September 7, 2024 • 11 mins
Famed Kiwi singer, songwriter and broadcaster Anika Moa has broken away from the spotlight to focus on smaller projects.
She's recently released her first children's book, The Witch of Maketu - and she's set to star in Auckland Theatre company's retelling of Peter Pan this October.
She says acting on stage is a different experience off the back of the long-running radio career.
"When they offered me the part, I was like - I can't act, I can't do this, I can't learn lines. And then I'm like - try. Try and do it, because you love the thrill of live audiences, you love entertaining people."
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Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now, I last caught up with a Nika Moore a
couple of years ago, although it does seem like just yesterday,
but apparently it was a couple of years ago. You
left your job in radio.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
I'm back here now you're back, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Let me finish my introduction. Sorry, And at the time,
Anica was looking to live life on her own terms
and find some smaller creative projects. And I think she's
been rocking that goal because she's been hugely busy. There
is a children's book, The Witch of Mukatu in stores now.
She's also working in theater and I've heard a rumor
that there is more music on the way, which would
be very exciting, and she's here to tell me all
about it.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Good morning, and Nika, good morning. It's so weird being
back here because I used to work down stairs and
I you know, your producers are are you tracking? And
I'm not that oh you do. But the thing is
is that I loved working in radio. I just couldn't
work underneath with a boss. But that's my new neurodiversity.
So I'm thriving as a parent because I talk about
(01:06):
a time I'm off to just to be a mum.
I just wanted to be a mum, and then I
just started writing again. So I've written songs for a
new adult album. I've written this book, The Watchmaker two
and The Bleating Lambs, and I'm about to be an
actor in a play called Peter Pan. We started rehearsals
last week and the directors auditioned me for a one role,
(01:27):
and then they gave me a non speaking role. I
don't think they realize I can act. So now I
speak Gaelic and I'm a meonmaid. Can I sing a lot?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
We'll get to that in just a moment. Tell me
about the children's book, because this is the first book
you've writch on.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It's the first of three, and it is the first
book I've written and published. I've written many children's stories
in my head and told my kids' stories every night,
but this is the story. It goes on from the
Watchermuka two that I sing about in my songs for
Bubba's albums, and she's just a hopeless witch. She's hopeless,
she just can't do anything right and it's about her.
(02:08):
You know. She's got tender, tender, juicy morsels or lambs.
She's got like eight of them or six of them,
and they just bleed all night, keeping her awake. So
she has to come up with a cunning plan, a
very evil plan, to pretty much shut them up. And
that's where the story goes. She goes on a venture.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I know that, I know that there was a few
publishers who were very keen for you to write a memoir.
Did you go? That might take it a little bit
too long, But I've got a children's book of me.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I don't like autobiographies, right, I think that when you
write about your life, you're also bringing other people into
your life, and I don't I think that's disrespectful because
I think you'd want everyone to be on the same
page as you. But I like the idea of novels.
I like the idea of making up stories that sort
(03:00):
of are about you, but not about you.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So I like that.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And your whole life is a memoir, you know, ol
when I'm unraiding out there, it's all out there, but
not for a show for creativity's sake, Because when you're
a creative person, like me and a but you know, crazy,
you tend to come up with some wild, far out
things and it's lovely.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
And is that why you like entertaining and writing for children?
M because you can exercise that.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah. And it's also a way of therapy as well
and making getting people to laugh and making people happy.
And it's that people pleaser in me that wants to
be the best I can for my kids and for
audiences so that they can go home and and get
that warm, fuzzy feeling or be offended by me, which
I've had emails and people go, well you offend me
(03:50):
that day. I'm like, oh, sorry about it.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Now tell me about playing the Mermaid. So this is
This is in the upcoming Auclid Theater Company's Peter Pan.
Have you done much theater?
Speaker 3 (04:04):
The last play I did was in said form at
Hornby High School when I was eighteen.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
It's so brave of you to say yes to this.
Is it brave or I think it is?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Is another step into taking a risk, And I don't
really think. When they offered me the part, I was like,
I can't act, I can't do this, I can't learn lines.
