A screen actress since early childhood, Elle Fanning made her recording debut as a young adult for the 2018 musical film Teen Spirit. Proving she had a warm, engaging voice, Fanning performed several dance-pop tunes for the film's soundtrack, including an original song penned by Carly Rae Jepsen.
Born Mary Elle Fanning in Conyers, Georgia, Fanning began her acting career as a toddler in the early 2000s, appearing in projects such as the film I Am Sam (2001) and the TV mini-series Taken (2002) as younger versions of her real-life older sister, actress Dakota Fanning. This led to eventual supporting roles in films such as the family film Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) and Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel (2006). Co-produced by Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams, 2011's Super 8 featured Fanning in a prominent role that won her early critical praise. In 2018's Teen Spirit, Fanning portrayed Violet Valenski, a shy teenager who pursues her dreams of pop stardom by entering an international singing competition. She performed a half-dozen songs for the film's soundtrack, alongside acts.