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Musictogousa Songwriter's Network is now playing Ann-Marita! *Tune In here*Live Show Saturdays 6P.M to 11P.M EST.
Email Bert your requests or stop into the chat room on Sat nights and request Ann-Marita's music! **************************************************************** **************************************************************** PRESS RELEASE, JAN - 08. Ann-Marita has been nominated for two Victorian Country Music Awards; Female Vocalist of the year for "State Line", and Album of the Year for "Intuition". She also placed among the Top 10 finalists for Female Vocalist in the national category. The Victorian & National Country Music Awards are second only to the Golden Guitar Awards in Australian country music, so this is a great honour for Ann-Marita. The awards ceremony will be held on February 8., at the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre, South Morang, VIC. Stay tuned for updates! For more info and a list of nominees, visit www.whittleseacountrymusicfestival.com.au *************************** PRESS RELEASE, JULY - 07. ****************************************** In addition to being a Top 20 Finalist in the Unisong International Song Contest with her heart-wrenching ballad "State Line", there are several exciting things happening for Ann-Marita this month. Check out the July issue of leading Australian country music magazine "Country Music Capital News" for a full feature on Ann-Marita! This follows up the glowing review of "Intuition" in the June issue. (Read full review here: http://www.annmarita.com/press.html) Also, "Sounds Good To Me"; the closing track from Ann-Marita's self-titled debut album, is going to be featured in the upcoming independent film "Grilling Bobby Hicks", produced by U.S.-based Stimulus Films. (www.grillingbobbyhicks.com) Keep checking this page for more info on the movie release. For you Scandinavians; Ann-Marita will be appearing live at Svendborg Festdage in Denmark on August 4th. For more info, check out www.svendborgfestdage.dk. **************************************** Viking Girl Promotions. ***************************************************************** PRESS RELEASE, MAY- 07. ***************************************************************** 2007 has so far been a big year for Norwegian-born, Australia-based country rock singer/songwriter Ann-Marita, and it's not about to slow down. On March 1st, her second full-length album; titled "Intuition", was released. This entirely self-penned record features some of Australia's top musicians and kicks off with the first single, the hard rockin' girl power anthem "A Woman's Intuition". The first reviews are in; Australian Guitar describes Ann-Marita's vocals as "(...) swelling, dynamic...", and David M. Kinchen, a Huntington News Network Music Critic says: "I’m listening to this Norwegian-born powerhouse blonde singer/songwriter as I write this review and I’m convinced Ann-Marita’s better than all of the Dixie Chicks combined! She’s already as good as Martina McBride and has the potential to be one of the immortals like Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Ashland, KY's Loretta Lynn, WV’s own Kathy Mattea.…even Patsy Cline, my all-time favorite country singer, a woman who broke through the stereotypes of the genre." (The full review can be found at www.annmarita.com/press.html). ********** Ann-Marita is also making her mark as a touring solo artist, having followed up last year's Sonicbids-sponsored performance at Berlin Popkomm with a showcase at Toronto's Canadian Music Week, several performances in Austin, Texas during South By Southwest, as well as shows in Nashville and Los Angeles. ******************************************************** Viking Girl Promotions, May-07. **************************************************************** Biography? OK, here's the short version!******************************* ***************************************************************** Ann-Marita is all Norwegian...plus a little bit Swedish...and American...and Australian...and this diverse background has brought with it an equally diverse blend of musical influences. Her self-titled debut album garnered her rave reviews, airplay on more than 200 radio stations worldwide, a Top 10 Finalist spot in the 2005 MusicOz Awards, Australia's premier independent music awards, and a rapidly growing fanbase. "Country Music Capital News" has already named Ann-Marita Australia's own Country Music Valkyrie, and Arizona's Comstock Records has decided there needs to be a new brand of country music, simply named Ann-Marita Country.************************ **************************************************************** Career highlights include: ****************************************************************** -Ann-Marita was one out of only four artists worldwide to be selected for sponsorship by Sonicbids to showcase at the 2006 Popkomm Festival in Berlin. ****************************************************************** -Top 10 Finalist in the 2005 Musicoz Awards. ****************************************************************** -Two songs from Ann-Marita's self-titled debut album; "Class Of '93" and "You Said Forever", appeared on nationally syndicated Australian TV-series "Mortified". ****************************************************************** -The 2nd single off "Ann-Marita"; "Alive And Kickin'", cracked the Top 10 on the Indie World Country chart. ******************************************************************* -Ann-Marita has been featured with a 2-page article in "Country Music Capital News"; Australia's leading country music magazine. ******************************************************************* -"Alive And Kickin'" is included on compilation album Females On Fire II, distributed worldwide and produced by Warrior Girl Music and indie music icon gilli moon. ******************************************************************* Quotes: ******************************************************************* “Australia has been invaded by Norway! And I surrender!” “With a voice rich with honeyed tones and intense emotion, [Ann-Marita] also is a quality song crafter, and this, her debut album, is full of attention grabbing tracks.” “My goodness, this girl has something special.” - Country Music Capital News, Australia. ****************************************************************** “…a debut album which shows plenty of class”. “…Ann-Marita breathes life into modern contemporary country without falling into a formula…” “This is a very worthy introduction to an artist who obviously knows where she wants to go and has plenty of confidence in her ability to get there.” - Country Update magazine, Australia. ***************************************************************** “Ann-Marita has an impressively strong and versatile voice that’s gentle and sultry one minute and a lion’s roar the next”. - Barfly Magazine, Australia. ****************************************************************** “…a