Billy Joel's 3 Daughters: Everything to Know

Billy Joel shares adult daughter Alexa Ray with ex-wife Christie Brinkley and young daughters Della Rose and Remy Anne with his current wife, Alexis Roderick

Photo: Billy Joel Instagram

Billy Joel is a girl dad.

The singer welcomed his first child, daughter Alexa Ray Joel, 36, in 1985 with his then-wife, model Christie Brinkley. In 2015, he became a father again with the birth of daughter Della Rose Joel, 7, whom he shares with his fourth wife, Alexis Roderick. The couple's second daughter, Remy Anne Joel, 5, was born two years later.

After meeting at a Long Island restaurant in 2009, Joel wed Roderick in July 2015 during their annual Fourth of July party at Joel's Long Island estate. Roderick, an accomplished equestrian and a former executive at Morgan Stanley, gave birth to Della one month later. "Billy is thrilled to become a dad again," a source told PEOPLE at the time.

In 2019, the music icon told Rolling Stone that he often gets mistaken for his youngest kids' grandfather. "I take (them) to school and one of the other parents will go, 'Oh, your granddaughter's so cute,' " he shared. "I still love being a dad. I didn't know that I would be a father again at this age, but I'm glad I am," he added. "They keep you young."

Later that year, he celebrated his 70th birthday by playing a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Far from the first time he's played the venue, the night still turned out to be pretty special thanks to the support of his family. Both Alexa Ray and Della joined him on stage to sing "New York State of Mind" and "Happy Birthday," respectively.

But the girls don't just get the star treatment at their dad's concerts. In April 2023, Joel took his younger daughters to a Taylor Swift concert where they got to meet the pop star backstage. In a photo posted by a Swift fan page, Joel, Roderick, Alexa Ray and Della smiled backstage with the "Anti-Hero" singer.

Here's everything to know about Billy Joel's children.

Alexa Ray Joel, 36

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Joel married supermodel Christie Brinkley in 1985, and the former couple welcomed their first and only daughter that same year. Alexa Ray was born on Dec. 29, 1985, in a Manhattan hospital.

Named after the great Ray Charles, whom her father duetted with on "Baby Grand," Alexa Ray is now an accomplished singer-songwriter herself.

Alexa had a fairly normal upbringing and had "no idea" her parents were famous while growing up on Long Island. "My parents tried to shield me from how famous they were when I was growing up," she told New York Magazine in 2010. "When everybody said 'Hello, Billy! Hello, Christie!' — I just thought they were popular," she added.

An accomplished and classically-trained pianist, Alexa Ray started composing music and writing poetry from a very young age, and she already had a repertoire of finished songs complete with lyrics and a piano arrangement at 15. "I grew up listening to my dad write songs at the piano for hours," she told Chorus and Verse in 2006, adding, "(and) I definitely believe that music is something that is in my blood, something that I was born to do."

Her first EP, "Sketches," was released independently the same year, and her latest single, pop ballad "Seven Years," was released in 2021 and inspired by her fiancé Ryan Gleason. Her father had the sweetest reaction to hearing the track for the first time, and called her right away. "He's pretty low-key, but he was like, 'Honey, this is great!' So enthusiastic!"

"I write music in the same way [Joel] does: melody first, and lyrics second," she once said of her songwriting process, and added that both her parents "couldn't be more supportive." Over the years, Alexa Ray has appeared in several of her dad's music videos including "The River of Dreams" and "A Matter of Trust."

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The singer-songwriter got engaged to her longtime partner Ryan Gleason at the start of 2018. "FOR ONCE in my life, I had absolutely no words, and I couldn't speak," she said on Instagram of the surprise proposal. And while the couple's wedding plans had to be postponed due to COVID-19, the bride-to-be told PEOPLE she has a clear vision for the nuptials: "We want that Cipriani-vibe, very New York, old-school Italian," she explained. And of course, there will be a father-daughter duet! "We're going to sing. We're going to duet. It's going to be like a musical," she added.

Alexa Ray is close to her younger siblings, too. In December 2020, the "Uptown Girl" singer shared an adorable video of Della singing happy birthday to her big sister. "Happy Birthday to our big sister @alexarayjoel," the post read. "You have been singing us lullabies since we were born. We are so excited to finally get to sing to you on your birthday. We love you more than words can say!"

Della Rose Joel, 7

Billy Joel Instagram

Joel's second child — and first with wife Alexis Roderick — Della Rose was born on Aug. 12, 2015, in New York.

Two days after her birth, Alexa Ray celebrated her new little sister on Instagram, writing, "Celebrating the arrival of my precious little sister this week 🙌✨With Pop and his Darling's happiness at their peak. As long as you are growing in love and loyalty you're cultivating a life worth more than royalty, 👑💎."

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While playing Madison Square Garden in July 2018, Joel dedicated "Don't Ask Me Why" to then-3-year-old Della. "It's her favorite!" he said.

Later that year, little Della joined her dad on the same MSG stage to sing "Don't Ask Me Why" — clad in pink Christmas-themed pajamas.

When Della turned 6 in 2021, Joel shared a sweet Instagram post in her honor. "Happy 6th Birthday Della Rose! On your birthday it reminds us of how grateful we are to have you in our lives," his post reads. "You and your sister have been our quarantine entertainment. There are no other people we would want to be stuck with at home!!! We love you more every day and year."

Remy Anne Joel, 5

Billy Joel Instagram

Joel and Roderick welcomed their second child, Remy Anne, on Oct. 22, 2017. Following her birth, a rep for Joel told PEOPLE exclusively, "Everyone is thrilled." Both Joel and his eldest daughter Alexa Ray were present in the delivery room.

In October 2021, Joel celebrated Remy's 4th birthday by tweeting, "​​To our youngest child, Remy Roo – Happy Birthday wishes to you and your 4 years in our world. When you laugh you make everyone around you happy. Thank you for all the joy you bring. We love you more than words can say."

The birthday tribute also included four photos of the toddler — including one of her posing next to a horse.