Listen or Buy
Johanna’s love of singing and songwriting led her on a journey through a wide variety of styles—soul, gospel, folk, pop, rock, world beat, reggae, a cappella, jazz, dance, and more. Today her performances and recordings are generally grounded in kirtan—the music of yoga—and other forms of conscious music. But Johanna incorporates the most compelling elements of all of those styles into her songs no matter what she’s singing. And above all else, her spirit shines bright in every note.
Conscious Music Albums
Johanna’s best selling album is Heart Beats One, a stellar collection of her highly original interpretations of sacred music chants. Many tracks interweave hauntingly beautiful melodies that combine English, Sanskrit, and other languages to enhance the power of the music and the message.
Beyond Love, Johanna’s followup to her critically-acclaimed Heart Beats One, takes you deeper into the heart space beyond love. These soothing, soulful songs, inspired by her unique Lullaby Yoga classes, are perfect for yoga and various healing modalities.
Mantra Soul features new inspirational mantra music she shares at festivals, churches, and studios across the continent. The album’s soulful gospel stylings in Sanskrit and English build a musical bridge connecting opposite sides of the planet.
Johanna’s latest yoga music album, Yoga Soundtracks, Volume 2 is a collaboration with Johanna’s longtime producer Ben Leinbach. It is a followup to Ben’s best-selling Yoga Soundtracks, Volume 1. But it’s also the next step on Johanna’s journey deeper into the meditative sounds of yoga music. You’ll hear echos of some of Johanna’s earlier work in this album, with dreamlike vocals interweaving with instruments in a larger wash of hypnotic sounds.
Singles and Videos
Mantra Sangha: Health & Healing, a benefit for children in Nepal
During the first weeks of the pandemic Johanna discovered a mantra for healing by a beloved Indian teacher. With his blessings, she transformed that mantra into a beautiful, powerful chant: Mantra Shagha: Health and Healing. She recruited many of the best known and loved kirtan artists in the West to record the chant and make a remarkable music video. Everyone donated their time so that all proceeds from sales of recordings could go to support children in Nepal. To purchase the recording on Bandcamp, click here. For more about the chant and performers, click here.
Heart Beats One: Feel the Heartbeat
A reworking of the title song from Johanna’s popular album that replaces Sanscrit chanting with English singing to help spread the message of this song to the widest possible audience.
Om Shanti (Equanimous Remix with Benjy Wertheimer)
Since the multi-layered Om Shanti was first released on Johanna’s Heart Beats One album it has become one of her most popular chants. This remix by Equanimous gives it a whole new sound while staying true to the spirit of the original.
Words of Love (with Joss Jaffe and Shylah Ray Sunshine)
Words of Love is a collaboration with Joss Jaffe and Shylah Ray Sunshine. The song’s uplifting spirit is hard to resist.
Help Us Love (Featuring Mikey Pauker)
Help Us Love is a collaboration with Mikey Paulker. The song combines Hebrew and English lyrics to express a universal spiritual principle.
Ocean Carry Me by Michael J. Downey
Michael J. Downey was Johanna’s dear friend and collaborator until he died suddenly in early 2023. This beautiful song by Michael features Johanna’s heartfelt responses to Michael’s heart-opening performance.
Free to Decide (Breathe)
Johanna wrote Free Free to Decide (Breathe) almost two decades ago. Since it was released on her If I Could Fly album, the song has been performed by several a cappella groups and choirs across North America. This video, taken from two of those performances, shows Johanna singing the song with Betty Busch and Jubilate!
Early Albums
Johanna’s earlier albums chronicle her early evolution as a musician.
Johanna’s first solo album, Stolen Grace, showcases her songs in acoustic folk and world-beat styles. The album is now out of print, but still loved by many. Some of its most popular songs have been re-recorded on later albums.
Her second CD, If I Could Fly, expands the stylistic palate to include rock, soul, gospel, reggae, a cappella, and a dash of electronica. One track from the CD, Free to Decide (Breathe) has been performed by a cappella groups and choirs across North America.
Her third album, The Edge of Divine, brings together a mix of Johanna originals and interpretations of favorites by others in an album that puts the focus on her soulful, heart-opening vocals.