Artist Information Biography PRESS RELEASE APR. -09 Ann-Marita's ode to her Norwegian home town; "Company Town", is the 3rd runner-up in the AAA/Americana category in the 2009 Unisong International Songwriting Contest.  On the heels of this, the annual Faces of Violence Shalom Bayit Singer/Songwriter Competition just announced their 2009 top ten finalists, where Ann-Marita is included with her song "State Line".  For all the San Francisco area fans, come visit the annual Norway Day Festival, May 1-3 2009, and see Ann-Marita perform at the Friday night cocktail party as well as on the main festival stage Saturday and Sunday.  For more info, visit: www.norwayday.org. PRESS RELEASE OCT.-08 Ann-Marita is currently being featured on Women of Substance Radio's Americana/Bluegrass show.  The song in rotation is Ann-Marita's bluesy ode to her Norwegian home town; "Company Town".  To listen, visit: http://www.live365.com/stations/breenoble Another of Ann-Marita's songs off her "Intuition"-album; heartfelt ballad "State Line", is included on Colt Records' Indie Country Gold compilation, distributed to indie radio stations worldwide.  Stay tuned for news on Ann-Marita's upcoming U.S. performances in early 2009! PRESS RELEASE JAN. -08. Breaking news!  Ann-Marita has been nominated for the Victorian & National Country Music Awards 2008 (Australia).  She is up for Victorian Female Vocalist of the Year, and for Victorian Album of the Year for "Intuition".  To see a complete list of nominees, visit www.whittleseacountrymusicfestival.com.au. In a recent review, indie-music.com describes Ann-Marita's sophomore album "Intuition" as "a damn fine country album", and compares it to the Jack White-influenced rebirth of Loretta Lynn.  This month, Ann-Marita has also been a featured guest on the wildly popular online radio show "Lisa's Walk the Talk Show", hosted by Lisa Loucks Christenson; a nationally acknowledged photographer and author.  Other guests previously featured on the show have included music industry legends like Aaron Neville, Charlie Daniels and Porter Wagoner. To listen to the program, please visit www.bbsradio.com/hosts/lisaswalkthetalk/. Viking Girl Promotions, Dec. 07. 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. 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!" (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.  Later this year, Ann-Marita will travel to Scandinavia for performances in Denmark and Sweden.  More shows will be announced soon! Viking Girl Promotions, May-07. BIOGRAPHY "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 family's 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 children's 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 I've come full circle." The story of singer/songwriter Ann-Marita’s 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 family’s 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 Los Angeles-based production company.  After a year 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 California, then finished in Melbourne, Australia, with the help of some of the U.S.' and Australia’s top musicians.  The album 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! Instrumentation Ann-Marita - Vocals, rhythm guitar. ...and a circle of amazing musicians who back up Ann-Marita depending on availability.  Ann-Marita will do acoustic performances with just one or two more players or by herself, or with a full band, depending on venue and requirements. Discography "Intuition" - LP 2007 "A Woman's Intuition" - single, Viking Girl Records, 2007. "State Line", single, Indie Country Gold, Colt Records, 2008. "Ann-Marita" - LP 2004 "Face In The Crowd", single, Comstock Records, 2004, NFS Publicity, 2005.  "Alive And Kickin'", single, NFS Publicity 2005, WHP 2005. "Class Of '93" and "You Said Forever" included on New Country Roads Vol. 4 compilation album, distributed throughout Europe on ZYX Records. "Alive And Kickin'", included on Females On Fire II compilation, on Warrior Girl Music. "Sounds Good To Me", included on Sounds Like Cafe Vol. 9 compilation, Australia. "Alive And Kickin'" included on Hurricane Healing Vol.3. "Face In The Crowd" and "Alive And Kickin'" are currently being played on radio Australia-wide.  "Alive And Kickin'" made the Top 10 on the Indie World Country Report. Links http://www.annmarita.com Buy Ann-Marita's music from CD Baby ItsAboutMusic Download store Visit Ann-Marita on Myspace