ANYA Majors ( Nikita ) One Word - Karussell, 1987 Rocket Records

 

Anya Major: Career, Association with Elton John, and Recorded Output

Anya Major is an English athlete, model, actress, and occasional singer who became internationally known after portraying the title character in Elton John’s 1985 music video “Nikita”, from the album Ice on Fire. Her striking appearance and Cold War–era imagery made her performance in the video iconic and closely associated her public image with the song.

Following this exposure, Anya Major briefly pursued a music career of her own. As a direct spin-off from her appearance in Nikita, she released a single under the name Anya, adopting a deliberately stylized Eastern European persona that echoed the character she portrayed in the video.

Recording Career and Rocket Records

In 1985, Anya released the single “Moscow Nights”, issued by The Rocket Record Company, the label founded by Elton John. The record was marketed to visually and conceptually mirror her role in Nikita: on the sleeve artwork she appears dressed in a similar style, and the performance includes a deliberate Russian-style accent.

The single was released as a 7-inch vinyl and included the B-side “How Can I?”. This remains her only confirmed release connected to Rocket Records. No full-length album was produced, and there is no evidence of further studio recordings made for the label.

Later Release

In 1987, Anya Major released another single titled “One Word”, issued by the Karussell label. This appears to be her final known commercial music release and was not connected to Elton John or Rocket Records.

Discography (verified)

Singles

• Moscow Nights / How Can I? — 7" single, Rocket Records, 1985

• One Word — 7" single, Karussell, 1987

Legacy and Historical Context

Anya Major’s musical output was brief and limited, consisting only of a small number of singles rather than a full recording career. Her significance in music history is primarily connected to her visual and cultural impact through Elton John’s Nikita video, which remains one of the most recognizable pop videos of the 1980s.

Her recordings are now considered obscure collector items, mainly of interest to researchers and collectors documenting:

• Rocket Records’ lesser-known releases

• Spin-off projects related to Elton John

• Short-lived 1980s pop careers tied to visual media

• Archival material connected to music video culture

Today, Anya Major is best remembered as a symbolic figure linking pop music, visual storytelling, and Cold War–era aesthetics, with a small but well-defined discography that reflects this unique moment in 1980s popular culture.

Anya Major: From Apple’s “1984” to Elton John’s Nikita — Career, Recordings, and Legacy

Anya Major is an English athlete, model, actress, and occasional singer whose cultural significance is rooted in two iconic visual moments of the 1980s: her appearance in Apple’s legendary “1984” television commercial and her role as the title character in Elton John’s 1985 music video “Nikita.”

Apple’s 1984 Commercial

Anya Major achieved international visibility when she starred as the unnamed heroine in Apple Computer’s “1984” commercial, directed by Ridley Scott and broadcast during the Super Bowl XVIII in January 1984. The advertisement, inspired by George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, became one of the most influential commercials in advertising history.

In the commercial, Major portrayed the athletic rebel who disrupts a totalitarian broadcast by throwing a hammer into the screen — a powerful symbol of individuality and resistance. This appearance made her instantly recognizable worldwide and established her visual identity as a strong, futuristic figure associated with Cold War–era imagery.

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Keywords

Anya Major, Elton John, Nikita, Rocket Records, Moscow Nights, How Can I, One Word, 1980s pop, music video history, rare singles, discography, archival research

Hashtags

#AnyaMajor #EltonJohn #Nikita #RocketRecords #MoscowNights #RareSingles #MusicHistory #1980sPop #Discography #ArchivalResearch