I can't And then I'm like you know what, try
try and do it because you love the thrill of
live audiences, you love entertaining people.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
That's a good point. You're used to a live audience.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, see, I'm not.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That's my problem.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I can't.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, absolutely fine here in the studio, great, but I'm
a bit terrified of a live audience.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
But acting is a lot harder than people think. Like everyone,
a lot of people will look at the TV and
just or you know, anything, just like anyone could do that,
and it's not. I died on Shortland Street in a
plane crash many years ago with Kirsty and Lionel. They
gave me three lines. I think they cut them all. Yeah,
so I just died. I think they thought that's all
we can do with this this. I found it very
(05:08):
hard to make it look natural, sound natural. It's just
it's a lot more difficult when you're putting this sort
of manufactured. This is talking about television, you know, and
people are filming you and you sort of It's just
I couldn't do it. It just I just have to
good at dying.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I'm not an experienced actor. But one thing I find
is if I just take away the ego take away
and just not think. Just don't think too much. Yeah,
if you ever think it, you'd start mucking up your lines.
And I like improv. I like you know, so when
I went for my first rehearsal, I improv. And so
(05:44):
they're writing a script around my amum, okay great, and
then I have to learn a few lines, but they're
all in Gaelic.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So right, yeah, and how is the Gaelic coming?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
And even read the spy.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
This is going really well?
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Have you done?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I suppose some of your TV shows is a slightly
alter ego of yours.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
It's funny because a lot of people are like, wow,
you're nuts. I have Paul Kessley writing my scripts. Everything
I do is scripted except for all the rude moments
and silly moments, so he scripts everything. Everything I'm saying
is scripted, So it is kind of acting.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, so that, yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Maybe I am an actor.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I think you are. I claim it. You're going to
be in an Auckland Theater Company production. Yeah, absolutely are. Yeah,
I'm started. Yeah, tell me about the music that you're writing.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, I've been seeing a therapist for five months every
single week, and I'm going to see her she's amazing
for another year and a half. And what comes out
of those sessions are a lot of trauma, a lot
of PTSD, all that kind of stuff, very personal, and
I just go home and sat at my kitchen table
and write music. Now and the kids are at school,
(07:01):
they're old enough, and so I've written these songs.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That are very, very very sad.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
And very very Uneca Moorish Circuit to two thousand and one.
I'm taking it back to simplicity and not thinking too
much about who my audience is, because I feel like
my audience is me and this is part of my therapy,
and people that listen to it when it's recorded and out,
(07:30):
I think it will gel with a lot of manawahine
and a lot of people who struggle with looking at
themselves in the mirror and accepting themselves. Because I may
seem like a really happy, go lucky you know out
there world lady, I'm sensitive. I've got a lot of
(07:54):
self doubt and self hatred, all those kinds of things
you know we all do, right, we all do. So
I'm trying to spin all of that into my music
so that I can heal myself and hopefully all other people.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
I did about five sessions of therapy last year, maybe
when I was just needing a bit of help, knowing
how to support somebody else in my life who needed
some help. And you know, we do therapy for lots
of different reasons. And do you know what I thought
to myself, I see why Americans go to therapy all
the time. This is so good, you know, I sing it.
(08:28):
If I could afford to, I'd absolutely be in here
regularly like it was. It was just so beneficial.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Well, because I think a lot of mothers, especially or
you know, we give, give, give, We don't. We put
us our glass, we have our cold coffee, we eat
the cold food. And this is an hour where we
get to be listen to because no one listens to us.
I mean, my kids don't listen to me half the time.
