Christine Anu
| Christine Anu | |
|---|---|
|
Christine Anu in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
15 March 1970 Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
| Origin | Torres Strait Islander |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actress |
| Years active | 1993 – present |
| Labels | Independent |
| Website |
christineanu |
Christine Anu (born 15 March 1970) is an Australian pop singer and actress. She gained popularity with the release of her song "My Island Home" and has won several ARIA Music Awards.
Biography
Early life
Anu was born on 15 March 1970 in Cairns, Queensland,[1] to a Torres Strait Islander mother from Saibai.[2][3]
Music career
Anu began performing as a dancer and later went on to sing back-up vocals for The Rainmakers, which included Neil Murray of the Warumpi Band. Her first recording was in 1993 with "Last Train", dance remake of a Paul Kelly song. The follow-up, "Monkey and the Turtle", was based on a traditional story. After "My Island Home", she released her first album, Stylin' Up which went platinum,[1] and also gained her a position as a spokeswoman for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.
In 1995, Neil Murray won an Australasian Performing Right Association songwriting award for writing "My Island Home". Christine Anu won an ARIA Award for best female recording artist as well as a Deadly Sounds National Aboriginal & Islander Music Awards Award in 1996 for best female artist.
Baz Luhrmann asked her to sing on the song "Now Until the Break of Day" on his Something for Everybody album. It was released as a single and the video then won another ARIA award and led to her being cast in Moulin Rouge!.[1]
It took five years for a follow-up to Stylin' Up to be released; 2000's Come My Way made her a mainstream star. The single "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" was a Top 40 hit for 13 weeks in Australia. Come My Way went gold.[1] In 2000 she sang the song "My Island Home" at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony.[4]
Anu has been nominated for 16 ARIA Awards.[5]
On 26 September 2010, she released a new digital only single, "Come Home". This is her first solo single since 2003.
On 7 November 2014, Anu released a Christmas album, titled Island Christmas[6]
Acting and TV career
Anu has also had an acting plus TV career. She appeared in Dating the Enemy, a 1996 Australian film starring Guy Pearce and Claudia Karvan. She then appeared in an Australian stage version of the Little Shop of Horrors in the same year.
Anu's stage career developed with a starring role in Rent in 1998 and 1999. Anu was offered a role in a Broadway production of this musical but had to decline due to commitments in recording her second album. Her links with Baz Luhrmann led to him offering her a part in Moulin Rouge!. In 2003, she appeared as Kali in The Matrix Reloaded and played the character on the video game Enter the Matrix.
In 2004, she became a judge on Popstars Live, a television quest broadcast on the Seven Network at 6.30 pm on Sunday night in Australia along the lines of Australian Idol. The program failed to achieve a similar level of success, leading network executives to pressure the judges to offer harsher criticism of the contestants. Christine Anu refused to offer harsher criticism, leading to her resignation as a judge in April 2004. In a statement issued on her departure, she said: "I chose to play a positive role model and wanted to encourage these young people in their endeavours, rather than criticise them. Although leaving Popstars Live was a difficult decision for me to make, I do feel somewhat relieved that I can now focus on my music."[7]
Anu reappeared on television in 2012, in the Australian sci-fi television series Outland, about a gay sci-fi fan club. Anu plays wheelchair using Rae, the sole female member of the group. Also in 2012 she participated in Who Do You Think You Are[8]
Radio
Anu will present the evenings program on 702 ABC Sydney in 2016, initially co-hosting with existing host Dom Knight before hosting solo.[9]
Personal life
Anu married her childhood sweetheart, Simon Deutrom, in 2010.[10][11] Anu is a mother of two: eldest son Kuiam (born 1996), daughter Zipporah (born 2002)[1][10][12] Zipporah's father is actor Rodger Corser.[13]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album details | Chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [14] | |||
| 1995 | Stylin' Up
|
21 | |
| 2000 | Come My Way
|
18 |
|
| 2003 | 45 Degrees
|
— | |
| 2005 | Acoustically
|
— | |
| 2007 | Chrissy's Island Family
|
— | |
| 2012 | Rewind
|
— | |
| 2014 | Island Christmas
|
— |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [14] | |||
| 1993 | "Last Train" (with Paul Kelly) |
93 | N/A |
| 1995 | "Monkey & the Turtle" | — | Stylin' Up |
| "Island Home" | 67 | ||
| "Party" | 20 | ||
| "Come On" | 95 | ||
| 1997 | "Now Until the Break of Day" (with David Hobson and Royce Doherty) |
50 | Something for Everybody |
| 2000 | "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" | 26 | Come My Way |
| "Jump to Love"/"Island Home" | 58 | ||
| 2001 | "'Coz I'm Free" | 86 | |
| 2003 | "Talk About Love" | 85 | 45 Degrees |
| 2008 | "Takin' It to the Streets" (with Deni Hines) |
— | N/A |
| 2010 | "Come Home" | — | |
