What is Fiona Apple's Net Worth?
Fiona Apple is an acclaimed American singer and songwriter with an estimated net worth of $10 million. She gained prominence with her hit singles, such as "Shameika," "Fast as You Can," and "Criminal." The latter became particularly famous due to its controversial music video. From 1997 through 2020, all of Apple's albums reached the top 15 on the US Billboard 200. She has earned multiple Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards for her work.
Apple's break into the music industry began in the mid-90s while still a teenager. A friend shared a three-song demo with a music publicist, who passed it to a Sony Records executive. Shortly after, she signed with the label and released her debut album "Tidal" in 1996. This album achieved triple Platinum status, selling nearly 3 million copies. The single “Criminal” from this album earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.
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Early Life and Career Beginnings
Fiona Apple McAfee-Maggart was born in 1977 in New York City. Her mother, Diane, was a singer, and her father, Brandon, an actor. Raised by her mother in Harlem's Morningside Gardens, she spent summers with her father in Los Angeles. Apple began classical piano training as a child and started composing music by age eight. At twelve, she experienced a traumatic event when she was raped outside her Harlem apartment. She later struggled with an eating disorder and took self-defense courses. She completed her high school education at Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles.
"Tidal" and Start of Recording Career
Apple's debut album, "Tidal," released in 1996, was a major success and sold 2.7 million copies in the US. Inspired by a breakup with her first boyfriend, the album included hit singles like "Shadowboxer," "Sleep to Dream," and "Criminal." The latter single earned her a Grammy Award. In 1998, she contributed covers of "Across the Universe" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love" to the film "Pleasantville" soundtrack.
Her second album, "When the Pawn...," produced by Jon Brion, came out in 1999. It achieved Platinum status, selling one million copies in the US. The lead single, "Fast as You Can," reached the top 20 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and became her first top 40 hit in the UK.
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"Extraordinary Machine"
In the early 2000s, Apple collaborated with Johnny Cash on several songs before starting work on her third album, "Extraordinary Machine," in 2002. After initial dissatisfaction with the production, she re-recorded it without Jon Brion. Released in 2005, the album was certified Gold and nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album.
"The Idler Wheel..." and "Fetch the Bolt Cutters"
Apple’s fourth studio album, "The Idler Wheel...," was released in 2012 after several delays. It earned critical acclaim and a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. In 2020, she released "Fetch the Bolt Cutters," which received widespread praise and won two Grammy Awards: Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Performance for the single "Shameika."
Other Songs and Collaborations
Beyond her primary discography, Apple has participated in numerous musical collaborations and projects. She wrote the opening theme for Showtime's "The Affair" in 2014 and teamed up with singer Blake Mills for promotional performances. In 2006, Apple featured on a joke track with comedian Zach Galifianakis and covered "Sally's Song" for "The Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack.
She has also collaborated with Andrew Bird, Shirley Manson, Jakob Dylan, Cristophe Deluy, Margaret Cho, Nickel Creek, and recorded "Dull Tool" for Judd Apatow's comedy film "This is 40." In 2019, she collaborated with King Princess on a rendition of her song "I Know."
Personal Life and Philanthropy
Apple had a long-term relationship with director Paul Thomas Anderson and later dated author and television creator Jonathan Ames. She is also known for her social activism and philanthropy, performing at the "Love and Haiti, Too: A Music Benefit" in 2010 to raise funds for earthquake victims. She also released "So Sleepy," a song co-written with children from the nonprofit 826LA. In 2017, she released the protest song "Tiny Hands" for the Women's March and, in 2019, pledged two years of earnings to the While They Wait fund for refugees.
