Born in Maine, and raised with her brother in Connecticut by adoptive parents, Joan began studying violin in elementary school.
She went on to study classical violin at university, and was drawn to new compositions written for smaller ensembles. She started pushing the boundaries on her violin, and with a head full of wild dark hair with a white streak up the middle, she performed regularly with local punk bands.
In 1994, she landed in Brooklyn, NYC, and began working as a session musician, playing her violin across every genre from Haitian to pop and r&b. She became a member of Anohni’s ensemble (formerly Antony and the Johnsons) and recorded, I Am A Bird Now. In 2002, Joan As Police Woman was born, named in homage to the 1970s television cop show starring Angie Dickinson. She began touring with Rufus Wainwright for his Want One and Want Two albums, playing in his band and as his opening act.
