Jarboe is a singer-songwriter multi instrumentalist and painter, who came to prominence as a member of the band Swans. She was born in Mississippi, and raised in New Orleans, Which along with her FBI father helped define her early musical ideas.

The Swans first album, Filth (1983) mesmerized Jarboe, and as a result, she sought out Swans founder Michael Gira. Jarboe joined as a vocalist and keyboardist and debuted on the 1986 album Greed.

Jarboe left Swans in 1997 and embarked on a solo career, releasing records including Sacrificial Cake and Anhedoniac. She has continued to self-release solo albums and, in 2012 recorded vocals for two tracks on the Swans' album, The Seer. Like most performers, Jarboe's last tour was cancelled, but she continues to captivate her audience with her recordings and paintings.