BY Tharishi Hewavithanagamage

Music transcends time and borders. The variety of genres available today caters to everyone’s tastes in music, from classical music to rock, R&B, rap and more. Accessibility to songs today comes at the touch of a button, all provided by streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music. But the 90s era was very different and produced many songs that are considered timeless classics today. Apart from hip-hop and rap, genres like R&B and urban music became extremely popular in the 90s. Ground-breaking and eclectic most songs from the era were outcomes of bold experimentation and creative fusions.

Trends picked up with teen-pop and dance-pop music from boy bands and girl bands such as ‘NSync, The Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, TLC and Destiny’s Child to name a few. They topped charts around the world and their releases continue to transcend generations of avid listeners. Anne Rani— a successful singer, songwriter, producer and budding actress— spawned from the trendy 90s era. Sri Lankan by birth Anne was adopted by Danish parents in 1976, from an orphanage in Panadura at just eight months old. She was too young to have any recollection of her childhood and birth in Sri Lanka, she was fortunate enough to start her life in Denmark. Shooting to fame at a young age, Anne has seen and experienced it all. The Island was fortunate enough to speak to the Danish pop star who had very valuable insights to share based on her many experiences, especially as a female POC (person of color) making it big in the music industry. Her reputation in her native Denmark is based on her phenomenal success as a member of R&B trio “JUICE”.

Q. How did you get into the music scene?

From a very young age she was already gifted with the art of music. She started taking piano lessons at the age of six and looking back she says, “I loved music, and I was able to play by ear, so I often had trouble remembering notes.” She continues, “I was also part of the choir and I remember the teacher telling my parents that I should take singing classes”, which became the foundation for her career. Anne also went to America for eight months as an exchange student, which is where she was able to develop her English language skills. In the time she spent in America, she recalls the most amazing experiences that expanded her taste for music. She goes on, “In those eight months I had an amazing choir teacher. She was truly an inspiration and I still remember her to this day. She runs the most amazing choirs even today. To experience music like that, it was simply beautiful. I learned a lot about singing in harmony.”

She returned to Denmark to complete her education, but on the side, she would continue to make music. “After school I used to meet up with music producers, I would play in bands and go out performing too. I also used to make demo tapes with my producer back then”, Anne says. Her hard work paid off when, unbeknownst to her, one of her friends played her demo tapes for a producer from the leading record label in Denmark – EMI-Medley. “After hearing my demo, the producer contacted me, and that magical phone call completely changed my life”, Anne recalls.

The record label was already working on putting together a girl group and invited Anne to join. “I was only 19 years old at the time and I went to meet the team and the other girl who was chosen to join the project. I took the opportunity and my life changed in a flash.” Anne became a member of the Danish girl band JUICE alongside Lena Tahara and Maria Hamer. The group became very popular with their debut album and were instant chart toppers, both domestically and internationally. “We toured all over the world and performed at big venues like the Wembley arena in the UK. We also went on tour with the British boy band Five,” Anne says.

The group lasted for five years and released two albums in their active years. The trio also collaborated with songwriter Remee, S.O.A.P and Christina Undhjem on the song ‘Let Love Be Love’, which Anne says is ‘the biggest Christmas song in Denmark to this day’.

Q. What were your experiences like as a female artist and POC in the music industry?

While Anne considers herself very lucky to have received the opportunity to enter the music industry so early on in life, but also shared the less glamorous side to having so much fame at a very young age. “We were very young, and we didn’t know much about the industry. We were constantly traveling and promoting, and the experience was unique, but it was also hard. Not everyone gets to see the more difficult days we go through,” she says.

Going further, we discussed her experience as a female artist in the music industry and the difficulties she faced. “When I was young, I definitely had to prove that I was more than just a pretty face. Having a pretty face is said to be a good thing in showbiz, but sometimes you need to prove that there is more to you than just that. You need to carve out an identity for yourself and show that you are talented and capable of putting in the hard work and effort that goes into creating music. Regardless of gender people will always be quick to judge and question your abilities, so it’s important to prove yourself.” She was often told that as a female artist she had to work harder to ensure she could leave her mark in the industry.

The music industry has always wrestled with inclusion, diversity and gender disparity. Many POC musicians have been subject to marginalization, despite being highly talented and widely popular among listeners. In addition, female artists in particular have been treated differently in comparison to their male counterparts.

From big names like Missy Elliot and J-LO, to popular boy and girl bands, the music industry in the 90s saw an insane influx of music and a variety of artists. “In the 90s when R&B music broke through, artists like Missy Elliott and Jennifer Lopez, were thrust into the limelight. There was this explosion of Black and Latin music culture, All of a sudden, it became ‘cool’ and ‘trendy’ to be someone of color and people became swept up in it. This worked to my advantage as I actually had some skin color,” Anne says. Diversity played a key role in their group as well, seeing as the JUICE trio came from mixed cultures and backgrounds. “None of us looked Danish and we sort of became part of the trend. At the time we were truly fortunate as female artists from varying backgrounds to get our foot in the door,” Anne adds.

The changing times and ensuing digitalization has pushed topics of discrimination, gender disparity and lack of diversity in the industry to the forefront. Fans and critics have been vocal about such injustices via social media platforms. Anne agrees that people today are very socially aware and are having more open discussions about such subject matters, that would not have seen the light of day in the past.

Q. After bidding goodbye to your days as a group, was it difficult to find your footing as a soloist?

Although she had already formed an identity for herself and a reputation in the industry, as she embarked on her solo career, she found herself being too dependent on finding a producer to help construct her visions. “It is wonderful to work with others and as a team. But as an artist, being able to pen out what’s on your mind is important. Nobody can ever really understand what you mean until you show it yourself. Producers cannot read minds and how everyone experiences music is very different,” she says. “I grew up listening to artists like the late Prince, Michael Jackson and Madonna. I grew up dreaming of achieving such success. Artists like Prince were really inspirational, because he could play instruments, write and produce too. To be an artist capable of doing many things is exciting,” Anne adds.

With help from her friends in the industry and tons of YouTube tutorials she felt liberated as she was now able to create and manifest her own sketches before handing them to a producer who could fine-tune her work. Anne released her first debut single in 2009 called ‘Fall’. Since then, Anne has collaborated with various artists such as Andy Taylor (Duran Duran), performed at famous venues like Pacha Ibiza and even released five singles.

The music industry today has expanded, and the market has expanded greatly in comparison to the 90s. Bigger labels have more money involved and are taking on more chances of discovering talented individuals who can create unique pieces of music that will stick around for a long time. The digital age has also given people more access and options to create music and express themselves freely. Anne believes that it is a great opportunity for budding young talent to make their way into the industry

“Music can be enjoyed in many different ways, despite the changing times”, Anne concludes.

Q. Have you visited Sri Lanka? How have you approached the idea of reconnecting with your roots?

“To me everything Sri Lankan is interesting as I didn’t grow up there. I haven’t been able to make frequent visits, but I aim to do so in the future. I’m always looking to meet more Sri Lankans and experience the culture and learn more about its history as well,” Anne says. She also hopes to connect with her fans in Sri Lanka and welcomes the idea of working and collaborating with Sri Lankan musicians in the future.

Q. What are you up to these days?

While she isn’t currently working on any music, she is exploring the world of film and acting. “I played a small role in a Danish TV series and since then my curiosity has piqued. I’m enthusiastic about exploring the world of acting and I hope to see where it will take me. It’s refreshing to do something else,” Anne says.