodeon Series". [[TV Guide]].
7. (May 27, 2014). "Adopted Rachel Crow Wants You to Adopt: Dogs and Cats!".
8. (December 31, 2020). "iamrachelcrow on Instagram".
9. (June 24, 2025). "iamrachelcrow on Instagram".
10. (November 8, 2011). "‘X-Factor’s’ Rachel Crow Survived Drug Addicted Birth Mother and Abusive Home, Adoptive Mom Reveals".
11. Daly, Sean. (November 8, 2011). "‘X Factor’ kid started out in a crack den".
12. Slezak, Michael. (January 11, 2012). "X Factor's Rachel Crow Talks 'Stolen' Songs, Emotional Collapses, And Crack-Baby Jokes".
13. "iamrachelcrow on Instagram".
14. (August 10, 2018). "Rachel Crow - Coulda Told Me".
15. "The X Factor recap: Rachel Crow eliminated".
16. Holmes, Krystal. (December 9, 2011). "Rachel Crow Has Heartbreaking Moment During ‘X-Factor’ Elimination".
17. (February 22, 2012). "Rachel Crow Talks Up 'Amazing' Post-'X Factor' Career". MTV.
18. (May 18, 2012). "Rachel Crow: EP In June". Dream Magazine.
19. (June 4, 2012). "RACHEL CROW TO RELEASE SELF-TITLED EP ON COLUMBIA RECORDS/SYCO AVAILABLE JUNE 26 | The Official Rachel Crow Site". Rachelcrowofficial.com.
20. "Rachel Crow debuts official music video for 'Mean Girls'".
21. Tan, Emily. (June 20, 2017). "Rachel Crow on 'Dime,' Bringing Music + Acting Together: Interview".
22. Smith, Courtney E.. (September 7, 2018). "Rachel Crow Knows How It Feels To Be Unheard. So She Took Control.".
23. (January 25, 2019). "Rachel Crow drops new song 'Up All Night': Listen!".
24. "Up All Night (Ryan Riback Remix) - Single by Rachel Crow".
25. Garibaldi, Christina. (March 9, 2012). "Rachel Crow Wants Eminem On Her Nickelodeon Show - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.
26. (February 22, 2012). "Rachel Crow to Star on Nickelodeon Series". The Hollywood Gossip.
27. "Deidra and Laney Rob a Train".
28. Auger, Andrew. (July 12, 2017). "Bumblebee Spinoff Movie Eyeing Rachel Crow For Key Role".
29. "Rachel Crow - Chart history - Billboard".
30. (June 26, 2012). "Rachel Crow - EP".
31. (July 2, 2012). "Rachel Crow - Mean Girls". YouTube.
32. (November 23, 2012). "Rachel Crow - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town". YouTube.
33. (August 23, 2017). "Rachel Crow - Dime (Official Video)". YouTube.
34. (September 8, 2018). "Rachel Crow - Coulda Told Me (feat. CHIKA) [Official Video]". YouTube.
35. (February 21, 2019). "Rachel Crow - Up All Night". YouTube.