The Playful Musician

Joanna Wallfisch is a London born vocalist/composer, hailing from generations of musicians. A multi-instrumentalist, she plays the guitar, ukulele, charango, piano, flute, and is a master in the art of live vocal looping. Her music is at once, hypnotic, and genre defying.

We sat down right before her newest album, now released, All in Time dropped. This latest is a collection of songs, with “no particular theme, but an overarching sense of purpose”. About allowing herself to be more patient, “it’s all at once about nothing and everything”. The second track, Killer Whale, will pull your skin away from your bones, calling you like a siren, to the sea. 

Music in her family has been more than a career, it was a means of survival. She tells the harrowing story of her grandmother, a survivor of Auschwitz. As a young teen she preserved her life by playing the cello in the orchestra at the camp. “If it weren’t for music, none of us would exist.”

A lively listen as we discuss endurance, in sport, in music, motherhood, and life.  

Purchase Joanna’s book The Great Song Cycle
Watch Joanna’s documentary The Great Song Cycle, Down Under

What is The Playful Musician?

The Playful Musician dives deep into a musician’s journey, techniques and influences. From the first instrument they played to how they prepare for big concerts or recordings to how they find joy in the long practice hours, this podcast reveals the beautiful, and peculiar, details of an artist’s journey.
Whether you’re an aspiring musician looking for inspiration, a seasoned pro trying to find new techniques, or just a fan of the musical process, you’re going to love this podcast.