Joanna Sterling

Joanna Sterling is a folk/pop songstress from Ann Arbor. Armed with an arresting voice, and a command of melody sharper than Artemis’ arrow, Sterling is captivating hearts with every midwest listening room appearance. Imagine the spiritual successor of ‘90s Lilith Fair–era artists like Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos, surrounded by the lush orchestral chamber pop arrangements of artists like Damien Rice and early Bon Iver. After a handful of years playing the Midwest singer/songwriter circuit and headlining Pride Festivals as frontwoman of Joanna and the Jaywalkers, she took on the moniker of Joanna Sterling to celebrate her human and musical growth into the grounded tour de force she is today. Her songs are tales of love and loss, the insights of a practicing psychotherapist, the murmured rituals of a Tarot reader, the triumphant LGBTQ+ anthems of a trans woman emboldening marginalized voices by giving us her own. Joanna has graced the stages of notable Michigan venues and festivals, including The Ark, Trinity House Theatre, Ann Arbor Summer Festival, and Chelsea Sounds and Sights. Her new album, “Queen of Wands,” was produced by fellow Michigan folk auteur Chris DuPont, and features the collaborative minds of some of the Midwest’s finest players. It will be available on all platforms on August 18, 2023.