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Anya was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and grew up in the Silicon Valley area of California as a precocious child with Russian-
Agnostic/Irish-Catholic professor parents (psychology and Russian literature/math) and a younger sister. After finishing high school, Anya
moved to Los Angeles as an aspiring actress. With stints in the British American Drama Academy (taught by Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha
Mason, Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach) and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, Anya has also acted in television and film
(in 2001, she starred in the feature film, 100 Girls). She ev ...read more
Anya was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and grew up in the Silicon Valley area of California as a precocious child with Russian-
Agnostic/Irish-Catholic professor parents (psychology and Russian literature/math) and a younger sister. After finishing high school, Anya
moved to Los Angeles as an aspiring actress. With stints in the British American Drama Academy (taught by Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha
Mason, Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach) and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, Anya has also acted in television and film
(in 2001, she starred in the feature film, 100 Girls). She eventually moved back home to earn a college degree in English and writing at
Santa Clara University. She continued to work in acting, musical theatre, music, improvisation and comedy while working as a radio DJ on
KSCU, Santa Clara University's college station.
After graduating, Anya took a radio station job in San Diego with Mike Halloran at XHRM-FM. After the station was bought out by another
corporation, Halloran hired Anya at Y107 in Los Angeles before they both moved to Premium Radio in San Diego's North County. After
leaving that station, both disc jockeys landed at FM 94/9.
It was in San Diego that Anya played her first open mic night and began to write her own songs. She developed a live stage act using what
she learned as an actress, comic and impressionist. Her recorded debut was a five-song EP called Exercises in Racketeering, which
eventually led to a full-length album, Miss Halfway, which was released January 25, 2005. Anya subsequently opened for such artists as
Jason Mraz and Rhett Miller. She was named one of the "Best Unsigned" acts by San Diego CityBeat.
The songs on Miss Halfway talk about her upbringing, ex-boyfriends and all the after-effects. Anya's album was also produced by Scott
Russo, the frontman for rockers Unwritten Law, along with Peter King from The Surfers. The record eventually earned a San Diego Music
Award for Best Recording. The title track also landed on Grey's Anatomy and was featured as the fifth song on the second Grey's Anatomy
(soundtrack) disc along with The Fray, KT Tunstall, Gomez and Snow Patrol.
On January 20, 2009, Anya released her second album, Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II.[1] The album was produced by Brian Karscig
from Louis XIV and Britt Daniel from Spoon. The music video for the album's first single, "Move You", was directed by Scott Coffey. [1] On
June 8, 2009 the video for "All The Same To Me", directed by Josh Forbes, premiered exclusively on Spinner.com.
In the summer of 2009, Anya was nominated for 3 San Diego Music Awards: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (Slow and Steady
Seduction: Phase II), and Song of the Year ("Move You"). On September 10, 2009, "Move You" won the award for Song of the Year, beating
out fellow nominees including Jack Tempchin and Jason Mraz.[2]
In 2009, it was announced that her song "Satellite Heart" would be featured on the New Moon soundtrack. "Satellite Heart" was released
October 8, 2009, with the video (directed by Scott Coffey), released on November 3, 2009.[3]. Later that same month, Anya performed the
song at multiple stops on the nationwide 'New Moon Talent Tour', and co-hosted the live MySpace broadcast of the New Moon premiere.
Anya was also highlighted in an article by CNN.com as an artist poised on the edge of breakout success due to her involvement in the
soundtrack. [4]
Anya's cover of "Whatever You Like", originally by rapper T.I., was featured on the November 9, 2009 episode of Gossip Girl, "They Shoot
Humphrey's, Don't They?".[5]
Artists Anya has toured with include Jason Mraz, Chris Isaak, Greg Laswell, Eric Hutchinson, and Lissie Trullie. « hide |
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