musical masterpiece…” - Countrycapers.com.au ****************************************************************** “The album comes nicely weighted with a cross mix of easy-on-the-ear tunes, reflective songs and the mandatory hit out rockers.” “…a promising effort.” - Countryreview.com ****************************************************************** “…Ann-Marita has penned a strong debut of countrified pop that is a joy to listen to.” “The perfect execution of the evocative “More Than Meets The Eye” alone should score her a major label record deal.” “…a Down Under gem…” - Star Newspapers, Chicago. ****************************************************************** “(…) “More Than Meets The Eye” (…) a wonderful song (…) making this a great album in my opinion.” - Australianmusic.info ****************************************************************** “Fantastic.” “This artist has what it takes from great songs, a great image and a voice to match.” “Look out for this artist – big things coming her way.” - True Music Reviews. “Whoo! Traditional country she is not, but this woman has it. 4.5 stars out of 6.” - Rikksrevues.com ****************************************************************** “With the countrified vocal style of Kim Richey and the heart driven emotion of Radney Foster, Ann-Marita connects on every tune.” - Dean Sciarra, ItsAboutMusic.com ****************************************************************** “Her talent is as stunning as her looks, and you can expect to see a lot more of Ann-Marita in years to come.” - Sonicbids.com ***************************************************************** And if you have a few minutes to spare, here's the whole story...!************ ******************************************************************* "I was a skinny girl with oversized glasses, and on this particular evening, I was sitting in front of a black and white television set in the living room in my familys farm house in Norway. I was watching The Muppet Show, with their very special guest star, Mr. Kenny Rogeeeers!!! Kenny was on a train, surrounded by Muppets, singing "The Gambler". A scraggly, old Muppet was sitting by the window, acting as the Gambler himself. At the time, I didn't know country music from anything, but I just knew that I loved that sound, that honesty, that feel. ************** Fast forward to some twenty years later, I'm all grown up, and have just finished laying down the final vocal track on my debut album in our home studio in Victoria, Australia. I go into the living room, turn on the TV, and start channel surfing. On one of the childrens channels, an old Muppet Show rerun is on. And it turns out to be the very same episode, the very same scene, and the very same Kenny Rogers sitting on that train singing "The Gambler" to his friend, the scraggly old Muppet by the window. I just watch, and think that Ive come full circle." The story of singer/songwriter Ann-Maritas life unfolds over four countries on three different continents. Growing up on a farm in the Norwegian mountains, she was as country as country gets. But with a great love of music and the desire to create some herself, without any role models closer than the stars of her parents record collection; Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, Lynn Anderson, and of course - Kenny, she had to use her imagination. She taught herself to play air piano on a peculiarly shaped rock on her familys property, before she eventually graduated onto an antique church organ with pump pedals - the only musical instrument she had access to.******************* By the time Ann-Marita was a teenager, she was writing songs and performing wherever she could. She was influenced by other musical styles like rock and blues, which would color the sound that eventually was to become so uniquely her; the sound that has been referred to as "Ann-Marita Country".********* Ann-Marita's slow trip around the world started with many years living in a small mining community in the Arctic Circle. Then, at fifteen, she spent a year living in Iowa, USA, as a foreign exchange student. This was followed by Gothenburg, Sweden; where she landed a two-year contract as the lead vocalist in an international show band performing on cruise ships in Northern Europe. Having completed her contract, she headed for Hollywood, California, where she after two years of music studies received the Most Outstanding Vocal Student award from the acclaimed Musicians Institute. Things were looking very bright, as Ann-Marita signed a two-album record deal with a production company. But after a period of day-and-night recording sessions and many lessons learned, Ann-Marita found that the contract had been a scam, and her "production team" had mysteriously disappeared off the face of the planet. It was time to try something different.********************************** Ann-Marita arrived in Australia in 2003, ready for a new beginning. Through the obstacles and turmoil she had written the songs for her self-titled debut album, which was recorded in part in a friend's studio in California, then finished in Melbourne, Australia, with the help of some of Australia's top musicians. ***************************************************************** The album, released in 2004, garnered rave reviews and airplay in numerous countries around the globe, and laid the groundwork for letting Ann-Marita perform at some of the world’s top music events, like Berlin’s Popkomm in 2006 and Toronto’s Canadian Music Week in 2007. *************************** "Intuition", Ann-Marita’s sophomore album, released in 2007, continues to push the boundaries of modern country music where her self-titled debut left off. Produced by guitar virtuoso Brett Garsed, Ann-Marita delivers an album rich in diversity and creativity. "Intuition" is not your mainstream modern country album. It is, however, proof that an indie artist on a shoestring budget can absolutely make a record that can compete with the majors at every level. All it takes is outstanding musicianship, a producer who can cut to the core of what the artist is truly about, a lot of guts, drive and a healthy sense of humor, and last but definitely not least, some damn great songs and a big, big voice. **************************************************************** "As I was writing these songs, I realized there was a theme starting to form," Ann-Marita says. "There was a thread running through everything, tying the songs together: listening to your instincts and following your heart and your gut. The title, "Intuition", seemed to fall naturally into place, especially after I wrote what was to become the opening track and first single: "A Woman's Intuition". Intuition, to me, isn't about being psychic. Women often tend to spend more time listening to other people than to what their own gut is trying to tell them. I've been accused of writing a lot of girl-power songs, and as you can see, I'm not about to stop anytime soon!" That pretty much sums it up!