Today we’d like to introduce you to Johanna Cranitch.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Johanna. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Australia. My first ever paid gig was as a child chorus member for the Australian opera. I grew up listening to Classical music, Gregorian chant, Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac, and Phil Collins. I graduated from University with a Jazz music degree and swiftly moved to NY to pursue my dreams of becoming an audio engineer.
I managed and was the assistant engineer at one of the oldest studios in NYC for four years, Nola Recording Studios. It was at the very top penthouse of the Steinway building on 57th street. There, I had the pleasure of participating in such sessions as Liza Minelli’s records, Sesame Street (we recorded the original Sesame Street band for over a decade) Frank Sinatra Jnr and Hank Jones to name a few. A heavy Jazz hang, I found my place.
Upon leaving, I began pursuing my own creative career writing music and forming my first band that is now known as White Prism. From there, I toured the world as the background singer for bands such as The Cranberries, Nina Persson (the Cardigans) Wheatus and others as a day job to make money. I moved to Los Angeles in 2015 after my love affair of 11 years with NY was finally over.
Since then, I’ve been writing and recording my own music, having songs placed in various films and television shows. I’ve also now taken on a role as agency producer at Nylon Studios, the very studio that got me my first vocal session gig for commercials. We are boutique music and sound house tailoring music to various films and commercials.
I work alongside advertising agencies and brands to curate sound and music for their campaigns. 2019 also has me scoring my first feature documentary called Born Free directed by Paula Goldstein
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. I found myself very lost at many points in my career and I’m still just figuring it all out like the rest of us. I think in the industry we are in, you have to move with the times, constantly reinvent yourself and push the envelope as much as you can in order to succeed.
I think it’s a very interesting time to be a woman in the music industry as well. “Free the bid” helped to pave the way for female writers and directors in the film industry. They leveled the playing field, and now, it’s begun in the music industry too. We’ve always been here. I think it’s just that now, we are starting to get the recognition we desire.
I have a Jazz degree from University but the only thing I really learned there was to be a student. My road to discovery musically has been long and mainly due to trying different jobs, constantly learning by doing. You can’t learn to be a producer by reading books. You need to do it.
Sure, you can have some tools like learning basic harmony and chord progressions, but no one is going to tell you through a book how to Mic Dave Weckl’s drums or Hank Jone’s piano or that Liza Minnelli doesn’t always sound the best with a U47 Microphone. Be a student.
No matter how good you think you are, there’s always something to learn. I’m so happy to be working in my field during this time to see some of this change and to be a part of it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about White Prism/Nylon Studios – what should we know?
I compose for commercials and film as well as producing and writing for artists (Including myself, White Prism). I’m known for I guess what you could say is Ethereal electro-pop music, and I play piano as well. I’m most proud of the fact that I taught myself to produce and record music.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Drive, Focus and passion. You MUST love what you do because there are parts to every job that sucks. My mother is an English academic. She HATES marking papers, but she Loves her job passionately. She spends most of her work week marking papers. The fact that she loves what she does makes those marking hours bearable.
I hate learning things like Melodyne. It’s, but it makes me better at my job. I LOVE what I do, and I think that helps with anyone who wants to be or is successful. I eat, breathe and sleep music. I’m constantly writing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.johannacranitch.com
- Instagram: whiteprism
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiteprismmusic/
Image Credit:
Shervin Lainez
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