| 2014 | "Beat of Your Heart" | — | |
Filmography
Films and television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Wildside | TV guest appearance[1][16] | |
| 1996 | Dating the Enemy | Minor role, first feature film[17] | |
| 2001 | Moulin Rouge! | Dancer | [1] |
| 2003 | The Matrix Reloaded | Kali | Also lent voice to video game Enter the Matrix[18] |
| 2000 | It's a Wiggly Wiggly World | Herself | The Wiggles video and album[19] |
| 2004 | Popstars Live | Judge | [20] |
| 2004 | Play School | ||
| 2007 | Toasted TV | ||
| 2009 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | Episode "Christine Anu" aired 18 October 2009[21] |
| 2012 | Outland | Rae | Lead role[22] |
| 2012 | Excess Baggage | Herself | Celebrity contestant[23] |
| 2013 | Dance Academy | Summer | Episode "Travelling Light" |
Theatre and stage performances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal | David Atkins musical[16] |
| 1998–99 | Rent | Mimi | Australian stage musical[24] |
| 2013 | South Pacific | Bloody Mary | Musical[25][26] |
| 2014 | Parramatta Girls |
Awards and nominations
ARIA Awards
| Year | Award[5] | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Best Video | "Last Train" | Nominated |
| Breakthrough Artist – Single | Nominated | ||
| 1995 | Best Indigenous Release | Stylin' Up | Won |
| Breakthrough Artist – Album | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| Album of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Song of the Year | "Island Home" | Nominated | |
| 1996 | Best Indigenous Release | "Come On" | Won |
| Best Pop Release | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Artist | Won | ||
| 1998 | Best Video | "Now Until the Break of Day" | Won |
| 2000 | Engineer of the Year | "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" | Won |
| Best Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 2001 | Best Pop Release | Come My Way | Nominated |
| Best Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 2007 | Best Children's Album | Chrissy's Island Family | Nominated |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Keenan, Catherine (18 January 2003). "Frog princess". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
- ↑ "Christine Anu – Biography". BiggestStars.com. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
- ↑ "Christine Anu". Who Do You Think You Are?. Season 2. Episode 4. 18 October 2009. 3:55 minutes in. Special Broadcasting Service. SBS One.
- ↑ Christine Anu's 45 Degrees. Abc.net.au. Retrieved on 12 June 2012.
- 1 2 "History: Winners by Artist: Christine Anu". ARIA Awards. Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 18 May 2009.
- ↑ "Island Christmas - Christine Anu". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ↑ Sydney Morning Herald article on her departure from Popstars Live. Smh.com.au (14 April 2004). Retrieved on 12 June 2012.
- ↑ "Season 2 episodes | Who Do You Think You Are on SBS". Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ Bodey, Michael (4 December 2015). "Wendy Harmer to replace Linda Mottram on 702 ABC Sydney". The Australian. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Christine Anu". Ngarralinyi 2TLP Community Indigenous Radio. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ↑ "Christine Anu: My Facebook wedding". New Idea. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ↑ "Christine Anu". Essential Baby. 25 September 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ↑ "Rush star Rodger Corser and Renae Berry expecting first child together". Herald Sun. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- 1 2 "Christine Anu – Australian chart history". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
- 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums". ARIA. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
- 1 2 "Gig of the week: Christine Anu". Sea Cliff Coast. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ "Catching up with Christine Anu". Deadly Vibe. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ Screen World - John Willis - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ "WIGGLES, THE: IT'S A WIGGLY WIGGLY WORLD | Roadshow Entertainment". Roadshow.co.nz. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ "Anu: Why I quit - TvRadio". www.smh.com.au. 14 April 2004. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/whodoyouthinkyouare/episodes/detail/episode/1667/season/2
- ↑ Vickery, Colin (31 January 2012). "Excess Baggage's Christine Anu ready to star in ABC sitcom Outland". News.com.au. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ "Christine Anu". Channelnine.ninemsn.com.au. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ "Australia's Rent Premieres in Sydney Nov. 4". Playbill.com. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ Words By Robert Dunstan. "South Pacific Music - Festival Theatre Adelaide". Ripitup.com.au. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ "Christine Anu: The New Bloody Mary". Stage Whispers. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
External links
- Christine Anu official web site
- Christine Anu Internet Movie Database article
- Allmusic Christine Anu entry
- Intimate and Deadly
- Black is Blue tour
- Interview with Christine Anu
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