From The Beatles to Beethoven: The musicians that made Joanna Sternberg
If there’s anyone who accurately defines the word powerhouse, it’s Joanna Sternberg. But not for the reasons you might think: Sternberg’s music is delicate and intricate in ways that get under your skin, with a voice that could draw out even your most secretive heart’s desires and musings, leaving you feeling like you understand who you are in ways you never believed you could.
If you ask Sternberg, it’s likely that they’ll credit all of their successes to their family and wider musical influences. “My dad had always been the person I looked up to in terms of music,” the singer told Far Out, before delving into the various acts who formed their artistic vision. Sternberg’s world is continuously expanding, but it all started when they were a young child with a dream.
“There are home videos of four-year-old-me dancing around the apartment as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and The Beatles records are blasting on the stereo,” Sternberg recalled. Growing up in the artistic hub of New York’s Manhattan Plaza meant that music and creativity were everywhere, but discovering early rock ‘n’ rollers was mind-blowing for a young music lover.
The Manhattan skyline was a natural canvas for yearning, but the parameters of Sternberg’s mind were grander, and soon their artistic vision began to take form. The best part? Reducing the singer’s favourites into one category, genre, type, or style is near-impossible, but that says more about their musicianship than any simplistic denotation ever could.
For instance, when we asked them about their favourites, they listed names that could each spawn their own dedicated article, with words connecting themes and drawing out similarities in their own music. Country, classical, rock, jazz, soul, singer-songwriter, pop, and so on all have a place in Sternberg’s world, and it’s all a beautiful experience in sonic discovery.
“Scott Joplin, Judee Sill, R.L. Burnside, Randy Newman, Ray Charles, Johannes Brahms, THE BEATLES,” the singer exclaims, and it’s obvious as to why, after all, “The Beatles have always been my obsession,” they explained, noting their impact as a gateway to finding their own sound. It’s a similar story with some of their other favourites, like Bob Dylan, the aforementioned Little Richard, alongside James Brown, Elliott Smith, Modest Mouse, Ornette Coleman, The Moldy Peaches, Louis Armstrong, and more.
“The Clash, The Ramones,” the singer continues, their stream of consciousness taking them through each and every musical discovery that contributed to the creation of their alternative folk amalgamation. “Milk ’N’ Cookies, Jeffrey Lewis, Blind Willy McTell, Adam Green, Biggie Smalls, Ludvig Van Beethoven, Aaron Copeland, John Prine, Hank Williams, Billy Strayhorn, George Gershwin, Mahalia Jackson, Felix Mendelssohn, Billy McShane, Sun Ra, ShoobyTaylor, David Berman, Naomi Shelton, Daniel Johnston, and many, many, many, many more!”
And when it came to delivering a natural and honest vocal, Sternberg sought guidance from Nina Simone. “I tried to do an impression of her. I didn’t know what my voice was, so I was doing this weird impression of Nina Simone,” the singer once explained during an episode of What’s In My Bag?. “I don’t think I wanted to sing before I heard her,” they continued, adding that Simone helped them to believe in their talent, especially as, before hearing Simone, they “didn’t think I could [sing].”
