JOEM

Johanna Mäkilä-Manninen, aka Joem, born in 1994, is an independent artist, musician and an English BA graduate. Starting her musical journey as a saxophone player, she has graduated from Sibelius upper secondary school (2013), as well as from Pop & Jazz Conservatory (2018) in Helsinki. During her studies in the Conservatory and University of Helsinki, Joem slowly transitioned from saxophone to singing and songwriting due to a long period of chronic neuropathic pain in the arms. Living with physical pain and the eventual depression led to her childhood dream of being a music maker and singer.

 

In 2017, after gigging as a saxophonist and singing in a local church, Joem started slowly but surely taking steps towards her own artistry. Thus far the journey has included writing and releasing her own songs, making two music videos, gigging around Helsinki with her band, as well as winning New York-based celebrity vocal coach Cari Cole’s biannual singing competition with her single “Naive Heart” in August, 2019. This opened a door for her to be coached by Cari via Zoom, and to participate in a songwriting circle with other artists.

 

New single "Dulce Sweetness", a song she co-wrote with Eetu Kinnunen for herself and her podcast listeners, is an invitation to embrace femininity, softness, and to create a sweeter life after going through burnout, hustling for nothing, and being hard on yourself. The song is available August 19, 2022. .