Joanna Newsom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joanna Newsom
Newsom performing in 2015
Born	(1982-01-18) January 18, 1982 (age 43) Grass Valley, California, U.S.
Occupation	Singer-songwriter actress
Years active	2002–present
Spouse(s)	Andy Samberg ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Progressive folk chamber folk baroque pop indie folk
Instruments	Vocals harp keyboards
Labels	Drag City

Joanna Newsom (born January 18, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her unique musical style, often featuring the harp.

Joanna started by recording her own music in 2002. Later, she signed with an independent record label called Drag City. Her first album, The Milk-Eyed Mender, came out in 2004. It was very popular and helped her gain many fans. She became even more well-known with her album Ys in 2006. This album even appeared on the Billboard 200 chart. She has released several other albums, including Have One on Me (2010) and Divers (2015).

Besides music, Joanna has also acted. She appeared in the TV show Portlandia and the movie Inherent Vice.

Early life and musical journey

Joanna Newsom was born on January 18, 1982, in Grass Valley, California. She grew up in Nevada City with her older brother, Peter, and younger sister, Emily. Her parents were doctors who loved music.

When Joanna was a child, her parents encouraged her to listen to music. Her father played the guitar, and her mother played the piano and other instruments. Joanna went to a Waldorf school, where she learned theater and how to remember long poems.

At age five, Joanna wanted to learn the harp. Her parents agreed, but she had to learn piano first. She loved the harp from her very first lesson. She started with smaller harps and later got a full-size pedal harp when she was in seventh grade.

After high school, she studied music and writing at Mills College. She later left college to focus completely on her music.

Music career highlights

Early recordings and first album

Newsom at the Sasquatch! Music Festival, Washington, May 2005

In 2002 and 2003, Joanna recorded two short albums called EPs: Walnut Whales and Yarn and Glue. These were recordings she made at home to share her early songs. She sold copies at her first concerts. A friend gave one of her CDs to a musician named Will Oldham, who was very impressed. He asked Joanna to tour with him and also shared her music with Drag City, a record label. Drag City signed Joanna, and her first official album, The Milk-Eyed Mender, was released in 2004.

After her album came out, Joanna toured with other musicians to promote it. Her song "Sprout and the Bean" was even used in a movie called The Strangers. The Milk-Eyed Mender sold many copies and helped her become well-known in the underground music scene.

Ys and Have One on Me

Newsom performing at the Latitude Festival, England, 2008

Joanna's second album, Ys, was released in 2006. This album featured beautiful orchestral music arranged by Van Dyke Parks. To support Ys, Joanna performed the album live with orchestras in New York City and Sydney, Australia. Ys became very popular and reached number 134 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was also nominated for a music award in 2007.

In 2009, Joanna appeared in the music video for the song "Kids" by the band MGMT. She also played harp on other artists' albums. Her third studio album, Have One on Me, came out in 2010. This was a very long album with over two hours of music. Joanna toured in Europe and North America to share her new songs. She was also chosen by cartoonist Matt Groening (who created The Simpsons) to perform at a music festival in England.

Divers and acting roles

Newsom performing at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts, 2015

In 2012, Joanna appeared on TV shows like Austin City Limits and Portlandia. She also performed new songs at concerts, which later became part of her next album.

Joanna also started acting more. She was in and narrated the 2014 film Inherent Vice, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Critics praised her narration in the movie. Her fourth album, Divers, was released in October 2015. This album was very successful, reaching number one on the Billboard Alternative Albums chart.

In 2018, two of Joanna's songs, "Sapokanikan" and "Peach Plum Pear," were listed among NPR's "200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women." More recently, in 2023 and 2024, Joanna performed new songs at concerts, showing she continues to create new music.

Musical style and voice

Joanna Newsom's music is often described as progressive folk, chamber folk, indie folk, and baroque pop. Her early songs often used complex rhythms. She is known for playing the harp in her music.

Joanna is a soprano, which means she has a high singing voice. She has said that her voice is "untrainable," meaning it's very unique and not like typical trained singers. In 2009, she had a voice change due to some vocal issues, which made her voice sound different on her album Have One on Me.

She has mentioned that writers like Vladimir Nabokov and Ernest Hemingway have influenced her song lyrics.

Personal life

Joanna Newsom met comedian Andy Samberg in 2006. They got married on September 21, 2013, in Big Sur, California.

In 2017, Joanna and Andy became parents to their first child, a daughter. In 2023, it was shared that they had a second child.

Discography

Studio albums

• The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004)
• Ys (2006)
• Have One on Me (2010)
• Divers (2015)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Joanna Newsom para niños