Priscilla Ahn

Priscilla Ahn (born Priscilla Natalie Hartranft; 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She released her single "Dream" from her debut album, A Good Day, produced by Joey Waronker for EMI's Blue Note Records, in 2008. After growing up in Pennsylvania and graduating from high school, Ahn moved to Los Angeles, California, adopted her mother's Korean maiden name, and began to pursue a music career.

Ahn has toured with Willie Nelson, Amos Lee (for whom she sang backup vocals), Ray LaMontagne,

Early life Priscilla Natalie Hartranft was born in Fort Stewart, Georgia, to Kay (née Ahn) and Harry Hartranft. Her family visited South Korea, where her mother is from, several times. Her parents met when her father was stationed there while in the military.

Ahn spent her childhood growing up in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and attended Tulpehocken Area High School. She started playing guitar and harmonica at the age of 14 and performed in choirs and musical productions throughout high school. After graduation her music professors Charles Eckhart and Douglas Crowder encouraged her to pursue her music career full-time. She soon moved to Los Angeles.

She took her mother's maiden name as her stage name, saying, "Ahn is so much prettier and simpler. It’s also an ode to my Korean background, which is where I get my musical genes from.” Her album, A Good Day included musical contributions by keyboardists Greg Kurstin, Keefus Ciancia, guitarist Mike Andrews, musical saw player Ursula Knudsun, cellist and string arranger Oliver Kraus, keyboardist Larry Goldings and singers Jim Gilstrap and Orin Waters. She was selected as Artist of the Week in Paste magazine in June 2008.

Ahn's songs have appeared on the television shows Grey's Anatomy, Knight Rider, Make It Or Break It, Married Single Other, several episodes of the Ghost Whisperer, and in the films Disturbia, Bride Wars, Love Happens, My Sister's Keeper, Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove and Moms' Night Out.

After contributing to the compilations album, His Way, Our Way, Priscilla Ahn collaborated with Inara George, Sia, Eleni Mandell, Charlie Wadhams and Jake Blanton on her album When You Grow Up which was produced by Ethan Johns.

Ahn appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in May 2011 and ABC's Dancing with the Stars, performing songs from her debut A Good Day and the title track from When You Grow Up.

After a period of writer's block, Ahn isolated herself in a remote desert hotel to create new music for the album This is Where We Are. "I found the whole thing really inspiring, and suddenly, all these songs came pouring out. I just needed a little isolation and focus, some new sounds to play with, and a carefree, 'this is just an experiment' attitude to begin writing again."

She also composed and performed music for the Ghibli film When Marnie Was There directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi including the soundtrack in the credit sequence Fine on the Outside, as well as nine other songs based on the film which were published in an album When Marnie Was There Song Album - Just Know That I Love You.

Ahn's music is described as grounded in folk, country, and pop. Of the album's stylistic departure, she said, "I like to let things naturally flow out when I’m writing, and be whatever they’ll be. I think the biggest reason why this album ended up sounding so different from my previous two is because I wrote most of these songs on a keyboard, instead of my guitar. I bought a keyboard, learned how to use Logic Pro, and used their basic audio samples as a songwriting tool. It opened up a whole new world to me sonically, and all these new songs just came pouring out."

Discography

Albums Title Album details Peak chart positions USA JPN A Good DayReleased: June 10, 2008 Label: Blue Note Records 147 51 When You Grow UpReleased: May 3, 2011 Label: Blue Note Records - - Natural ColorsReleased: June 27, 2012 Label: EMI Music Japan - 186 Home ~ My Song DiaryReleased: October 31, 2012 Label: EMI Music Japan - 270 This Is Where We AreReleased: July 25, 2013 Label: SQE Music - 238 Just Know That I Love YouReleased: July 16, 2014 Label: Yamaha Music Communications - 58 Priscilla Ahn Best Released: July 23, 2014 Label: Universal Music - 193 La La LaReleased: Oct 28, 2016 Label: In a Tree Inc. - -

EPs Priscilla Ahn (2007, self-released) Live Session (2008, iTunes) In A Tree (2009) Sweet Hearts (2012, With Charlie Wadhams) Waiting (2021)

Singles "Dream" (2008, Blue Note) "I'll Never Smile Again" (2009) "I Am Strong" by Tiësto featuring vocals by Priscilla Ahn (2009) "Where The Leaf Starts To Fall" featuring Taiwanese music band Sodagreen (English) (2013) "從一片落葉開始" (Starting With a Fallen Leaf) by Sodagreen featuring vocals by Priscilla Ahn (Mandarin and English) from their 9th studio album Autumn: Stories (2013)

Music videos "Dream" "Red Cape" "Vibe So Hot" "I Don't Have Time To Love" "When You Grow Up" "Torch Song" "Home" "Remember How I Broke Your Heart" "Leave It Open"

Compilation appearances His Way, Our Way (Sinatra Tribute) The Hotel Café presents Winter Songs- Silent Night featured on ER

Contributions Vocals and Piano on Joshua Radin's We Were Here, Columbia, 2006 (as Priscilla Hartranft) Vocals on Amos Lee's Supply and Demand, Blue Note Records, 2006 Vocals on Joshua Radin's EP Unclear Sky: "The Fear You Won't Fall", 2006 Vocals on Joshua Radin's Underwater: "Let It Go", "The Greenest Grass", 2012. Vocals on William Fitzsimmons' The Sparrow and the Crow, Mercer Street, 2008 Vocals on Cary Brothers' Vol. 1 EP Maps, 2012 Vocals on Ashtar Command American Sunshine: "The Breakup Song", "Rosa", "All the Stars in Heaven", 2011 Vocals on TV on the Radio's Nine Types of Light: "Will Do", 2011 Vocals on Amos Lee's Mission Bell: "Stay With Me", 2011

Filmography Credits of Priscilla Ahn as a vocalist and/or songwriter

Television Credits of Priscilla Ahn as a vocalist and/or songwriter

2009: Men in Trees – Leave the Light On (Warner Bros. Television) 2009: Grey's Anatomy – Dream (ABC Studios) 2014: NHK: Soko wo Nantoka 2 – Best I can ベスト・アイ・キャン (Universal Music Japan)

Television appearances 2008: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – (Ep. 16.107 – NBC Studios) 2008: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – (Ep. 5.1 – CBS) 2009: Later with Jools Holland – (Ep. 34.4 – BBC) 2011: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – (Ep. 19.140 – NBC Studios) 2011: Dancing with the Stars – (Ep. 12.13 – CBS)