Anya was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., and grew up in the Silicon Valley area of California as a capricious 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 struggle as an artist -- working in acting, musical theatre, music, improv and comedy -- but eventually found a job 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 (92.5). After the station was bought out by another corporation, Halloran hired Anya at Y107 in Los Angeles before they both moved to Premium Radio 92/1 in San Diego's North County. After leaving that station, both disc jockeys landed at FM94/9.
It was in San Diego that Anya played her first open mic night and began to write her own songs. She quickly 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 in early 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.
The internet radio station KGRL featured her as their Flower-Powered Artist for March of 2007. The feature includes an exclusive interview, CD Review of Miss Halfway, and an on-demand audio stream of an unreleased Anya Marina track titled "Try It And Like It."
Krikor's Waltz Redux
Anya Marina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Making wishes from light years away
That stars are far and falling's hard
And cold
Oh, won't somebody ski
Over to me
I fell hard
Star light, star bright
The opening lines of Anya Marina's song "Krikor's Waltz Redux" convey a sense of longing and disappointment. The singer expresses her disappointment at the difficulties of making wishes from far away and the harsh reality that stars are hard to reach and falling can be painful. She then makes an emotional plea for someone to come to her, for someone to ski over to her, as she has fallen hard.
The reference to skiing is an interesting one because it brings up ideas of movement, physicality, and the thrill of adventure, which contrast with the sense of stasis and distance conveyed in the opening lines. The repeated use of the words "star" and "light" suggest a desire for something bright and celestial, something beyond the mundane realities of everyday life. Ultimately, the song seems to be about the search for connection, whether it's with a lover, a friend, or a higher power.
One interesting fact about "Krikor's Waltz Redux" is that it is a remix of a song called "Krikor's Waltz" from Anya Marina's 2012 album "Felony Flats." The original version of the song was more stripped down and acoustic, while the remix features a lush arrangement with strings, drums, and electronic elements. Another fun fact about the song is that the title is a nod to Krikor Jabotian, a Lebanese fashion designer whom Anya admires. Finally, the song has been described by some as having a dreamlike quality, with its wistful melody and haunting vocal effects.
Chords (in the key of C):
Verse: C, Am, F, G
Chorus: F, Am, G, F
Line by Line Meaning
Little did I know today,
I had no prior knowledge of what was to come today,
Making wishes from light years away
I was wishing upon stars that are millions of light years away,
That stars are far and falling's hard
I realized that stars are distant and it's challenging to fall or land on them,
And cold
Additionally, the space is cold and lonely,
Oh, won't somebody ski
I wish someone would come to me, like skiing down a mountain,
Over to me
I need someone to be with me, to comfort me,
I fell hard
I fell deeply and passionately, like falling in love,
Star light, star bright
An ancient rhyme invoking the hope of having one's wishes granted upon a star,
Contributed by Maria S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.