Today we’d like to introduce you to Banah Winn.
Hi Banah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Music has always felt like home to me. I grew up in Portland Oregon, my parents came from a hippie commune and art and freedom were very much a part of who they were. My dad a musician himself inspired that sense of expression and desire for freedom in me. We would play music together and he would teach me the value of being in the moment, listening to one another and playing of each other’s ideas. I took that inspiration as a jumping off point and focused on songwriting. I picked up other instruments, guitar, keyboards, and spent years practicing singing because I was horrible at first, but I was determined to become a better singer. I went to college in Santa Barbara but quit after two years because I decided I’d rather record an album than go into debt for a degree I’d never use. I built a home studio and my best friend came out and we made an album together my first record.
Fast forward, I decided to move to Los Angeles for music. I didn’t know anyone, I met bandmates through craigslist and later made friends through a wineshop job I had. Through my focus on success as an artist and musician, I also felt there was deeper work to be done. That’s where I discovered yoga, which led me to meditation, and what I might call a deeper pragmatic form of understanding how things work in a philosophical way. I’ve started a fashion brand, I’m producing other artist and enjoying all the fun and magic everyday life has to offer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for seven years. Six of those years have been the most tumultuous and intense I’ve experienced. Was it the city? Of course not. Los Angeles is a beautiful place filled with everything, and during those years, I was in a place to connect with those kinds of experiences. Was it all necessary? Maybe not, but I appreciate it all, as it’s brought me to an understanding where happiness and creativity stem from. I think the true gift of those challenges were the realization of my own worth and the worth of everyone around me. It feels good to know that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. I sing, play guitar, piano, bass, drums, and produce. It’s essentially like doing all the jobs of a whole team. When I want to I can essentially be the whole band and the recording team. I love to create in other fields too and I’ve begun to design a positive lifestyle brand that’s focused on things that make you feel good. It’s been super fun designing stuff that, well makes me feel good when I make it. I’m most proud of the fact the I’ve gone from being chronically negative and depressed to being a happy, optimistic, inspired and energized person. I’m super proud of my 14 song record Gramercy that was a big transition in my journey. It was an amazing experience to write and record something that was so full and personal. I’m also super proud that I’m writing happy carefree and positive sounding folk tunes now.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
My musical project is called Opus Vitae. My brand is called For Me. For Everyone. I love collaborating with and producing other artists!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: formeforeveryone.com
- Instagram: opusvitae
- SoundCloud: opusvitae
Image Credits
Photos by Adam Reynolds and Sean Barclay
