14 Musical Artists Who Started In Their Teens

It's never the wrong time to follow your dreams. These musicians proved being true to yourself always pays off — no matter your age. Clean & Clear agrees.

1. Charli XCX

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The emerging queen of pop, who scored a hit last year on Icona Pop's track "I Love It" and again this year on Iggy Azalea's "Fancy," has been making music since her early teens. She released her first singles at age 16, but was playing warehouse parties since age 14 after her online videos were discovered by a promoter.

2. Austin Mahone

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Mahone, MTV's "Artist to Watch" last year and the opening act for Taylor Swift's RED tour, is only 18 years old. He was bullied in high school for his YouTube videos, which ended up getting him discovered.

3. Ariana Grande

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The Nickelodeon star was performing long before she was cast in Victorious at age 17 (for which she first dyed her brunette locks red). Grande has been singing and acting since she was eight and, at age 15, she appeared in the Broadway production of 13.

4. Sia Furler

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The Australian superstar who has collaborated with and written songs for just about everybody (including Rihanna and Beyoncé) has had a long road to stardom. It started in the early '90s with a band called Crisp when Sia was only 17. She sung back-up vocals for Jamiroquai before she hit the big time.

5. Alabama Shakes

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The rock band attributes their beginnings to a high school psychology class in Athens, Alabama. They would meet up after school to write their songs. They were originally called The Shakes, but changed it up after they realized there were already a lot of bands by that name (and they didn't want a lawsuit on their hands).

6. Daft Punk

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The mysterious French duo (and the biggest electronica act in the world right now) met at a Paris high school in 1987, where they formed an indie rock band called Darlin' with a classmate. They got their name from a negative review by a critic who called their music "daft punk" — they found it amusing.

7. Lorde

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The New Zealand native who still lives with her parents won two GRAMMY Awards this year at the ripe age of 17. Her single "Royals" was one of the biggest hits of 2013, and she's set to graduate high school in 2015. She was actually discovered at age 12, when her record company saw a video of her singing in a high school talent show.

8. Radiohead

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Internationally renowned group Radiohead began in 1988, when the five members were attending an independent school for boys in Oxford. They were initially named On a Friday, because they rehearsed on Fridays, but changed their name after hearing the song "Radio Head" by the Talking Heads.

9. The Donnas

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The all-girl rock group was formed in 1993 when all four members were still in the 8th grade together. They started as Ragady Anne and later became The Donnas. The band appeared in the teen comedies Jawbreaker and Drive Me Crazy.

10. Ed Sheeran

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Another British export, Ed Sheeran had released an EP and two albums by the time he was 16. In order to break the big time, he played 312 live gigs in one year.

11. The Beatles

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One of the most popular bands ever originated when 16-year-old John Lennon invited Paul McCartney (who was 15 at the time) to join his band the Quarrymen. McCartney was soon followed by Harrison, and the rest was history. (Ringo Starr came much later.)

12. Haim

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The trio of sisters first started making music together when their parents formed a family cover band called Rockinhaim. They didn't break off until a little later, however, in 2006.

13. Paramore

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The alternative rock group formed when lead singer Hayley Williams was only 15. Though they didn't technically start in high school, three of the original members met at a weekly supplemental program for homeschooled students. Atlantic Records originally signed Williams hoping to make her a pop star, but she insisted on playing alternative rock music with a band.

14. Little Mix

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U.K.'s hottest all-girl band were crowned the winners of The X Factor in 2011. At the time, three of the members were in their teens. They had their first smash hit the following year with "Wings." The girls, whose band motto is "always be yourself," had never met before The X Factor!

Still looking for inspiration? Check out Clean & Clear ambassadors Fifth Harmony.

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The group, who came together as a result of The X Factor boot camp, are starting early. Of the all-girl fivesome, four are still in their teens. 5H just won Artist to Watch at the VMAs and toured with Demi Lovato this year.