James & Hannah

James and Hannah are a Los Angeles-based songwriting and production duo with an eclectic background. They are passionate about capturing diverse musical sounds and adding their own unique spin. Collaborating on various projects across different genres, all of their songs are one-stop, and you can explore some examples below!

 

James Waterman, a percussionist and multi-instrumentalist, has extensively studied and performed diverse styles, including western classical, jazz, Cuban and Haitian folk, African music, Indian tabla, and more. James’s original compositions span from the stage to the screen and include the score for Sharine Atif’s award-winning film, Jebel Banat (Festival de Cannes and Tribeca Film Festival). In 2022, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra premiered James's electro-acoustic composition, "Lift to Return,” and a new work will premiere at Carnegie Hall in April, 2024. James has performed on TV and radio, including KPFK 90.6 FM and NBC's Today Show.

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Hannah Arista is a singer, songwriter, and cellist with a background in neo soul, pop, Bulgarian folk, and Latin jazz. Having collaborated on songwriting projects around the world, Hannah sings in many languages in addition to English, including Spanish, Italian, Roma, Serbo-Croatian, Georgian, Ukrainian, and Greek. Hannah has performed at prestigious venues such as The Hammer Museum, The Blue Whale, Troubadour, and The Wallis Center. You can hear her sing on Matthew Cooke's documentary "Survivors Guide to Prison" and with LA’s premier Balkan Funk band Orchestra MÉZÉ on Bulgarian National Radio.

 

Both James and Hannah studied music at the California Institute of the Arts and are performers and composers with Bridge to Everywhere, a non-profit, classical chamber ensemble that promotes cross-cultural collaborations through musical performances and educational programs.

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SEE SAMPLES BELOW!

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