Sarah Kraning first noticed something unusual about herself when she was 8 years old. While listening to music, she would describe seeing different colors associated with the songs. For Disney tunes, she often saw sparkles, which left her mom looking on with confusion.
As a child, Kraning also fell in love with painting. She would listen to sounds and music, then apply colors to a canvas to match what she saw. It wasn’t until years later, while studying psychology in college, that the Minneapolis native learned about synesthesia — a condition in which sensory crossovers occur, such as tasting colors or feeling sounds. It was then she realized her unique experiences were part of a recognized phenomenon.
Now 31, Kraning has continued to pursue her passions for painting and music, sharing her interpretations of popular songs on social media. She’s garnered more than 650,000 followers on TikTok and 10,000 on Instagram, and some …