joan

Joan is an American synth-pop duo formed by Alan Thomas and Steven Rutherford, who grew up together in Little Rock, Arkansas, attending the same church and college before crossing paths musically. Thomas had previously played in Canopy Climbers, while Rutherford came from Brothers + Company, and after Rutherford's graduation the two decided to pursue music together full-time.

Their sound draws heavily on 1980s-inspired synth-pop, layering warm analog synthesizers, driving drum-machine rhythms, and hooky, romantic songwriting. The first song they wrote together, «Take Me On», set the tone for their partnership and became their debut single, released through the label 20XX in 2017. It was followed by early tracks like «With Somebody Else», shared through music blogs before their official launch.

Joan built its catalogue through a steady stream of singles, including «drive all night», «brokenhearted», «so good», and «tokyo», before compiling material on the 2018 EP portra. Songs like «i loved you first», «love somebody like you», and «stop and stare» further showcase the duo's knack for nostalgic, emotionally direct pop songwriting rooted in their shared Arkansas upbringing.