Priscilla Ahn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Priscilla Ahn
Ahn performing at the Unsung Heroes tribute in January 2017.
Background information
Birth name	Priscilla Natalie Hartranft
Born	(1984-03-09) March 9, 1984 (age 41) Fort Stewart, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Acoustic folk Indie folk
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano melodica harmonica ukulele banjo
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Blue Note

Priscilla Ahn (born Priscilla Natalie Hartranft on March 9, 1984) is a talented American singer, songwriter, and musician. She plays many instruments, including guitar, piano, and ukulele. In 2008, she released her first album, A Good Day, which included her popular song "Dream."

Priscilla grew up in Pennsylvania. After finishing high school, she moved to Los Angeles, California. There, she decided to use her mother's Korean family name, Ahn, as her stage name. She then started her journey to become a professional musician. She has toured with famous artists like Willie Nelson and Ray LaMontagne. Her songs have also been featured in many movies and TV shows.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Priscilla Natalie Hartranft was born in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Her mother's family is from South Korea, and Priscilla visited there many times as a child. Her parents met when her father was working in the military in Korea.

Priscilla spent her childhood in Berks County, Pennsylvania. She went to Tulpehocken Area High School. When she was 14, she started playing the guitar and harmonica. She also sang in choirs and performed in school plays. After high school, her music teachers encouraged her to follow her dream of a music career. Soon after, she moved to Los Angeles.

She chose her mother's maiden name, Ahn, as her stage name. She said it was "prettier and simpler." She also felt it honored her Korean background, which she believes is where her musical talent comes from.

Priscilla Ahn's Music Career

After performing at many open mic nights, Priscilla Ahn got a chance to perform for Blue Note Records in New York City. They were very impressed and signed her to their label. In 2008, Blue Note Records released her first full album, A Good Day. This album was produced by Joey Waronker. After the album came out, Priscilla went on a tour across the country.

Priscilla Ahn has toured with several well-known musicians. These include Joshua Radin, Amos Lee, Willie Nelson, and Ray Lamontagne. She also sang backup vocals on albums for artists like Amos Lee and Tiësto. In June 2008, Paste magazine chose her as their Artist of the Week.

Her songs have been used in many popular TV shows. Some of these include Grey's Anatomy, Ghost Whisperer, and Make It Or Break It. Her music has also appeared in movies like Bride Wars, My Sister's Keeper, and Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove.

Creating New Sounds

After her first album, Priscilla worked with other musicians on her album When You Grow Up. This album was produced by Ethan Johns. She also appeared on popular TV shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Dancing with the Stars.

At one point, Priscilla found it hard to write new songs. This is called "writer's block." To overcome this, she went to a quiet hotel in the desert. This helped her to create new music for her album This is Where We Are. She said that being isolated and trying new sounds helped her songs "pour out." This Is Where We Are was released in Japan in 2013 and later in other countries.

Priscilla also wrote and performed music for the Studio Ghibli film When Marnie Was There. She sang the song "Fine on the Outside" for the movie's credits. She also created nine other songs based on the film for an album called When Marnie Was There Song Album - Just Know That I Love You.

Priscilla Ahn's music is usually described as a mix of folk, country, and pop. For her album This Is Where We Are, she tried a new style called electropop. She explained that she wrote most of these songs on a keyboard instead of her guitar. This opened up a "whole new world" of sounds for her.

Personal Life

Priscilla Ahn married actor Michael Weston in May 2010. They have two children together.

Priscilla Ahn's Music

Albums

Priscilla Ahn has released several albums throughout her career. Here are some of her main albums:

Extended Plays (EPs)

Priscilla has also released shorter collections of songs called EPs:

• Priscilla Ahn (2007)
• Live Session (2008)
• In A Tree (2009)
• Sweet Hearts (2012, with Charlie Wadhams)
• Waiting (2021)

Popular Singles

Here are some of her well-known single songs:

• "Dream" (2008)
• "I'll Never Smile Again" (2009)
• "I Am Strong" (with Tiësto) (2009)

Music Videos

Priscilla Ahn has released music videos for several of her songs, including:

• "Dream"
• "Red Cape"
• "When You Grow Up"
• "Home"

Priscilla Ahn in Film and TV

Priscilla Ahn's songs have been featured in many movies and television shows. She has also contributed her vocals to various projects.

Film Appearances

Her songs have been heard in films like:

• 2009: Bride Wars ("Dream")
• 2010: My Sister's Keeper ("Find My Way Back Home")
• 2014: When Marnie Was There ("Fine on the Outside")
• 2016: La La Land (additional vocals)

Television Appearances

Priscilla's music has been used in TV shows such as:

• 2009: Grey's Anatomy – "Dream"
• 2009: Ghost Whisperer – "Dream"
• 2010: So You Think You Can Dance – "Dream"
• 2011: Married, Single, Other – "Find My Way Back Home"
• 2012: Make It or Break It – "Dream"

She has also appeared on TV shows herself:

• 2008: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
• 2011: Dancing with the Stars