Gaelynn Lea got her big break when she won NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2016. Since then, she has been captivating audiences around the world with her haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes, and has collaborated with Michael Stipe, The Decemberists, Wilco, and even Pigface.

In 2022, Gaelynn Lea composed and recorded the original score for Macbeth on Broadway, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. Thanks to a Whippoorwill Arts Fellowship, her theatrically-inspired soundtrack came out in May 2025. She followed this up with a 10-city UK album release tour.

Music aside, Gaelynn Lea is a sought-after public speaker about accessibility in the arts. She has been featured on PBS NewsHour, On Being with Krista Tippett, The Moth Radio Hour, and via two widely-viewed TEDx Talks. Gaelynn is also a voting member of the Recording Academy.

One of Gaelynn Lea’s biggest passions is promoting Disability Culture. She co-founded RAMPD [Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities] with NYC-based recording artist Lachi in early 2022. In 2024, Gaelynn was awarded a prestigious Disability Futures Fellowship, which spotlights the work of disabled creatives across disciplines.

Gaelynn Lea just finished writing her first book, which is about her touring adventures and disability advocacy. Her forthcoming memoir, It Wasn’t Meant To Be Perfect, is a love-letter to every body — a warm, funny and deeply-felt exploration of disability, music, and the messy creativity of an artist’s life. It will be published by Algonquin Books on April 14, 2026.