Johanna Stahley Wins Best Song Of The Month Contest

Johanna Stahley, a talented, modern pop singer/songwriter based in New York, NY, has won the SongwriterUniverse ‘Best Song Of The Month’ Contest for August, for her song ‘I’m Not Perfect’ (which was co-written by Doron Kockli). This song is the title track from Stahley’s 10-song CD, I’m Not Perfect, which she released independently in March 2006.

‘I’m Not Perfect’ is a fresh, appealing pop cut, which combines a soul/R&B flavor with a glossy, high-energy style. The song quickly grabs your attention, with it’s rapid-fire vocal phrasing in the verses, followed by its hooky chorus. The recording showcases Stahley’s charismatic vocals, and a colorful, inventive arrangement by the production duo of Yellopop (Assaf Spector on guitars/bass, and Eitan Graff on drums/percussion). Doron Kockli played the keyboard tracks, and he co-wrote the bridge section with Stahley.

Stahley grew up in Rutherford, NJ, which is near New York City. She loved listening early on to Simon & Garfunkel, the Beatles and Harry Nilsson (particularly his album, The Point). During high school, Stahley dabbled at piano and sang in several musicals, but it wasn’t until she attended college (at Rutgers University in NJ) that she began writing songs and performing in bands. She also learned to play guitar.

After graduating from Rutgers with a B.S. in Environmental Science, Stahley worked as an industrial hygienist while also singing in a wedding band. But by 2004, she decided to leave both her day job and her band gig, to pursue a solo artist career. ‘I wanted to write and record on my own,’ explained Stahley. ‘I had a little money saved up, so I invested in making an album. I found out about the Yellopop production team via their listing in Craigslist. Their productions were fresh and unique ‘ they stood out from other producers.’

Stahley worked with the Yellopop team at their studio in Brooklyn, and the album was completed last November (2005). ‘I’m Not Perfect’ became one of the key songs for the project. ‘I wrote ‘I’m Not Perfect’ on guitar, and the whole song came out in about 20 minutes, except for the bridge, which I later finished with Doron Kockli.’

Now with the release of her CD, Stahley has been marketing it via internet and TV exposure, plus some college airplay. ”I’m Not Perfect’ and another song ‘Nothing I Would Change’ were placed on the MTV show, Laguna Beach. And I’m thrilled with the exposure I’ve gotten via MySpace,’ she said. In addition, Stahley has signed with manager Chris Maltese, and she will be launching a tour with her band. ‘We’ve been playing in the area (NY/NJ), and we’re going on a mini-tour soon, playing several cities in the Midwest, then down to Memphis, Nashville, and Fort Worth.’