Meet Johanna Telander | Singer-Songwriter& Composer/Lyricist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Johanna Telander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johanna, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
From my earliest memories, I’ve been drawn to the arts, finding solace and joy in music, dance, and storytelling. While I’ve occasionally considered other career paths, such as teaching or psychology, nothing compares to the deep sense of fulfillment and connection I feel when immersed in creative expression- it’s never been a choice for me, as much as it’s the essence of me, and something I can’t walk away from, even should I want to. This inexplicable draw is certainly not unique to me, but something I hear repeatedly from many an artist colleague/friend. Being an artist is not just a way of life for us, but rather as true of a description about us as is the color of our eyes or the sound of our voices. We can’t help it, only own it. As far as making a living from being an artist, and prioritizing that part of ourselves, the challenges inherent in an artistic career are many- starting with the unpredictability of ever changing schedules and the usually unreliable income. Yet, I do believe making art is worth prioritizing, and essential for the wellbeing of our community. Art has the power to awaken emotions and foster meaningful connections, enriching lives in ways that mere routine cannot. My dedication to the craft stems from a profound belief in its ability to evoke, inspire, and unite us, which is why I’m committed and grateful to have this chance to say for all artists out there: I am what I am and I do what I do and may what I do bring worth to your life too!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
A colleague once said, when commenting about my music, that I am a vivid painter whose undeniable medium is music. That was praise I took to heart as it describes what I aspire to be as an artist quite well. I’ve come along way as a composer, having had to work my way up despite the challenges I’ve faced due to things like technical limitations, life/work balance, and my own vindicated need to outperform the often definitive image people tend to see when they see me. While I haven’t overcome every challenge – who ever will?- I continue to be committed to redefining myself as a working artist every day through the projects I take on; little by little getting closer to the truth of me, as a learning progress in the process. This big, mysterious wheel of life continues to spin around, and with the experience gained, I find more music notes and melodic stories keep bubbling to the surface, adding to the paint palate. I like to not limit myself, staying as versatile as I can to shape the pictures that come to mind, asking what the story wants, rather than what the audience/customer/listener may or may not expect. I’m overcoming the belief system of having to label my brand as something specific, with a descriptive word, or two having to suffice to describe all I want to accomplish. I’m not singularly a singer, a harpist or a songwriter, if I’m not also a composer, lyricist, musician and writer. My art may be a collage, a juxtaposed mix of thoughts, a bit of a scrambled puzzle with added pieces from all those angles. But why should that be a problem? That’s a lesson I’ve learned: own who you are, explore what makes you tick, but don’t lose your versatility in order to define your story. How inspiring to think you can be many faceted, like Da Vinci. If others can’t see it, keep laser focusing on the story itself, the truth you seek, not the tools you use, and the right people will eventually find your art and recognize it for what it is, no matter the mosaic, or kaleidoscope presentation. I hope that’s something that’s evident in what I do- the vulnerable truth of me; imperfect, layered, a bit of a Monet mess of many things, and yet sensibly recognizable. That, if anything, is what I’d like my music and storyteller brand to be.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In New York City, I’d take them to an obscure coffee place first, someplace that preferably sells crazy imaginative brews. With coffee in hand, we’d walk around Central Park, then visit the Met, followed by dinner on the Frying Pan on the pier, or a night candle cruise around Manhattan. The next day, we’d start in a coffee shop in the Village and walk our way through impromptu adventures such as visits to the Housing Works Bookshop, Chelsea Market, the High Line, then hop a subway to Harlem in the evening to listen to live music, or go to see a Broadway Show with some last minute tickets! Whatever the itinerary- we would definitely also make time to see the skyline from above, on a rooftop terrace somewhere, get a drink in a secret garden, and eat in some hole in the wall. Perhaps peruse a record shop for dusty treasure. For cookies: Schmackary’s. For pie? The Little Pie Company.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my article to Milliron Studios and Tyler Milliron. Thank you for offering your creative sandbox to us creators at an affordable price and for always putting art and the necessity of making it first. Your visionary way of connecting people, of helping them come together in a sometimes disjointed, discombobulated and chaotic world and letting artistic people realize their creative mission has inspired me to never say no to the stories asking to be told.

Website: https://www.johannatelander.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/telanderjohanna

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannatelander?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/johannatelander

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johannatelander

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@johannatelander?si=zh3sski_RAGzEIXH

Image Credits
Image Credits: Tyler Milliron, Milliron Studios
Valev Laube, VL Studios
Connor Engstrom Photography
Ford Forqueran Photography
Kalevala the Musical Album Cover Art by David Garzon