Anina Stang

"Anina has come from Norway to Los Angeles with that rare creative spark that is uniquely expressed in her music, spirit, and soul. Her lyrics(in English-flawless even though it is her second language), passion,drive and determination will insure her place as one of those few Nordic artists to break thru into worldwide success. This bird has flown and carried some of that good Norwegian Wood with her!" (Tom Zutaut, discovered and signed Guns’n Roses og Mötley Crue)

Ever since Anina was a persistent 3-year-old, forcing her parents to applaud her performances on the dinner table, she was determined to follow her calling.

Throughout her childhood in Norway, she was focusing on dancing, singing and acting. She played lead roles in children musicals, plays and TV drama series. At age ten she wrote her first song. “It was crap, but I kept on writing and composing, and it slowly improved.” At 14 life took a dramatic turn. Anina is hit by a rare spinal disorder that could cripple her and destroy her dreams. The spine is starting to twist. The doctors tell her to stop dancing. She decides to fight back – and starts a slow and painful process. For two long years, she has to wear a tight, hard plastic brace to stabilize the spine. But she refuses to let it stop her. Throughout this period, she continues to dance and sing on stage and act for TV. And miraculously, her spine condition improved. Graduating from performing arts high school in 2004, she got top grades in all subjects – including dance, evaluated on the same basis as everyone else. At age 15, she is signed by a major record label in Norway. The label wants her to sing dance versions of cover songs, but that don’t line up with her dream of being an “artist”, not just a singer. Facing a critical dilemma - art or commerce - she chose to pursue the artist side of her ambition and terminated the contract. “I’ve always known where I want to go, and focused on that. Im very stubborn, and have to believe in what I’m doing. The thing the label wanted me to do, didn’t fit my vision.” In 2002 she starts working in studio with her own songs, and in 2005 she makes a band, “Million Dollar Baby”, together with well known musicians. Together they played gigs and festivals in Norway, as the well known By:Larm festival in Tromsoe in 2006 and the “Day of music” in Oslo. Anina's self made - zero budget video gets a lot of airplay on national television, and it’s also being aired in the US, at the “Unsigned tv-show” In 2005, Anina gets accepted to start studying at the acclaimed ‘Songwriters Academy” in Sweden. In the spring of 2006, Anina decides to focus on her solo career. She is accepted for the most prestigious talent contest in Norway “Big Break”. Subsequently she releases the single “Moments of Magic” on her own record label. At this stage, she chooses to be her own manager, PR-person, record label as well as artist. She does not want business strings in Norway that could limit her possibilities in the Land of Opportunity. The song reaches number 7 on the chart of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. At the end of 2006 she brings her music to LA. Where she gets signed by a major management company, gets a band together, and starts performing. She has filled up the viper room a couple of times, and came in second in a rock competition with LA Music Network and fm 98.7. She is currently in the studio with producer Ben Grosse, working on the first 4 song EP.

Many people have advised her to give up her dreams, because it is such a long and hard road. But Anina is dedicated to make a living from what she loves the most – to be on stage and to move people with her music.