Sharon Van Etten Bio
Sharon Katharine Van Etten (born February 26, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress from Belleville, New Jersey, based in Los Angeles. She has released multiple studio albums with an indie rock and folk aesthetic and performs with her backing band, the Attachment Theory. As an actress, she played Rachel in Netflix’s mystery drama The OA and has appeared in supporting film roles in Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) and How It Ends (2021). Van Etten began releasing recordings in 2007, and her work is noted for personal lyrics, a contralto voice, and evolving production that has incorporated electronic elements. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, drummer and manager Zeke Hutchins, and their son.
Early Life and Background
Sharon Katharine Van Etten was born in Belleville, New Jersey. She was the middle child of five siblings and lived in Nutley, New Jersey, before moving to Clinton, New Jersey, as a pre-teen. At North Hunterdon High School, Van Etten participated in chorus and performed in stage musicals, which gave her early experience in performance.
After high school, she attended Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she studied recording. However, she dropped out after one year. During her time in Murfreesboro, she worked at the Red Rose, a coffee and record shop and music venue, for approximately five years. It was there that she became involved in a relationship with a rock musician who discouraged her from writing songs. She eventually left that situation and moved forward with her life.
Van Etten later moved to Brooklyn, New York, where she resided in the Ditmas Park neighborhood for a number of years. She worked at Astor Wines and as a publicist at Ba Da Bing Records before launching her solo music career.
Path to Acting
Van Etten’s transition into acting developed naturally from her music career. While building her reputation as a singer-songwriter, she began exploring opportunities in front of the camera. Her first significant acting role came through connections in the entertainment industry that recognized her artistic versatility. Her experience as a performer translated into a different kind of storytelling that allowed her to explore emotional depth through a new medium.
The combination of her musical background and growing confidence as a performer positioned her for larger acting opportunities. Directors and casting professionals took note of her ability to bring authenticity and vulnerability to her roles, qualities that had become hallmarks of her songwriting as well.
Sharon Van Etten Career
Music Career (2007-Present)
Van Etten began her music career by self-releasing handmade CDs starting in 2007. Her debut studio album, Because I Was in Love, was released on May 26, 2009, on Language of Stone and distributed by Drag City. Produced by Greg Weeks at Hexham Head studio in Philadelphia, the album showcased her intimate, guitar-focused songwriting style.
Her second album, Epic, released on September 21, 2010, by Ba Da Bing Records, received significant critical acclaim. NPR described it as possessing a fuller sound compared to her earlier work while maintaining an intimate quality. The album featured contributions from several musician friends, including members of She Keeps Bees and other notable collaborators.
Breakthrough (2012-2019)
Van Etten’s third studio album, Tramp, was released on February 7, 2012, on Jagjaguwar. The album was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National and recorded in his home studio in Brooklyn. The record featured an impressive roster of musicians, including members of The National and other acclaimed artists.
Her fourth album, Are We There, released in May 2014, further established her reputation in the indie music scene. Produced with Stewart Lerman and guidance from her manager and bandmate Zeke Hutchins, the album was recorded primarily at Hobo Sound Studios in Weehawken, New Jersey, with additional piano tracks recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. An EP titled I Don’t Want to Let You Down, containing songs not included on the album, followed in 2015.
After the release of Are We There, Van Etten took time away from music to pursue acting, have a child, and study psychology and mental health counseling at Brooklyn College. She also composed the score for the film Strange Weather in 2016, working on the music while recording demos for her next album.
In 2018, she released the track Comeback Kid and announced her fifth studio album, Remind Me Tomorrow, which was released on January 18, 2019. The album marked a significant departure from her previous guitar-focused sound, featuring more synthesizers, drums, and experimental sounds. In May 2020, she released a cover version of Brinsley Schwarz’s 1974 song (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. She also contributed original music to several projects during this period, including songs for the documentary film Feels Good Man and holiday covers in late 2020.
Recent Musical Works and The Attachment Theory
Van Etten released her sixth studio album, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong, on May 6, 2022. In February 2025, she released Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory, a collaborative album with her backing band that received universal praise. The band consists of Devra Hoff on bass guitar and backing vocals, Teeny Lieberson on keyboards, guitar, and backing vocals, and Jorge Balbi on drums.
Acting Career (2016-Present)
Van Etten’s acting career began with her starring role as Rachel in Netflix’s mystery drama The OA. The series, which aired across two seasons from 2016 to 2019, featured her as one of the other abductees held alongside Prairie in Dr. Percy’s underground facility. Rachel and the other captives were subjected to after-life experiments while conspiring over a period of years to possibly escape. At one point in the series, Rachel sings a song of remembrance. This role marked her transition from music to professional acting.
She also appeared in episode six of the 2017 Twin Peaks series on Showtime, performing the song Tarifa from her album Are We There. This guest appearance demonstrated her ability to integrate her musical talents into acting roles.
Van Etten made her feature film debut with a supporting role in the 2020 film Never Rarely Sometimes Always, directed by Eliza Hittman. For this film, she also wrote and performed the original track Staring at a Mountain. She continued building her filmography with a role as Jet in the 2021 film How It Ends, where she contributed two new songs, How Much I Loved You and Till We Meet Again.
Sharon Van Etten Family
Van Etten is married to Zeke Hutchins, who was originally her drummer before becoming her manager. Hutchins has been a significant collaborator throughout her career, serving as a bandmate and co-producer on several of her albums, including Are We There. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in 2017.
Personal Life
After living in New York City for approximately 15 years, Van Etten moved with her husband and son to Los Angeles, California, in September 2019. She has spoken about her desire to settle down and diversify her career to be less reliant on touring. In addition to her music and acting work, she has studied psychology and mental health counseling at Brooklyn College. Her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, including lockdowns and raising her son, influenced the themes of her 2022 album, which addressed her new life as well as wider political and social concerns.