These days, Anna Margaret is walking on sunshine. After all, in less than a year the 15-year-old singer has become one of the bright lights among emerging teen stars. She made a splash with her track "Let it Snow" on the 2009 Hollywood Records holiday CD, "All Wrapped Up." With her Hollywood Records hit single -- the irresistibly catchy "There's Something About the Sunshine," from the original Disney Channel Movie, "StarStruck" – Anna found herself on the Billboard Charts and in the top 5 from Radio Disney. Currently, she sang "All Electric" from the Disney hit show, "Shake It Up" to be released on the Disney soundtrack for the show.
Although her growing legion of fans loves the single and video, Anna has had little time to ponder her success. She's currently recording her debut album release, with tours, TV and acting opportunities sure to follow for this winning teen with the million-dollar smile. "To this day, it still hasn't hit me," says Anna of her life as a budding teen star. "It's been great, and I feel so blessed."
On the "StarStruck" soundtrack, Anna sings three songs: "New Boyfriend" a duet of "There's Something About the Sunshine" with star Sterling Knight, and her solo version. That song captures the brash and breezy spirit of L.A. life, which no doubt reflects part of Anna's personality. But make no mistake. Though only 15, Anna Margaret is one tenacious fighter. Neither hometown naysayers nor even a historic hurricane could stop her from pursuing her artistic dreams.
Born and raised in a small town in the heart of Louisiana, Anna remembers learning every song from the animated Disney feature films like "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" from a toddler to the age of 6, and this lead to her first on-stage performance at her school talent show. It was then she realized what made her happier than anything else. "I said to my mom, 'I want to sing,'" Anna recalls. "She found a vocal coach for me who thought I was too young. After she met me, she said, 'Never mind. I'll teach her!'"
Some of her classmates teased her for trying to follow in the footsteps of, fellow Louisiana native Britney Spears, but Anna paid them no mind. "When I was upset, and when people told me no, I would go in my room and sing," she recalls. "I told myself, 'This is what you love to do. This is your passion.'"
Every weekend, Anna and her family drove in the family RV all the way to New Orleans mostly staying overnight in the Walmart parking lot to be on time for her early morning acting lessons and auditions. While participating in a triathlon one windy summer day in 2005, they were shocked to find out that a hurricane had taken a turn, bearing down on New Orleans, and quickly raced home. Hurricane Katrina devastated the state, destroying her acting school, and she soon found out that all of her contacts at the school could not be reached. But Anna's family persisted and found another avenue in Dallas, Texas, where there they urged her to head for L.A. They knew she was ready.
This was no California vacation. Anna left her father, brother and sister behind as she and her mom moved cross-country and lived in their RV in Orange County for six months. At first, it wasn't easy finding open doors in Hollywood. But Anna's talent would not be denied.
One day by chance, Anna and her mother met a physical trainer, who was in their apartment complex's gym physical training another artist, who mentioned he knew someone who had connections to Disney. She gave an impromptu vocal performance for him in an apartment complex hallway, and on the spot he made a phone call that would change her life. This coincidental meeting is how she was introduced to Disney, and landed high-visibility modeling and commercial assignments with Disney, American Girl and McDonalds. But Anna set her sights on a much sweeter prize: a recording contract.
Anna had a meeting with Hollywood Records Executive Jon Lind, and Buena Vista Music Group Chairman Bob Cavallo, but the meeting didn't last long. Once Lind and Cavallo heard her sing "Heal Us All," a song Anna co-wrote with her mother, about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he decided to sign the young artist right there and then.
Anna promises her debut album will cover a lot of pop music ground. "It's a lot of fun, with a lot of emotions," she says. "I will have plenty of party and dance music, some ballads.
Her song "Heal Us All," speaks not only to overcoming disasters like Hurricane Katrina, but also testifies to Anna's sensitive spirit. In addition to her professional obligations, Anna uses her weekends to volunteer for a sports' program for children diagnosed with Down Syndrome, DSALA Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles Community Sports Program, which embraces the philosophy that each child should have the opportunity to participate in every sports program all year. "It's based on treating people with equality and respect," she says.
Anna Margaret is now reaping the rewards of her artistry, kindness and positive attitude. The future holds no limits for this talented teen, but she carries with her memories of the struggles of the earlier days when her desire to follow her dream burned bright. "I tell people that I've been told 'No' a lot," Anna says. "And I always just say, 'Never give up."
