June 2018

Susannah Blinkoff was born and raised in Manhattan, New York by legendary parents

and was destined to live a life in the arts. Her father, Richard Blinkoff, was a renowned photographer specializing in fashion.

Her mother, Carol Hall, a composer-lyricist who toured with Kris Kristofferson and Don McLean in the 1970’s, recorded two albums for Electra Records, and wrote songs for the children’s classic Free to be You and Me and the infamous Broadway show, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Susannah’s parents delighted in their creativity and always encouraged their children to

do the same. Her childhood was filled with music and theatre. She attended the ever-

liberal Little Red School House in Greenwich Village, an artistic, progressive, and politically charged environment where many of the teachers and parents marched in the 1960’s civil rights protests. This atmosphere played a prominent role in defining her spiritual interests and shaping who she is today.   

She grew up surrounded by successful writers and musicians, where the high-school hangout was backstage at 46th Street Theatre (now The Richard Rodgers Theatre) and parties were filled with family friends like Lesley Gore “It’s My Party“,  Martin Charnin (Annie) and Adam

Guettel (Floyd Collins, Light in the Piazza) playing songs in the living room.

Yet it hadn’t occurred to Susannah that she, too, would write songs one day. At the time, her interest was acting. She made her off-Broadway debut when she was just a high school freshman, and continued her education at Brown University, where she acted in over 20 plays alongside fellow students Laura Linney, Richard Topol, Tim Blake Nelson, Todd Haynes, and Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, among others.

Susannah went on to become an accomplished singer/songwriter, actress and screenwriter. Her smooth, sultry voice voice has been compared to superstars such as Diana Ross and Eva Cassidy. She’s written songs for movies and TV shows such as My Super Ex-Girlfriend. Multiple songs from her album Let’s Pretend made the Billboard charts in Hawaii,

Nebraska, and North Carolina. Her latest album Far More just hit the airwaves this year.

As a screenwriter, she was a co-writer the award-winning film BellyFruit and its opening song with composer/producer Stephen Bray, which enjoyed a successful run on Showtime as well as the independent film circuit.

Above all, Susannah is an educator and activist who believes in the healing power of music. More specifically, she’s committed to helping disadvantaged people find their voices. She has taught acting and writing to homeless teens and teenage mothers, and currently leads a weekly singing class for incarcerated and recently paroled men in Los Angeles.

She also volunteers with foster youth, and has fostered other children as well.

Susannah currently lives with her husband, son, and 2 fluffy dogs in Los Angeles, CA.

What inspired you to be creative?

I was inspired by my parents from the very start. They are both artistic entrepreneurs, which can be difficult at times, but so very fulfilling. My mom, Carol Hall, is a singer-songwriter who recorded two albums for Elektra Records in the ’70’s and toured with Don McLean and Kris Kristofferson. She also wrote songs for Sesame Street, Free to Be You & Me, and the score for the long-running Broadway hit The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas which was later made into a movie.

My dad gave up a career in science and instead chose to be a fashion photographer. They both raised me to value the talents I was gifted with and to share them creatively.

How did you get started being a singer? 

I grew up going to a lot of Broadway theatre and loved the musical aspect. I sang all through my childhood and as a teen did some “professional children” showcases at night clubs. But being so young, it was common practice for child actors to have their parents drive them to auditions and take care of them backstage—something my parents didn’t have the time for, as enthusiastic as they were about my talents. This put an intermission on my dreams for a while.

It wasn’t until my late twenties when I was trying to quit smoking cigarettes that I realized singing would be the perfect substitute. I started to really appreciate the sound of my voice and loved the way it felt to sing. It fed my heart and soul in a way that nothing had before. Over the years, I created my own personal style of singing, much different from my mom’s.

Tell us about your songwriting process.

I’m not particularly disciplined about writing, so I do well with deadlines. On occasion, I’ve literally had to commit to making an album first, in order to push myself to create songs. I really enjoy the process of taking my songs to a studio and working alongside a producer. Together we choose musical elements that layer into my songs and bring them to life. Recording a song is almost like cooking in this way.

Before I record, it’s kind of a quiet, magical experience where I’ll just hear a melody or a phrase in my head, and a song starts forming. Sometimes I sit at the piano and figure out chords. I’ve also been inspired to create a song just by something that someone says, especially if it sounds like a great song title. I love working from a title first. It’s a very “pop songwriting” approach, but I enjoy the twist of knowing what the song is about before I even begin writing.

A few years ago, I was attending a workshop led by the medium, Paul Selig “The Book of Knowing and Worth“. He channels the wisdom of spiritual guides that I resonate with deeply. During the workshop he mentioned the words, “far more” and they spoke to me as a song title. I ran with the title and worked it into a full-on lyric. I was so inspired that I went back to my hotel room and recorded a demo version of the song on my laptop using Garage Band. I later shared it my co-producer John Ballinger and we began building the track from there.

