Photo courtesy of Annemarie Jo
Annemarie Jo has always been destined for the stage. From her childhood piano lessons with her sister to drawing inspiration from iconic Motown legends, music has been a constant in her life. Influenced by artists like Billy Joel and Tina Turner, she refuses to be confined to a single genre; her music is a vibrant mix of storytelling, soul, and infectious energy. Recently, she performed the National Anthem at Comerica Park as the Detroit Tigers prepared to face the Yankees. Now, she is gearing up for the release of her latest single, “Excuse Me (While I Lose My Cool),” and a year filled with new music and festival performances. Annemarie Jo is proving that her artistry is as dynamic as the city that raised her.
Michigan Chronicle: You’ve been singing since you could talk—how did music first become such a big part of your life, and do you remember the moment you realized it was your true passion?
Annemarie Jo: I definitely came from a musical family. My dad, although he doesn’t admit it is a great singer, had a great love for music and played guitar. My grandpa is actually what got me interested into being musical myself and performing. I started piano at the age of five. My sister is an amazing pianist herself, and so she would always make me practice with her and record and post on YouTube at way too young of an age.
MC: Your musical influences range from Billy Joel to Tina Turner. How have these iconic artists shaped your sound, and what do you think sets your music apart from theirs?
AJ:I listened to just a plethora of different genres growing up, like Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Fleetwood Mac, The Temptations, and everything in between. I’ve always had a hard time boxing myself in and pulling myself into a single genre. I had such great influences, and I wanted to make music similar to all these artists, but I think it also helped shape my music. I take a little bit from each of these artists that I grew up on. I think my voice and my style of singing come from some of these bluesy, soulful artists like Janis Joplin or Tina Turner. But then my love for lyrics and a story behind each song is from amazing writers that I grew up listening to, like Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, or Bob Dylan. My love for full instrumentation and listening to all these artists definitely comes from my Motown. So I think just shaping my sounds and all these different influences helps my unique sound and is a little bit of everything.
MC: Can you walk us through the creation of your new single, “Excuse Me (While I Lose My Cool)”—what inspired it, and how did it come to life?
AJ: This song was a let loose kind of a song, and my writing, recording and music video, I had that mentality just to kind of align with the meaning of the song. Unlike my other single that I released earlier last year, Cherry on Top, this one took much, much longer, and I was okay with that. I had this idea of what I wanted, and wanted to bring this energy and life into Excuse Me While I Lose my Cool. It’s all about a night out and leaving your worries behind.
MC: Detroit has a rich musical history. How has the city’s culture influenced your journey as an artist?
AJ: Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and Temptations had such a great influence on my music and writing. Diana Ross, in particular, was an artist I was listening to at a young age with my mom. Although my mom is not a musical herself, her love of music and her love of great artists definitely carved out who I am today. Motown artists sing and perform with such emotion and energy, and I think that that’s something that stuck out for me as a kid. They brought to life their music, just putting their full heart into it with no regard for fitting boundaries or stereotypes but just full dedication to their music and their work.
MC: If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
AJ: If I could pick past artists, I would pick Tina Turner; she worked 100% for what she deserved. A current artist I would love to work with is Amber Mark. Her music is so groove-heavy but authentic. She is definitely somebody that I follow, and I really respect her music and absolutely love her.
MC: What’s next? Are there any upcoming projects, performances, or surprises fans should look out for?
AJ: I’m definitely writing and planning to get the studio very soon to release some new music. A goal of mine in 2025 is to do more festivals, especially some new ones. I did a lot of the Blake’s Festivals last year. Arts Beats and Eats. I’m back at Arts Beats and Eats this year and CorkTown Detroit Festivals. I’m looking forward to meeting new fans and new faces and connecting with more people.
Annemarie Jo performing on Live in the D, courtesy of Annemarie Jo
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