We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful AnnMarie Fox. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with AnnMarie below.
AnnMarie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
From the age of 5, I attended dance school which included tap, jazz, ballet, and hip hop classes. As an adult, I received training as well as attended Vocal Master Classes from the Wendy Martelli Voice and Piano Studio. I was able to hone my performance skills with proper training and daily practice. I appreciate receiving training in both skills, and I can’t say that I’d like to do one over the other. I enjoy both. I was able to put singing in to practice when I joined Glee Clubs in elementary school, performed at our local malls like Kings Plaza in Brooklyn, New York during the holidays, and school talent shows/plays. A few years later, I performed my first professional paid gigs with bands, dancers and as a solo act. I’ve had the opportunity to open up for local and major recording artists, perform at wedding receptions, HBCUs, corporate parties, talent/fashion shows, and television.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is AnnMarie Fox, and I love to entertain. I sing, dance, write and arrange my own music. I went viral on YouTube a few years back for singing popular cover tunes from artists like Aaliyah, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and more. I won the Online Music Award for Best Pop Act in 2012 which was presented by Ace of Base, received 2 Southern Entertainment Award nominations, an Independent Music Award nomination and performed locally and regionally. I was also featured as a dancer on VH1’s short-lived Dance Cam Slam and I also appeared on local television, radio, and podcast segments. It has been an amazing, independent journey thus far, and I learned so much. During my entertainment journey, I also learned to engineer and vocal produce using ProTools, PreSonus, and Logic Pro. I received my Audio Engineering certification from Full Sail University helping to fine tune some of the things I learned on my own. It was another skill that I wanted to sharpen so that I didn’t have to rely on anyone when I felt like producing and recording my own music.
As far as the music that I create, I’ve always referred to it as “Feel Good Music”. I grew up around a melting pot of cultures and music in Brooklyn, New York. I enjoy listening to multiple genres which include R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Classical, Rock, Metal, Soca, Reggae, Calypso, Bachata, Merengue, Bossa Nova and more. I love anything with a melody. Over time, I’ve experimented and infused many of those sounds. My musical content is generally about what I or others have experienced in life. With my upcoming, new musical project, I will specifically touch on why I’ve been absent from doing what I love. Some fans and friends are aware that I became a parent in the last few years. It has been one of the most humbling, challenging and enlightening experiences I will ever know. Parenthood is such a privilege. It certainly has inspired me to write and create from a broader perspective. I am also a survivor of domestic violence. I kept quiet for so long because I was embarrassed, sad and at times angry that those things actually happened to me. It has been therapeutic to not only speak about it with a therapist and other survivors of DV, but writing and expressing myself about it in the only way I knew how has helped tremendously. Music has always been my outlet for managing life’s stressors. A catch phrase that I live by and refer to as the AnnMarie Fox mantra is: “I aspire to inspire”. I hope that I inspire my peers, fans and friends to live fully, dance, embrace, be vulnerable and find their inner strength to be who they are meant to be. Live honestly. More importantly, speak your truth. No one can stop you from speaking your truth. This, of course, is not to be confused with slandering anyone.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
What I find most rewarding about my creative journey is learning. When I learned how to engineer and produce vocals with music, I was able to collaborate with virtually anyone! Thanks to the internet and production software, I had a chance to collaborate with people from all over the world and right here in the states. I am grateful to those I’ve met. I’ve made life long friends, business partners, in addition to being able to learn and teach as well.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I would like to see more artists paid appropriately for their music streams. Every musical artist takes the time, creativity and personal resources to create, promote and distribute their art. Although there are avenues for artists to distribute their work on many streaming applications, the royalty payout via popular platforms are really low. I would like to see that particular incentive change soon. Artists are continuing to lobby for this. Also, unless you’re in a performing arts school, there seems to be a lack of music programs in public schools or free music programs in local communities. Comicbook stores (which I love) made a come back. More musical programs and electives can too.
I used to teach dance and hold local private lessons for kids (formerly Fox Dance Productions). I also have experience guest teaching at different dance schools with ages ranging from toddlers to adults. One goal is to create community programs and avenues for kids to participate in performing arts training and musical events.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @redfoxsings
- Twitter: @redfoxsings
- Youtube: Youtube.com/AnnMarieFox
Image Credits
David Hill, Focused Foto Photography