Johannessen grew up at Lambertseter and is educated at the Jazz program Trondheim Musikkonservatorium and the University of Oslo.
After completing teacher education, she studied classical vocals at the Trondheim Musikkonservatorium and Tromsø Musikkonservatorium, and got a Masters degree on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (2007), where she is still working as an assistant professor.
Grytbak graduated as a civil engineer in 1903 at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet) in Trondhjem.