Christine Anu

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Christine Anu
Christine Anu 1.jpg
Christine Anu in 2007
Background information
Born (1970-03-15) 15 March 1970 (age 54)
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Origin Torres Strait Islander
Genres Pop
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, actress
Years active 1993 – present
Labels Independent
Website christineanu.com.au

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 performs at the 2000 Summer Paralympics Opening Ceremony

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 production of the stage musical Little Shop of Horrors in the same year.

Anu's stage career developed with a starring role in the original Australian production of 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
  • Second studio album
  • Released: 11 September 2000
  • Format: CD
 18
2003 45 Degrees
  • Third studio album
  • Released: 10 November 2003
  • Format: CD
 —
2005 Acoustically
  • First live album
  • Released: November 2005
  • Format: CD
 —
2007 Chrissy's Island Family
  • Fourth studio album
  • Released: July 2007
  • Format: CD
 —
2012 Rewind
  • Fifth studio album
  • Released: 2012
  • Format: CD
 —
2014 Island Christmas
  • First Christmas album
  • Released: 7 November 2014
  • Format: CD, digital download
 —

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

List of films and television shows featuring Christine Anu
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Dating the Enemy Minor role, first feature film[16]
1998 Wildside TV guest appearance[1][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"
2015 Ready for This Vee

Theatre and stage performances

List of theatre shows featuring Christine Anu
Year Title Role Notes
1997 Little Shop of Horrors Crystal David Atkins musical[17]
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. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Christine Anu's 45 Degrees. Abc.net.au. Retrieved on 12 June 2012.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald article on her departure from Popstars Live. Smh.com.au (14 April 2004). Retrieved on 12 June 2012.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Christine Anu – Australian chart history". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums". ARIA. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/whodoyouthinkyouare/episodes/detail/episode/1667/season/2
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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