Carla Patullo

Carla Patullo is an American composer, musician, singer, and songwriter. She won a Grammy Award for her album So She Howls in 2024 and has composed music for film and TV shows such as Maxine, This is Jessica, and Lotte that Silhouette Girl. She has performed with Sandra Bernhard, Liza Minnelli, and Rufus Wainwright, among others.

Early life and education
Her grandmother's interest in music and singing influenced her to compose music of her own. She began taking piano and voice lessons as a child and played the saxophone in her high school jazz band. She graduated from Minnechaug Regional High School, received a bachelor's degree in music from the Berklee College of Music, and later studied film, TV, and video game scoring at Berklee's campus in Valencia, Spain where she earned a master's degree in music.

Career
Patullo formed and fronted the band, White Widow while she was in college. They released three studio albums, No Wood to Knock On (2005), Black Heart (2009), and White Widow: A Psychological Thriller (2012). After releasing Black Heart, she signed a publishing deal which led to their songs being placed in TV shows such as Ellen DeGeneres and the Young and the Restless. Their single, Promises, from their third album, White Widow: A Psychological Thriller, was featured on Dance Moms.

Patullo served as musical director (keyboards, guitar, and vocals) for Sandra Bernhard on her "I Love Being Me, Don't You" and "Kiss Me on the Lips Texas" tours. She is the owner and producer at The Soundry recording studio in Los Angeles, California.

In 2024, Patullo won a Grammy Award for her album, So She Howls, for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album. The album features the vocal ensemble, Tonality, and the Scorchio Quartet led by violist Martha Mooke.

Patullo has composed music for films, Maxine, Letter to Anita, L.A.: A Queer History, My Name is Maria De Jesus, Everybody Dies... Sometimes, and others. She cites musical influences as Laurie Anderson Alexandre Desplat, Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman, and Thomas Newman.

In 2018, Patullo's animated documentary, Lotte That Silhouette Girl, was a contender for the Academy Awards' short list for "Best Documentary" (Short Subject) in 2018. In that same year, she was selected to participate at the Sundance Institute's Film Music Program at Skywalker Sound where she composed the film score for the horror-comedy Porno, which premiered at SXSW.

Discography

 * 2024 - Everybody Dies... Sometimes (soundtrack) - composer
 * 2023 - So She Howls
 * 2023 - Maxine (soundtrack)
 * 2021 - Apotheke (single)
 * 2019 - Porno (soundtrack)

Awards
2021 - Florida Film Festival - Apotheke - Animated Shorts Competition - (nomination)
 * 2024 - Grammy Award - So She Howls - Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album (winner)
 * 2020 - Hollywood Music in Media Award - Everybody Dies...Sometimes - Best Score - Short Film (live action) winner
 * 2022 - Hollywood Music in Media Award - Aptoheke - Best Video (independent) winner
 * 2018 - AmDoc Film Festival - Lotte That Silhouette Girl - Best Short

Selected filmography

 * 2024 - Bitterroot - composer
 * 2024 - The Place Between - composer
 * 2023 - Everybody Dies... Sometimes - composer
 * 2023 - Maxine - composer
 * 2021 - Ara, untamed - original score
 * 2021 - Apotheke - composer
 * 2021 - This Is Jessica - composer, performer
 * 2021 - L.A.: A Queer History - composer
 * 2020 - Worry Dolls - composer
 * 2020 - Finjan - composer
 * 2020 - Were You Gay in High School? - composer
 * 2019 - Porno - vocalist, composer
 * 2018 - Lotte That Silhouette Girl - orchestrator, songwriter, lead vocalist, sound designer
 * 2018 - Choke - composer
 * 2017 - Jeanne Cordova: Butches, Lies & Feminism - composer
 * 2017 - My Name is Maria De Jesus - composer (theme music), sound mixer
 * 2017 - Pizza Face - composer
 * 2016 - Spa Night - additional music
 * 2016 - Teen Titans Go! - songwriter
 * 2015 - Clambake - original score
 * 2015 - Cheese Dog: The Movie - vocalist, composer
 * 2015 - Cinderella, a Shadow Ballet orchestrator, vocalist
 * 2014 - Letter to Anita - composer