Grammy-nominated harpist Brandee Younger visited WHHS during her tour in Cincinnati on March 2.

Younger has achieved a lot of accomplishments in her musical career, including being the first Black female solo artist nominated in the Best Instrumental Composition category at the Grammy Awards and collaborating with artists such as Beyonce, John Legend, and Lauryn Hill.

Younger is known for her unique genre, mixing classical, jazz, and contemporary works. Her voice as a musician can trace back to her childhood. 

“I was that kid that wanted to play what was on the radio,” Younger said. “I didn’t want to play what was in my method book, but my teacher was awesome.” 

Younger’s teacher compromised with her and allowed Younger to play pop music and classical music during her lessons. 

“I would show up to lessons with CDs of what I was listening to on the radio, and she would write them out for me,” Younger said. “I was able to straddle the fence as a kid.”

Playing pop music allowed Younger to further connect with the people around her.

“When you’re a musician, it isolates you from other people that are not musicians,” Younger said. “My way of maintaining some sense of normalcy was playing what was on the radio.”

Younger later went on to the Hartt School of Music where she got a degree in Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance and Music Management. She then got her Master of Music at New York University. 

After college, Younger was on the lookout for job opportunities so that she could support herself, but at first, she was intimidated by how future employers would perceive her.

“Most harpists are not black, and I was afraid of not getting work,” Younger said. “I was too afraid to have a website because I didn’t want anyone to see me because if you hire me over the phone, you have no idea what I look like. You have no idea if I’m black or white.” 

Eventually, Younger started pushing herself outside of her comfort zone and began to get work. Younger attributes a lot of her success to the rise of apps such as MySpace and Facebook.

“The way I got work from [the] beginning was my website and [through] social media,” Younger said. “It was a progression from there. Over time, people just [started] to call me.”

As Younger has gained more experience in the music industry, she has been able to shape her career into what she has always dreamed.

“I’m doing exactly what I want to do,” Younger said. “Being able to be in that position is really a blessing.”

Younger’s new album, “Brand New Life,” coming out on April 7, includes Younger’s take on some music recorded by the harpist Dorothy Ashby, one of Younger’s heroes.

“I recorded it in my own way,” Younger said. “I didn’t try to interpret it in a way that I thought she would have back then because it’s 2023. I put my own stamp on [it].”

Younger is grateful to be in a position in her career where she can put twists on other’s music to make it her own. 

“To be able to do that at this point in my career, and be respected, means everything,” Younger said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do the record the way I did it had I not had all the experience I had prior to now.”

A big part of Younger’s career involves touring, which is why she ended up in Cincinnati in early March. Younger will be back in Cincinnati on May 25 to perform at Caffe Vivace, a coffeehouse and jazz lounge in the center of the city. 

By visiting local high schools such as SCPA and WHHS, Younger hopes to impact students. Younger offers advice for aspiring musicians.

“I do hope that some folks are inspired to actually be a musician and not feel like they have to do something else after [high] school,” Younger said. “Keep going and be tough. I know that sounds rude, but don’t let your feelings get hurt. Keep moving.”