What can a classical pianist do without her sheet music?

For Anja Kotar, the answer was to begin writing her own songs.

Kotar’s single “A Study in Waiting,” released Aug. 7, reflects her pursuit to romanticize her life. Filmed at the Pulgas Water Temple in San Mateo County, the music video brings that sense of playfulness to life for her fans.

But Kotar’s whimsical approach to music has a story rooted in change.

Born in Slovenia, Kotar moved across the world with her family 14 years ago, arriving in the Bay Area just before her sophomore year of high school.

“In the actual moment, I didn’t perceive the move as an event of such magnitude,” Kotar said. “I arrived two days before school started—it was a sink-or-swim situation, and I had to adapt really quickly.”

Trained as a classical pianist, Kotar arrived in the Bay Area without her piano, which was packed into a large shipping container along with her sheet music. In the meantime, she had only a practice room at school.

“I started playing around with the piano and serendipitously wrote my first song,” Kotar said. “It was the catalyst for me to start writing my own music. Had I not been constrained by circumstance, I don’t know how that would have come about.”

Kotar went on to release her debut project, NOMAD, funded through Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform. Her culture continues to influence her music.

“I find it incredibly valuable to have different perspectives,” said Kotar. “Knowing life in Europe and knowing life here allows me to try and look at the world through a wider lens. I try to keep as much of my Slovenian and European heritage alive as possible.”

One way Kotar maintains that connection is by incorporating classical music into her songwriting.

Kotar’s calendar project of songs, “12 Months,” was produced and recorded throughout 2025, with a new installment released each month.

“Each of those songs includes an interpolation,” said Kotar. “So, I use a melody from a famous classical music piece in each of those songs. It’s a way for me to bridge my past as a classical pianist with what I do now.”

Kotar’s current project, “At The Bookstore,” draws on many of the same inspirations, with each song named after a book title or cover she has come across.

For Kotar, songwriting is also a way to preserve her experiences beyond the moment.

“I like to think of my songwriting as a way to immortalize my life,” said Kotar. “As much of a hyperbole as it sounds like, once something is released, it’s out there forever. Through the last few years, I’ve been documenting my experience and turning it into a musical version of my life.”

Her approach to documenting life extends beyond songwriting to the visual elements of her work.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Kotar parted ways with her professional videographer and began creating content at home with the resources she had available.

“I started filming everything at home, on my iPhone, with my parents helping me set up,” said Kotar. “Traditionally, as an independent artist, you’re always looking for a way to execute your vision on a budget. Now it’s a part of my artist identity.”

That hands-on approach also influences the places Kotar chooses to film. When brainstorming a location for the “A Study in Waiting” music video, she turned to the Pulgas Water Temple in San Mateo County, which caught her attention because of its architecture.

“I kept seeing it on Instagram and TikTok,” said Kotar. “I thought it was such an unusual aesthetic for the Bay Area. It looks very Tuscan or European, and I was fascinated by its random placement in this environment.”

The song’s cover art follows a similar visual style. While Kotar’s mother filmed the video, Slovenian illustrator and graphic designer Vida Igličar helped shape the artwork.

Through her illustrations, Igličar has helped Kotar cultivate an aesthetic rooted in romanticizing the everyday while maintaining a connection to her Slovenian heritage.

That same appreciation for beauty in the ordinary is central to Kotar’s creative philosophy.

“I’m very much a firm believer that one of the keys to a profoundly good life is trying to find a little bit of magic and beauty in the simplicity of everyday moments,” said Kotar. “That’s much easier said than done, but I think the goal is to try and find just a little bit of magic in that and try to pull back the curtain on these seemingly ordinary moments that actually carry a lot of wonder.”

The Logistics

“A Study in Waiting” is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms.

To learn more about Anja Kotar, visit her website here.

When asked to describe her music in one word, Kotar chose “joyful.”