American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman was BOTD in 1964. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she began writing songs as a child, accompanying herself on a ukulele. She won a scholarship to Tufts University, playing music in her spare time, and was signed to Elektra Records shortly after graduation. She released her debut album Tracy Chapman in 1988. Her stripped down acoustic guitar sound, socially conscious lyrics and powerful contralto was strikingly at odds with most 1980s pop music, earning her comparisons with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Spawning the hit singles Fast Car and Talkin’ About a Revolution. Her sales were significantly boosted by her performance in a televised concert for Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday. The album went on to become an international bestseller, winning three Grammy Awards including Best New Artist. Her subsequent albums Crossroads and Matters of the Heart were less commercially successful, though she made a comeback with 1995’s New Beginning, winning a Grammy for Best Rock Song for the single Give Me One Reason. She has been heavily involved in social activism, supporting various human rights, feminist and HIV/AIDS charities. Chapman has never spoken openly about her sexual orientation or relationships. In 2006, The Color Purple author Alice Walker disclosed that she and Chapman had been in a relationship in the 1990s, which Chapman has neither confirmed nor denied. She had a resurgence in popularity after a stunning live performance of Fast Car at the 2023 Grammys, alongside country singer Luke Combs.