Jensen McRae

Jensen McRae was born in Santa Monica and raised in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. She is of Black and Jewish descent and has sung since childhood, starting piano at seven; Carole King, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys were early influences. A summer Grammy Camp program during high school pushed her toward music as a career, and she went on to earn a full-ride degree in popular music performance from USC's Thornton School of Music.

She released two self-made EPs, Lighter and Milkshakes, while still in college, then put out her debut singles, 'White Boy' and 'Wolves,' after graduating in 2019 and 2020.

In January 2021 a tweet imagining a future Phoebe Bridgers song went viral and was retweeted by Bridgers herself; McRae responded with the parody track 'Immune.' That same month she released 'Wish You the Best' with fellow songwriter Joy Oladokun, and her song 'Starting to Get to You' was later named one of NPR's most-played public radio tracks.

Her debut EP, Who Hurt You?, came out in 2021, followed by her debut album, Are You Happy Now?, in 2022. A verse posted online in late 2023 became the basis for 'Massachusetts,' released in 2024 as her first single for Dead Oceans, ahead of her second album, I Don't Know How but They Found Me!, in 2025.

That year she also made her acting debut, appearing in and contributing the song 'King David' to Spike Lee's film Highest 2 Lowest.