Johanna Samuels

25-year-old Johanna Samuels broadens the definition of pop music. The melodically and lyrically focused singer-songwriter sings about the depths and dualities of life with her unique bell-like voice. Standing on the shoulders of the great musicians of the 1960’s and 70’s she manages to create a sound and sense of musical place that is completely her own. The native New Yorker grew up in Los Angeles, where from a young age she sang in school choirs and obsessively learned to play the songs of her musical heroes by ear.

After moving back to New York at the age of 18, Samuels began writing her own songs alone in her bedroom. Soon after, she was playing solo shows at small downtown music venues like East Village’s Sidewalk Café.

In 2012 she recorded and self-released a six-track EP, Giant Fantasy Life and assembled a 4-piece backing band. With her rapidly growing audience and her delightfully authentic performing style, she is one of most promising acts to spring from the New York independent music scene.

In early spring of 2012 she set out to record her first full-length album, titled Double Bind. After recording basic tracks with the band at a quilt factory-turned-studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Samuels and drummer Fen Ikner, who produced Double Bind, finished recording wherever they could get the chance.

The songs on Double Bind were written in Johanna’s apartment in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and all share a sentiment of necessary separation or as Samuels puts it “…attempting to own myself and stand on my two feet.” She explains, “While recording the album, a good friend had described the term Double Bind: a dynamic wherein two emotional demands are met but consequently negate each other, leaving one person to feel trapped. For some reason that struck a deep chord in me. It is from that place that many of these songs grew.”

With her feet firmly planted, Johanna plans to stick around the only ways she knows how: earnestly pouring out her heart, soul and creativity in the form of ear candy for us all. Double Bind is expected for release July 2014.