Michael Jude Christodal, known professionally as Jude, was born on October 16, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts. Jude's debut album, 430 N. Harper Ave, was issued through the independent label Fish of Death in 1997. His second album, No One Is Really Beautiful, released by Maverick Records in 1998, featured several re-recordings from his debut and included charting singles "I'm Sorry Now," which reached number 33 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 Chart, and "Rick James," which peaked at number 29. During this period, Jude toured with notable artists such as Alanis Morissette, Dido, and Tori Amos. His follow-up album, King of Yesterday, was released in 2001. After parting ways with Maverick, he produced subsequent albums independently, including Sarah (2003) and Cuba (2008).