Jonatha Brooke is what happens when literate songwriting meets fearless innovation, a singular voice in modern music whose work is as much chamber poetry as it is folk-pop. Trained in classical composition yet born with a Broadway-bound belt and a novelists eye for character, she weaves deeply personal narratives with a rare melodic sophistication. From her early days with The Story to her solo triumphs, Brooke has carved a niche where the emotional intelligence of Joni Mitchell meets the musical wit of Stephen Sondheim, all wrapped in a voice that aches, sparkles, and soars, often within the same phrase. Whether commanding a stage with nothing but a guitar and a spotlight or orchestrating a lush studio album, Jonatha Brooke is never simply performing; she is sculpting emotion in midair, conjuring stories that linger like the final notes of a well-loved sonata.
Jonatha Brooke has been writing songs, making records and touring since the early 90’s. After four major label releases, she started her own independent label, Bad Dog Records in 1999, and has since released ten more albums - including the companion CD to her critically acclaimed, one woman, Off-Broadway musical, My Mother Has Four Noses.
Jonatha has co-written and/or produced songs with Katy Perry, The Courtyard Hounds, and Jessica Simpson. She’s also written for four Disney films, numerous television shows, and she composed and performed the theme song for Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse.
Jonatha teaches online and in person Master Classes in songwriting and recording. She is working on three musical projects - Quadroon, with the late, legendary jazz pianist/composer Joe Sample; Switched with playwright Geoffrey Nauffts; and TEMPUS with Jaclyn Backhaus.
Jonatha was the recipient of a McKnight Artist Fellowship Grant in 2018. She won the 2019 International Acoustic Music Award for Best Female Artist for her song “Put the Gun Down,” and was the competition’s overall grand prize winner. And in 2020, she was awarded an Independent Music Award (IMA) for her EP, “Imposter.”
Throughout the pandemic, Ms. Brooke performed weekly Live Stream concerts from her home on Facebook and YouTube - “The Kitchen Covid Concerts” - all archived on her YouTube page.
Her 14th record, The Sweetwater Sessions, was released July 10, 2020.