I had known that people would probably have strange reactions to my voice, because I have kind of an unwieldy, difficult voice, but I never thought that anybody would have a problem with the harp. I just assumed... C'mon, it's a beautiful instrument.

Joanna Newsom

Categorized in : People Beautiful Voice

I definitely don't subscribe to the theory that more instruments, or more vocal tracks, harmony, or double tracking the voice, is a good thing. People do their early albums very stripped down, then each album becomes bloated.

track voice people

It broke my heart when I learned the moon had been passing the su... by Joanna Newsom

It broke my heart when I learned the moon had been passing the sun’s light off as its own.

light moon heart

We deserve to know light. And grow evermore lighter and lighter. by Joanna Newsom

We deserve to know light. And grow evermore lighter and lighter.

grows light healing

Never get so attached to a poem that you forget truth that lacks... by Joanna Newsom

Never get so attached to a poem that you forget truth that lacks lyricism.

I don't think I'm abnormal and I think that lets people down. by Joanna Newsom

I don't think I'm abnormal and I think that lets people down.

abnormal people thinking

We are blessed and sustained by what is not said by Joanna Newsom

We are blessed and sustained by what is not said

I want to make music that somehow connects to the things that I l... by Joanna Newsom

I want to make music that somehow connects to the things that I love in America music.

What a woman does is open doors. And it is not a question of lock... by Joanna Newsom

What a woman does is open doors. And it is not a question of locking or unlocking.

unlocking doe doors

I have a voice that's obviously untrained - and I think untrainable - so I kind of secreted it away for a long time. Actually, I would write songs with lyrics when I was younger, but I would just sing in my head.

writing song thinking

I'm not a wanderer, which is funny because I'm on tour half the time. I'm a home, hearth and family kind of person.

I wasn't born of a whistle or milked from a thistle at twilight by Joanna Newsom

I wasn't born of a whistle or milked from a thistle at twilight

thorns born twilight

I would happy for someone to download my music. by Joanna Newsom

I would happy for someone to download my music.

If I ever met Dolly Parton for sure, I would just not be able to... by Joanna Newsom

If I ever met Dolly Parton for sure, I would just not be able to say anything. I love her.

mets able say-anything

I didn't really know a lot of the history when I was younger. I didn't realize that the harp is coded in such a specific way in musical circles. It's kind of this society instrument because of its history as a young woman's parlor instrument.

circles musical way

I give away CDs at shows if someone wants a CD but doesn't have any money. I wouldn't want to do that forever.

cds forever giving

People in San Francisco and the East Bay have shown interest, done interviews, and have come to shows. I guess that the news travels fast out of this island that we are on.

san-francisco easter islands

I have a recording that I did of instrumental songs. by Joanna Newsom

I have a recording that I did of instrumental songs.

You should listen to a lot of different music. by Joanna Newsom

You should listen to a lot of different music.

different-music different should

I wasn't interested in writing music that wasn't beautiful for me... by Joanna Newsom

I wasn't interested in writing music that wasn't beautiful for me to listen to.

writing-music writing beautiful

I wanted to write songs which I think is a different thing. I wanted to write music that is informed by folk music. The chord progressions are obvious references.

writing song thinking