Natalie Anne Merchant, born October 26, 1963, in Jamestown, New York, is an American singer-songwriter known for her thoughtful lyrics and distinctive voice. She began her career at 17 with the folk-rock band 10,000 Maniacs, quickly becoming its creative leader. The band signed with Elektra in 1985 and gained success with albums like In My Tribe (1987) and Blind Man’s Zoo (1989). Merchant announced her departure before the 1992 release of Our Time in Eden and officially left after MTV Unplugged in 1994.