Annie Bosko released her six-song EP, ‘Fighter,’ this past July. However, this was just the next step in her musical journey, as she has already been working towards this career for years. Bosko was thirteen years old when she started pursuing her singing career performing on a Disney soundtrack. By the time Annie was nineteen she was writing her own songs and knew that the place to be if she wanted to be an artist and musician, was Nashville.
She headed to Nashville almost ten years ago and, during that time, has had the opportunity to open for many artists, including Dierks Bentley, Chris Young, Big and Rich, Easton Corbin, and Adel. Bosko fondly remembers when she opened for Wynonna Judd and the meaning behind it. “It was my mom’s favorite group. The songs are so iconic and I was raised on them,” Annie recalled. Bosko’s performance of ‘Fighter’ that evening resulted in a standing ovation. Wynonna tweeted Bosko after the performance and complimented her saying, “how about that standing ovation!” Bosko has a lot of respect for Wynonna because she has been a “strong empowering female in the country music business. It is not an easy thing to do and she’s done it for a long time.” Bosko has strong thoughts about being a woman in the music industry today. She is frustrated with the views some have regarding country female artists. People like radio consultant, Keith Hill, who stated, “If you want to make ratings in country radio, take females out.” Bosko looks at statements like that as a challenge. “That’s how I do it. It just means that there is more of a need now than ever for new female artists in country music. I might as well work really hard and try to be one of them.” Power to you, Annie.
The songs on Bosko’s EP, which were either written or co-written by her, are in tune with her determination to make it as one of country music’s headlining female artists. Almost all of the songs on it are biographical or about someone that she knows or something she is around. “All of the songs are a piece or a part of me.” One song in particular is ‘Fighter,’ a song that has touched and helped many people with its strong message. It is a song of determination and not letting the circumstances of your troubles drag you down- to pick yourself up because you are a fighter. Bosko has also released an additional single, not included on the EP, titled ‘4th of July.’ She had the opportunity to perform it while participating in a parade down Broadway in Nashville, as well as singing ‘God Bless America’ in front of 300,000 attendees at Nashville’s 4th of July festivities.
Another single, not on Bosko’s EP, is the song ‘Coastin.’ Annie recently released a video for the song, in honor of her west coast tour, which is planned for the end of the summer and into the fall. ‘Coastin’’ is a fun song about getting away from it all and soaking up the sun to recharge.
Bosko is involved in several charities and uses her amazing talent to help others. She has performed at the Alfred Mann Foundation for scientific research and pediatric oncology research at The City of Hope with classical tenor, Andrea Bocelli. Another cause that Bosko feels passionate about is Country Music Television’s Empowering Education. It is a community outreach program designed to raise awareness of the opportunities for job training and retraining at community colleges. The program brings music to rural areas and Bosko says that her songs fit for a program like that, because the themes of her songs are about empowerment, lifting people up and giving them hope. “At the end of the day it is the greatest gift you can have in music and country music in particular.” Annie admires Eric Church for those reasons as well. Bosko feels that Church’s contributions to country music are genuine because he is a real artist who is not afraid to speak the truth. “He touches on things that just rattle your soul. Whether it’s ‘Springsteen’ and falling in love or putting you in that moment of wanting to party. I just think he’s not afraid to say what he wants.”
For a change of pace, Annie will have the opportunity to represent Croatia Americans when she performs for Croatian pop star Oliver Dragojevic and the UNLV Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, Sept. 26th in Las Vegas. Bosko’s great-grandfather was an immigrant from Croatia, coming to the states many years ago with his son, Annie’s grandfather. He started the agricultural farm that is still in her family today. “He (Dragojevic) is the biggest singer in Croatia and he speaks out to the Americans in Croatia, so I was really honored that he chose me as a Croatian American representative.”
Being part of the industry for almost ten years Bosko has this advice for new artists trying to make it in Nashville today. Write your own songs, and if you can’t write them, then take your time finding the best songs. Find what makes you unique and never give up looking for it. Learn to play an instrument, especially as a girl, because you get taken more seriously if you play an instrument. Bosko follows her own advice, as she plays piano, tambourine, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and harmonica.
From her busy schedule you can tell Annie doesn’t have a whole lot of down time, but when she does have some extra time, she likes to dance. The certified Zumba instructor says that dancing is a great way for her to relieve stress. After all, with her determination and tenacity, she’s going to be one of country music’s leading woman artists. Annie already proves to be a great role model, as she sets the pace for the younger generation of women coming up in the industry today.
New England Country Music would like to thank Annie Bosko for taking the time to chat with us about her music and new EP, and the many organizations she feels passionate about.
You can purchase ‘Fighter’ on iTunes here.
Make sure you follow Annie on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Interview conducted by Lorraine Frigoletto, contributing writer for New England Country Music. You can follow me on Twitter.