Anja Kotar
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Anja Kotar

San Jose, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2015

San Jose, California, United States
Established on Jan, 2015
Solo Pop Indie

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Debut EP Album NOMAD by Anja Kotar"

ASEF Youth Member, Anja (17) who moved to San Jose CA two years ago, is pursuing her career as a singer songwriter and has created a Kickstarter page to raise funds for her Debut EP Album NOMAD.
As a high school senior, Anja is very involved with her school’s Conservatory and Theatre program. She is starring as leads in their musicals (The Witch in Into the Woods and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes) and receiving numerous awards for her singing and performing.
She is now embarking on a journey of starting her singer songwriter career. With the help and support of ASEF, this incredible and educational process will enable her a start in the music industry.
Check out her Kickstarter campaign and support Anja in any way you can – spreading the word about her project and music to possibly even pledging donations.
Anja has a deep passion for music and has always believed that it is what she was meant to do. However, she is also aware that nothing comes without hard work and dedication, and the will to never give up. Let’s help Anja chase her dreams together! - ASEF


"Anja Kotar’s Nomad Initiates a New Version of Cool"

Make no mistake, Anja Kotar is cool. Fresh from life as a rising child star in her home country of Slovenia where she acted in a hit film and was featured on the Slovenian X-Factor, Kotar arrived in the US in 2012. The transition was abrupt, setting foot in her new home a mere two days before high school began. Since then, she has found her footing and then some.
Early on, Kotar ran up against obstacles due to her nascent citizenry in the US. Unable to appear on potentially career changing shows like The Voice because of her Visa status, she took matters into her own hands turning to Kickstarter to raise funds for her first EP. The experience provided more than she could have hoped for. Through Kickstarter, Kotar learned how to run her music as a business. The crowdsourcing platform also provided immediate, invaluable feedback on her work which would have been unavailable through traditional production.

The fruit of Anja Kotar’s hard work has arrived. Nomad, out now, feels very much like a labor of love. Every track is musically intricate and the overarching message of the album rings crystal clear. From the first single, How to be Cool it is obvious that Kotar has something to say about the culture of cool in which we have become immersed. She rejects the notion that cool is something to be shaped by mainstream media and trendsetters, instead of operating under the philosophy that the definition of cool lies firmly in being true to yourself.

How to be Cool jabs at social norms in youth and cool culture. It takes on drug use and binge drinking breaking down popular ideas about what it takes to get ahead in the social maelstrom these days. Kotar seems determined to take her message to lofty heights, designing Nomad as a concept album with a line of companion clothing. The tracks themselves will be strung together via monthly videos making a up a series of short films.

Now 20 years old, Anja’s energy and enthusiasm are palpable. She speaks with the wisdom of someone far beyond her years and seems at peace with her whole self. With her debut offering Nomad, Anja Kotar isn’t just redefining what it means to be cool, she’s providing a road map for those courageous enough to embrace their own version and get there. - Inspirer Magazine


"Anja Kotar – How to Be Cool"

How to Be Cool" is the first single off Anja Kotar's debut full-length album, NOMAD. The song has been dubbed a “summer jam." Be warned when checking it out, there is a high chance of it getting stuck in your head. This single is more than just a catchy tune though; it’s been described as a “musically intricate” track that "pushes all boundaries on what a pop song should sound like"; with a "catchy hook which will inspire you to break out every dance move you know." - Happy Mag


"Anja Kotar - "How to be cool""

Anja Kotar is originally from Slovenia, but she moved to the United States to pursue her music career. Her alternative sounds really makes her pop work stand out: "How to be cool" has a mysterious first verse which leads into a contagious and contemporary beat, maintained from the chorus and afterwards. Simply wonderful! - Sounds European


"Anja Kotar Debuts Catchy Electropop “How To Be Cool”"

“How To Be Cool” defies satisfying comparison in the best possible way. In the incredibly catchy track, the 20-year old Slovenian singer combines unique dance beats with a healthy dose of synth for a sound that is somewhere between K. Flay and Betty Who, while still showcasing Kotar’s gentle yet commanding voice.

The dance floor jam does not shy away from biting social commentary. Inspired by Kotar’s general unease at a culture that “glorified and worshipped reckless partying in the most platonic of ways,” “How To Be Cool” serves both as an irresistible dance track, and a glimpse into “a different, darker side of the picture-perfect party scene,” as Kotar explains. - Music Existence


"Indie Pop Singer Anja Kotar Teaches Us ‘How To Be Cool’"

Indie Pop singer/songwriter, Anja Kotar, has recently released her debut album NOMAD. It features her single “How To Be Cool”, a Summer jam inspired by the works of Phil Collins, Prince, The Weeknd, and Lana Del Rey.

The song is literally the epitome of cool. It’s the song to play when riding downtown or in your bedroom, getting dressed to go out. Anja’s vocals are not those of a 20-year-old girl. More like a woman in her mid-20s or early 30s with a car, a trendy closet, and an impressive credit score. Because everyone knows that good credit and a nice bank account are truly the basis of cool. Whoever said being broke was cool, was clearly delusional. Even though you don’t have to be financial stable to dance. - Salute Mag


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Anja Kotar had her first taste of the arts while studying piano, dance and acting in the blockbuster movie Gremo mi po svoje and its sequel while in Ljubljana, Slovenia. After moving to San Jose, California in 2012, Anja continued her studies at the Valley Christian Conservatory. It was then that she became heavily involved with theater and jazz. Anja used her time at VC Conservatory to perform in multiple shows and even start writing and directing full length productions such as; “Godspell.” Anja also earned a Voice Certificate from Berklee College of Music after taking online courses while she was in high school. Upon graduation Anja attended the prestigious Broadway Artist Alliance in New York City. At 17 she then completed her widely successful Kickstarter project, which had 156 supports who pledged anywhere from $5 to $1000 in return for background footage, memorabilia and lastly, NOMAD itself.


After the release of her EP Anja was invited to perform at the Slovenian Song Festival (DSZG) the longest running festival in the country that features the country’s top talent and is the most viewed show in the country. After performing her original "Čas je zdaj" (The Time Is Now) and "Too Cool” live, Anja was nominated by RTV for Best Performance, Best Song, and Best New Artist, walking away with 2016’s Best New Artist. She then was nominated for Best Pop Song at the 2016 American Songwriting Awards. 


Currently Anja is working to complete her Bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music nearly two years early on top of working with three–time Grammy nominated producer Pascal Guyon on releasing her full length debut album along with an online store that will connect music and fashion.

Band Members