Joan As Police Woman

Using "beauty is the new punk rock" as her credo, Joan as Police Woman's Joan Wasser makes music with a rare combination of vulnerability and sophistication. Wasser's project blends two of the most profound influences on her music: the classic soul of legends such as Al Green and Nina Simone, and experimental underground acts ranging from Sonic Youth to Bad Brains. After years of being a supporting player and collaborator, she took center stage with her gorgeously heartfelt 2006 debut album, Real Life. Even as she has added new dimensions to her style with the jazz leanings of 2011's The Deep Field, her 2021 collaboration with Afrobeat legend Tony Allen The Solution Is Restless, and the eclectic confessions of 2024's Lemons, Limes, and Orchids, the emotional honesty underpinning her music remains second to none.