Australian singer, Karise Eden (b. 1992), spent time in foster care as a child.

Karise Eden was born on the Central Coast, New South Wales to a single mother who struggled to care for her two daughters. Karise and her sister often spent weekends with respite foster parents, Marilyn and Frank. Despite the difficulties of her childhood, Karise fondly remembers being surrounded by music and singing with her sister. 

As a teenager, Karise was made a ward of the state and lived in numerous women’s refuges. When she eventually reconnected with her foster family, Frank taught her how to play guitar.  

At age nineteen, Karise won the inaugural The Voice Australia competition, where she was dubbed the ‘‘foster kid with the amazing voice’’ (Newcastle Herald). The following week, four of her songs were on the top five Australian singles charts, a feat which had last been achieved by the Beatles in 1964. Karise’s debut album was at the top of the Australian charts for six weeks in 2012.

While competing on The Voice, Karise was mentored by legendary artist Seal, whom she describes as a father figure.

He was very wise and very caring and has the biggest heart. I was like a wide-eyed toddler just taking everything in and eager to please (Parnell).    

Karise Eden’s raspy vocals have been compared to Janis Joplin, one of her vocal inspirations. Singing is cathartic for Karise, who describes how she is healing from past trauma.

Everything from who I am and where I have been to how I have lived comes out in my singing. It hurts, and I guess you could say that I am a very traumatised person. A lot of it is coming back to haunt me now that I am married and settled. I think that this is true for many adults as they grow up and try to start trying [sic] to figure things out (Parnell).

In 2014, Karise released her second album while pregnant with her first child, Blayden. Her daughter, Hartley, was born six years later.

Karise released her third album in 2018, and her latest album, ‘Into the Black’, in May 2022.

References: 

“INTERVIEW: Karise Eden returns with first new album in 4 years.”Women in Pop, 23 November 2018. http://www.womeninpop.com/news-home/karise-eden-interview

Edwards, Amy. “The Voice’s Karise Eden tells of family support.” Newcastle Herald, 18 May, 2012. https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/116280/the-voices-karise-eden-tells-of-family-support/ 

Parnell, Kim. “Karise Eden is excited to return to the stage.” What’s On Fraser Coast, 23 May 2022. https://www.whatsonfrasercoast.com.au/2022/05/23/karise-eden-is-excited-to-return-to-the-stage/

 Image available here.