Larrieux was born and raised in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, New York City, New York. Her African American mother, Brenda Dixon Gottschild, was a dance critic and professor. Her father is European American of French, English, and S

Larrieux was born and raised in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, New York City, New York. Her African American mother, Brenda Dixon Gottschild, was a dance critic and professor. Her father is European American of French, English, and Scottish descent. Larrieux was raised in a very artistic environment and was surrounded by talented and inspirational artists. Many of her influences are drawn from R&B, soul, jazz, folk, hip hop, and gospel with flashes of Middle Eastern, West African, and Indian ethnic styles. She has often been documented for describing her music as "Amel's music." Larrieux currently resides in New York City with her husband, Laru, and their two daughters, Sanji Rei and Sky (born in August 1998). Her forename Amel means "hope" in Arabic.