China Forbes (b. April 29, 1970) graduated from Harvard in 1992, cum laude with a Jonathan Levy Prize for acting, and went on to take on roles off-broadway for several years. Through that time it was evident that music was also dear to her heart, frequently sessioning with classmate and future Pink Martini bandmate Thomas M. Lauderdale.

In 1995, Forbes released her debut album, Love Handle under the November Records label. Blending equal parts pop and folk with bubbly yet witty lyrics, the album featured the track "Ordinary Girl", chosen as the theme song for the Clueless TV series (1996-1999). That same year, aforementioned college friend Thomas Lauderdale lured China from New York to Portland, Oregon to be lead singer of his recently founded multilingual/multicultural band Pink Martini. They went on to sell millions of records and charm audiences worldwide. China released her long-awaited second album, '78 under Pink Martini's Heinz label on February 26, 2008.