erinicole

Most students can relate to the stress brought on by the demands of college life: new friends, navigating an unfamiliar environment, holding down a part time job, all while keeping up with school work. It is truly a balancing act.

For Anna Beljin, 22, college has been much more. As an aspiring musician at Ohio’s Miami University this early childhood education major realizes her time at Miami has not been the typical college experience.  

Over the past five years exposure has been her biggest goal. She has come out with two CDs now, “Broken Compass” and “When It Rains.” They are available on Amazon and iTunes. In addition, the albums are getting some airplay on different stations around the country.

In a recent review, CD Baby described Anna and Milovan Beljin as “a high wire act waiting to happen.”

Some of Belijin’s musical influences include singer-songwriter Jewel and Regina Spektor.

Since August, 2007 Beljin has been booked for performances almost every weekend. Despite a busy schedule, Beljin finds time for student orginization Campus Crusade for Christ. Anna said, “As far as academics, if I’m faced with the choice of studying that extra hour or practicing guitar, my music always wins.”

Beljin plays in the greater Cincinnati and Kentucky area with her father, Milovan. This father-daughter duo has become a hit at venues such as Chez-Nora and Harmony Hill Vineyard and Winery. They also perform at local coffee shops, fundraising events, private parties and weddings.

There is even a station in Norway that plays her music regularly. Beljin smiled and said, “I could be a star in Norway and not even know it!”

She has also tried her luck at American Idol and had a few showcases in Nashville, but both were a shot in the dark.

“It’s hard to describe the American Idol experience to anyone who hasn’t been through it. The first time I tried out I got in line at 3:00 AM and didn’t audition until 7:00 the next night. I had about 15 seconds to sing for 16 hours of waiting.”

Anna has auditioned 4 times in cities around the country and there are usually about 16,000 hopefuls at each city.

After graduation in May, Beljin plans to move out of Cincinnati, Ohio, but is unsure of where that will be. She plans to continue playing wherever she is with hopes of meeting that one person who can get her music career off the ground. Beljin said, “I feel really blessed about what I’ve already done with my music and wherever God wants me to be, I’ll go.”

As senior year comes to a close and graduation approaches, Anna gives one piece of advice, “I’ve come to learn that it’s important to dream, but you need to be happy where you are at the moment.”

Learn more about Anna & Milovan at http://annaandmilovan.com/

Click to watch an acoustic cover of Duffy’s Mercy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CGxH-SYDC8