Alisan Porter

Biography

Alisan Porter is an American singer, actress, songwriter, and dancer who began her career as a child performer before becoming known for her work in music and musical theatre. She was born on June 20, 1981, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Porter became widely recognized as a child actress after starring in the 1991 comedy film Curly Sue.

Early Life and Childhood Career

Porter grew up in a family connected to music and dance. Her father, Ric Porter, was a singer and songwriter, while her mother, Laura Klein, was involved in dance. Porter began performing at a very young age and gained early recognition through the television talent show Star Search. At the age of five, she became its youngest winner at the time.

She later developed an acting career, appearing in projects such as Parenthood, Stella, I Love You to Death, and the television series Chicken Soup. Her biggest childhood acting role came when she was cast as the title character in John Hughes' Curly Sue in 1991.

Acting and Broadway Career

After her success as a child actress, Porter gradually shifted her attention toward music and live performance. As a young adult, she moved to New York and began auditioning for Broadway productions. She appeared in the musical Footloose and later performed as Bebe in the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line.

She also appeared in The Ten Commandments: The Musical and continued developing her skills as a singer and performer. Her experience in musical theatre became an important part of her artistic career.

Music Career

Music remained Porter's major passion, and she eventually began concentrating on songwriting and recording. She formed bands and musical projects before releasing her self-titled debut album, Alisan Porter, in 2009. Her music combines elements of pop, rock, country, and singer-songwriter styles.

Her later work included the album Pink Cloud, which featured original songs and reflected her development as a songwriter and recording artist. She has continued performing live and releasing new music throughout her career.

Success on The Voice

In 2016, Porter returned to the spotlight as a contestant on the tenth season of the American singing competition The Voice. During her blind audition, she performed “Blue Bayou,” turning all four coaches' chairs. She chose Christina Aguilera as her coach.

Porter continued through the competition with performances that showcased her powerful and emotional vocal style. She eventually reached the finale and was announced as the winner of Season 10 on May 24, 2016. Her victory also gave Christina Aguilera her first win as a coach on the U.S. version of the show.