What inspires you most to write a song?

I write a lot of songs about inner soul-searching and spiritual concepts like forgiveness, conscious choices, and gratitude. Psychological concepts, I suppose. These are aspects of life that I’m drawn to personally and I also believe that they are universally supportive. There are also a few love songs and break-up songs sprinkled throughout my song catalogue but not many. I want my songs to be musical affirmations, anthems and lullabies for humanity.

Who is your favorite songwriter or singer?

That’s impossible to answer, I can’t choose one favorite! I’d say my favorite songwriters are:  My mom, Irving Berlin, Alec Wilder, Carole King, Lucinda Williams, Alanis Morissette, Taylor Swift, Sting and Lin-Manuel Miranda. And my favorite singers are:  Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Bette Midler, Sheryl Crow, Aretha Franklin and Alanis Morissette.

How do you balance your music with other daily responsibilities?

I would say it’s like juggling, but I don’t even know how to juggle! The truth is that I’m extremely lucky to have the financial freedom to hire help when it’s needed. My husband also assists around the house and understands that my music is more than a hobby. Even so, I have an endless list of things to do and the moment I cross off one thing, I’m adding another to the bottom!

Being an indie artist requires me to self-motivate. I’m the one who has to push myself to keep creating. No one’s calling me up with deadlines or asking what’s next. That drives me a little crazy. I really look forward to the day when people hire me to create. I’m sure I’ll still have a mile-long to-do list, but my priorities will be much more clear.

Where is your dream venue to Perform?

I love performing in intimate venues. For instance, this year I’m doing a series of house concerts to raise money for different charities. I also have several mini-tours scheduled in Texas, Los Angeles and Northern California. That being said, my absolute dream place to Performwould be at The Hollywood Bowl—one of my all-time favorite places in Los Angeles.

Why did you decide to be a singer and songwriter?

I believe we’re all are here on the planet to share our talents and gifts to enrich the world. It’s as though we’re each given a unique gift as another form of communication to reach out and touch the hearts of others. I almost want to say that I didn’t choose to be a singer/songwriter, it chose me. And it wants to be shared. I hope to inspire, empower and relax people with my music.

How would you categorize your music?

I would say my music has an eclectic mixed style of ethereal-soulful-chill-spiritual groove. I’ve also heard others refer to it as “hypnotic” and “uplifting,” which I like. The spirituality is inclusive and universal. The grooves are slow but danceable. You can stretch or walk fast to the beats. The songs have elements of pop, funk, world, and soul all used in surprising ways. Much like Portishead mixed with Madonna’s, Ray of Light.

Why are you passionate about music?

Music is extremely healing and is scientifically proven to have beneficial effects on our nervous systems and hearts. I have also personally seen and felt it’s healing effects. Every week I teach a singing class to a group of recently paroled men at a rehab facility. They are often very guarded and defensive, and I watch as music softens them to a smile. They have repeatedly told me how cheered up and energized my one-hour singing class leaves them. And every week, for the last two and a half years, I’ve seen it in action; shifting and lifting their spirits in some way. This is the reason I’m so passionate about music and why I believe in its magical, healing effects.

Which charity is close to your heart and why?

There are actually many charities that my husband and I have been supporting for years. Lately we’ve started producing house concerts where he cooks a big dinner and I do a jazzy cabaret act with a 4-piece band. We raise money for whatever charity our host wants to support to help people, the environment, kids, or animals. Every gift means a great deal to a small charity.

A few weeks ago, we raised almost $8,000 in one evening! The charities we support are: Peace4Kids, serving foster youth in South Los Angeles, Heal the Bay, which has cleaned up and monitors the Santa Monica Bay, and STEAMcoders, a group that makes technology and coding classes available to underserved kids in the San Gabriel Valley. Also, of course, Amity Foundation, where I work with parolees.

Where can Eden Magazine readers find more information about you?

Check out www.susannahb.com for video clips and links to my albums. I’ll be releasing my new video “I Am Here” this spring.

Do you have any upcoming performances?

I have a few house concerts over the summer. The locations can be found on my website or on Instagram @susannahbmusic.

Is there a message that you would like to leave with our readers?

Yes! Everyone is blessed with something to share. An additional way to communicate and connect with others. A

talent or skill, extra time, extra money, extra anything. Share this with those around you and with your community. Get involved,  even in the smallest way. We have to take care of each other more. We are all on this planet together, it is time to live together, harmoniously. We have more than we think we do. Think of a way you can give to those who have less than you.

www.susannahb.squarespace.com | www.instagram.com/susannahbmusic | www.facebook.com/susannahbmusic

Photography by Brenda Saint Hilaire Photography | Hair & Make up by Edward Hakopian

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