Joan As Police Woman

Using "beauty is the new punk rock" as her credo, Joan Wasser took center stage as Joan as Police Woman after years of being a supporting player and collaborator. Wasser's project blends two of the most profound influences on her music: the classic soul of legends such as and , and experimental underground acts ranging from to . With her gorgeously heartfelt 2006 debut album, Real Life, she established herself as a singer/songwriter capable of a rare combination of vulnerability and sophistication. She maintained that reputation even as she added new dimensions to her music with each album, whether it was the jazz leanings of 2011's The Deep Field, the celebration of vintage soul on 2014's The Classic, or the blend of traditional and avant-garde sounds on 2018's Damned Devotion.