Ingrid Michaelson is an American singer-songwriter born December 8, 1979, in Staten Island, New York. Raised by a sculptor mother and classical composer father, she began piano lessons at age four and later earned a degree in musical theatre from Binghamton University. She independently released her debut album Slow the Rain in 2005, followed by Girls and Boys in 2006. Her 2006 single "The Way I Am" and 2014 single "Girls Chase Boys" both achieved platinum certification and charted on Billboard's Adult Contemporary and Adult Top 40 charts. Through her independent label Cabin 24 Records, she has released eight albums and sold over one million albums and 10 million singles. Beyond her music career, Michaelson has worked in theatre, appearing on Broadway and composing the music and lyrics for the 2024 Broadway adaptation of The Notebook.