Joanna Sternberg
Biography
Joanna Sternberg is a singer, songwriter, musician and visual artist born/based in New York City. Joanna started taking piano lessons when they turned 5. Joanna taught themself how to play the guitar and electric bass when they were 11. Joanna attended LaGuardia High School of Music and Art. They started studying double bass during their freshman year. Joanna got a full scholarship to Mannes College of Music, and studied classical double bass there for a year and a half. Joanna decided to leave the school and take a year off. During that year they did nothing but stay in their room and draw comics. Joanna has been a freelance musician and visual artist since they were 18-years-old. Joanna finished their double bass performance degree at The New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music, where they got a full scholarship. When Joanna was 23, they began writing songs and learning how to sing. At the age of 24 Joanna started singing in public while accompanying themself on different instruments. Today, Joanna continues to write songs, sing, play instruments, and create visual art.
Video & Press
Towering Emotions Flood the Songs of Joanna Sternberg
[The New Yorker] Towering emotions flood the songs of Joanna Sternberg, often spilling over the music’s edge into the songwriter’s visual art and stage chatter. Sometimes upon wrapping up a song in concert Sternberg laughs; other times, they cry. “Between self-hatred and self-awareness,” they sing at one point, “is a very small, thin line.” Years […]
Few Things Will Pierce Your Heart More Than a Joanna Sternberg Song
[Rolling Stone] Few things will pierce you in the heart more than a Joanna Sternberg song — especially at Cheer Up Charlie’s, when the venue experienced so many sound issues that the New York artist offered to sing without a mic. Sternberg was flustered, but overcame the obstacles with their Daniel Johnston-like melodies and brutally honest lyrics […]