Trainor became interested in music at an early age and was influenced by her family. At age 11, Trainor told her father that she wanted to become a recording artist and began writing songs, recording them using the digital audio workstation software GarageBand. She started with her own arrangement of the popular song “Heart and Soul”. Her mother recalled that Trainor “did a lot by ear”, and picked up music without formal training. Her father encouraged her to explore every musical genre. Aged 12, Trainor began performing as part of the cover band, Island Fusion, with her aunt, younger brother, and father, performing soca music alongside her own compositions. Trainor was in the group for four years, singing, playing piano, guitar and bongo drums. By age 13, Trainor had written her first original song, “Give Me a Chance”.
Since signing with Epic Records in 2014, Trainor has earned three top-five singles on the US Billboard Hot 100; “All About That Bass” topped the chart for eight consecutive weeks, “Lips Are Movin” consecutively became her second top-five single, and “No” became her fastest to reach the top five. Her debut major-label studio album, Title (2015), on which the former two singles are included, debuted atop the US Billboard 200 and was certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA. Her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016), on which the latter single is included, debuted at number three in the US and was certified Platinum in the country.
Trainor is influenced by music from the 1950s and 1960s and is known for her throwback style. Her lyrics frequently refer to modern womanhood, body image, and empowerment. She has received several awards and nominations, including a Grammy Award, four ASCAP Pop Music Awards, and two Billboard Music Awards. Outside of music, Trainor has lent her voice to animated films and served as a judge on The Four: Battle for Stardom and will serve as a coach on The Voice UK in 2020.