Primary Instrument: Guitar
Anita Ferrer is a musical visionary and crusader who champions the underdog! Transcending a painful childhood and an abusive, failed marriage, she approaches life with passion, staunch determination and candor. Formerly passive and fearful, yet intensely creative, her dreams included becoming a rock star, fashion designer and writer. Childhood personal tragedies didn’t kill her dreams for long, for she enrolled in a local community college to break out of her shell. And break out she did, for she attacked her singing aspirations with a passionate vengeance. The late bloomer believes that, “You’re never too old to follow your dreams.” She jokingly retorts to friends who teasingly say she’s too old to get signed, “You’re just jealous!” In 1990, Mariah Carey’s debut and inspiring testimony of persistence and faith in the face of great odds was the leverage she used to aspire to her own success! She decided to infuse her biracial and multi-cultural influences into her music to carve a niche for her career. Favorite showcases were performing at the renowned Bitter End and Kenny’s Castaways in Manhattan, The Stone Pony and The Saint in her home town, Asbury Park, N.J. and being the monthly featured artist at Border’s Books. She also has appeared at several Clearwater Festivals. Anita’s following grew while playing at Starbuck’s in Sea Girt, N.J. for two years. Her favorite moments involved the children who watched her perform. She is still loyal though, to The Brighton Bar and the Saint where she was given her first breaks. A meaningful show was her contribution to “The Creation of Eve-Original Women of Rock” benefit at Harry’s Roadhouse in Asbury Park in September of 2003. The show’s purpose was to raise funds for the rape care program of “180-Turning Lives Around,” a cause Anita strongly believes in. Along with her performing, advocating for broken people in crisis has been her passion. Anita debuted with her first collaborative effort, “I’ll Fly High,” in 1996. The release was co-written with several talented songwriting partners. Chris Dargis, music critic for BUDO magazine wrote, “Anita’s not looking for celebrity status if it means sacrificing what’s truly important, educating younger people through music…Many of the tunes are inviting due to the awesome musicians involved…filled with love and relaxation of a higher being. Fun stuff!” The Asbury Park Press wrote, “She is most inspired with her religious songs. ‘He Believed in Me’ has a jazzy pop sound reminiscent of Swing Out Sister.” Disappointed and frustrated by male guitarists who never stuck around, Anita pondered her next move in her artistic growth. Her prayers were answered through a gifted friend who urged her to challenge herself and learn guitar. Leaving her with knowledge of the basics, she then bought a jazz chord book and starting writing songs for her second project, “Asbury Park Angel,” released in 2001. Delighted and delirious with her newfound ability to compose songs with an “out of the box” mentality, she grabbed the reins of her passionate creativity and merged her thought-provoking lyrics with unconventional chords. She approaches songwriting in much the same way she paints. Not content using only primary colors or chords, she experiments with many hues and textures until she is satisfied with expressing the exact mood or concept of her masterpiece. She wields her exquisite Taylor guitar as her tool of emancipation. When merged with her crystalline, 4-octave soprano voice, a conviction stirs your soul and reaches into your being, compelling you to face your demons and celebrate your victories. This is the goal of all her works. She inspires, “Reach in, reach out, reach heavenward and color your world!” . The quirky, vintage-attired songstress with the girlish lilt laughs at calamity with the panache of a seasoned, gallant warrior. Believing that spontaneity is the spice of life, she has delighted passersby with impromptu appearances at the Belmar boardwalk. Smiling as she strums her guitar, little children dance to the rhythm of “Dusty Sneakers” while others delight in petting her calico cat. Through it all, Anita continues to aspire to setting trends whether anybody likes it or not. She maintains her infectiously positive attitude, encouraging all to “Jump into the River of Life with Passion.”
