Rising Stars: Meet Anika Robles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anika Robles.

Hi Anika, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
I am a hard rock and hair metal guitar player born in Lima, Peru, on June 3rd of 2000. I first picked up the guitar at the age of 11 years old, taking lessons at home once a week. This was a fun side thing for me, wondering if I would ever be able to make this into my life career. The very first time I stood on a stage was back in 2014 at my school’s talent show: I performed the guitar part for “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin all by myself. A few months later, I had some performance opportunities in some other school events and even at local clubs with some of the bands that I was in. That is when I discovered my love for performing. 

Right after high school, I attended a small music institute in my hometown called “Music College Peru.” One of my teachers from that school showed me the iconic music video of Steve Vai’s live performance of “Bad Horsie” at The Astoria, making me want to become a professional guitarist and performer. I received more training on guitar technique, improvisation, and some theory, which helped me to get into Berklee College of Music on Summer 2019. 

I graduated Berklee on 2022 with a degree in Performance and a minor in Private Studio Teaching. Since then, I have been performing around the Massachusetts area and New York. I had the opportunity to play guitar for the singer and songwriter Jessica Woodlee in venues such as Mercury Lounge, The Bitter End, and Rockwood Music Hall (both in NY and Boston). 

Currently, I have my own rock cover band called “Valhalla”: we perform tunes by bands such as Heart, Winger, Whitesnake, Toto, Foreigner, Def Leppard, and more! I also play in a rock band known as REMY, which is Remy Roskin’s original material. Remy is a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and composer who I have been working with since Fall 2022. Moreover, I was recently hired as the lead guitarist for the MSF Band, led by Michael Firicano. The MSF Band is a full-time cover band, mainly rock but we also do some of today’s most popular pop songs. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was definitely not easy, as music is a very competitive industry. I believe that in order to stand out, you need to have confidence, dedication, and, of course, drive. There can be nights in which I stay up until 3:00 AM because I want to keep practicing “Eruption” by Van Halen, which is by far my favorite section to do with the MSF Band. As I currently do “GB Gigs”, playing the songs as written is a big part of it, therefore, I believe that knowing the material and working on details is the key to succeed in this area. 

Another aspect is finding the time to also work on your own project. I want to start writing my original songs, and I want them to be instrumental rock, inspired by my heroes: Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Eric Johnson (these are my instrumental rock inspirations; if we talk about guitarists in general; I have a very long list!). It is a major responsibility to commit to working with bands, which I am very passionate for. However, I am working on finding the time to sit down and compose while I am also on top of my stuff for the cover bands and REMY. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a guitarist, but I am also a performer: being onstage is my favorite thing in the world. My specialty is rock, but I can also play blues, funk, metal, jazz, and Latin. I have recently started to work on some classical guitar as well (nylon string) and got to perform with the New England Guitar Orchestra back in February this year. I am proud of my growth as a musician and as a person, I think that working on your field every single day makes a massive progress on what you do and who you are. In addition, I am proud to say that I am an Ernie Ball artist: a lot of people from the industry who I admire, and respect are endorsed by this company, therefore, I am proud to say that I am one of them too. 

Speaking of what sets me apart from others, I would say my charisma and stage presence are very unique qualities of mine. Including the way I “go off” soloing, my interactions with my bandmates and audience, and the way I carry myself throughout the show. 

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
The time I went to see Aerosmith back in my hometown when I was 11 years old! 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anika_guitarist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anika.mladineofranco
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikarobles/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCueVvVXJ4eK-53_ryBwF05g

Image Credits
Raisa Akhtar
Katherine Foster
Kerri Martin
Alex Lyon