Photo: Karen_O_Bumbershoot.JPG: Jonathon Kulaas-Crial derivative work: Liquidluck (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Karen O is one of the most electrifying frontwomen of the 21st century, a whirlwind of beer-spitting chaos on stage who could turn around and deliver something as tender and devastating as 'Maps.' The Yeah Yeah Yeahs defined a huge chunk of early-2000s art-rock cool, and her fearless, fashion-forward stage presence influenced a generation. What I love most is the contrast: she's equally convincing as a punk banshee and as a hushed, vulnerable balladeer. The Oscar nomination for 'The Moon Song' showed just how much emotional range hides behind the wild persona.
Overview
Karen O (born Karen Lee Orzolek on November 22, 1978, in Busan, South Korea) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She is the lead vocalist of the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who emerged in the early 2000s indie scene with hits such as 'Maps.' She has also released solo work and earned an Academy Award nomination for the song 'The Moon Song' from the film Her.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Karen O
- Name (Japanese)
- カレンO
- Reading
- かれんO
- Born
- November 22, 1978 (age 47)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Horse
- Origin
- Busan, South Korea
- Occupation
- Singer / Recording artist / Rock singer / Musician
2. Background
- University
- Oberlin College
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://karenomusic.com
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/ko/
- Xhttps://x.com/kareno
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3O
Frequently asked questions
When was Karen O born?
Born November 22, 1978 (age 47).
Where is Karen O from?
Karen O is from Busan, South Korea.
What does Karen O do?
Karen O works as Singer, Recording artist, Rock singer, Musician.
Singer — see all → · Recording artist — see all → · More people from South Korea →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.