(08:56):
You need therapy just having kids.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I'm so excited to hear what you're doing because after
you know, the last time we spoke you'd left Rady
when you were talking about wanting to do smaller creative projects. Yes,
I feel like where you're at now, it's good. It's
where you want to This is where you wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
A raiety place. This is this is. I mean, I'm
still running around like a like a turkey, you know,
school drop offs, pickups, that sports, bloody bloody blah. But
I'm doing exactly what i want when I want, and
it's brilliant and I'm so stoked that the Auckland Theater
Company saw something in me. I'm stoked to be riding
again and I'm just can't wait for summer so i
(09:36):
can get a tan. Are you enjoying the variety? Yeah, yep,
it's fantastic. It's it's lovely because it's not the same
every day. Sorry about that.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Well, I guess you also now have that time and
space to be creative.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
That makes a difference too, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Yeah, but it's a bit harder to pay the mortgage,
but I've just got to get on with it. Basically.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
There's always that trade off though, right Yeah. Hustle hustle,
Yeah yeah, And we spend a lot of time focusing
on the hustle.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah. I find the hustle really exciting, and it's like,
I don't know what I'm going to do next year.
I've got a couple of gigs book, but I don't
know what I'm gonna do maybe I'm gonna write another book,
who knows. And I love that. I love that insecurity.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Do you have the time to focus on your health though, too?
I mean, obviously I'm just mentioned about the therapy because
that's really important as well, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Yeah. No, I'm are out walking every day, trying to
eat as many vegetables as I can and keeping on
top of my diabetes. And you know, last night I
went to a food patrol gig and it was way
past my bedtime. But Julia's a really dear friend of mine,
and Anna Colington and I were like in the back
sweating with our perimnimum paus symptoms. I kept on going
for wheeze and I was like, oh god, this music's
(10:52):
too loud. It's too hot in here. So I had time,
you know, with my friends. But oh it's hard trying
to be young. And you know, I was dancing and yeah,
but every time I dart, oh ny did we you know?
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Oh, Anika, It's always a pleasure to catch up with you.
And I'm really pleased to hear that things are going
well and I can't honestly, I can't wait to see
how the Mermaid Queen Goes. You have to come in
the production and see it and be so luck with
the book.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now, I last caught up with a Nika Moore a
couple of years ago, although it does seem like just yesterday,
but apparently it was a couple of years ago. You
left your job in radio.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
I'm back here now you're back, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Let me finish my introduction. Sorry, And at the time,
Anica was looking to live life on her own terms
and find some smaller creative projects. And I think she's
been rocking that goal because she's been hugely busy. There
is a children's book, The Witch of Mukatu in stores now.
She's also working in theater and I've heard a rumor
that there is more music on the way, which would
be very exciting, and she's here to tell me all
about it.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Good morning, and Nika, good morning. It's so weird being
back here because I used to work down stairs and
I you know, your producers are are you tracking? And
I'm not that oh you do. But the thing is
is that I loved working in radio. I just couldn't
work underneath with a boss. But that's my new neurodiversity.
So I'm thriving as a parent because I talk about
(01:06):
a time I'm off to just to be a mum.
I just wanted to be a mum, and then I
just started writing again. So I've written songs for a
new adult album. I've written this book, The Watchmaker two
and The Bleating Lambs, and I'm about to be an
actor in a play called Peter Pan. We started rehearsals
last week and the directors auditioned me for a one role,
(01:27):
and then they gave me a non speaking role. I
don't think they realize I can act. So now I
speak Gaelic and I'm a meonmaid. Can I sing a lot?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
We'll get to that in just a moment. Tell me
about the children's book, because this is the first book
you've writch on.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It's the first of three, and it is the first
book I've written and published. I've written many children's stories
in my head and told my kids' stories every night,
but this is the story. It goes on from the
Watchermuka two that I sing about in my songs for
Bubba's albums, and she's just a hopeless witch. She's hopeless,
she just can't do anything right and it's about her.
(02:08):
You know. She's got tender, tender, juicy morsels or lambs.
She's got like eight of them or six of them,
and they just bleed all night, keeping her awake. So
she has to come up with a cunning plan, a
very evil plan, to pretty much shut them up. And
that's where the story goes. She goes on a venture.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I know that, I know that there was a few
publishers who were very keen for you to write a memoir.
Did you go? That might take it a little bit
too long, But I've got a children's book of me.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I don't like autobiographies, right, I think that when you
write about your life, you're also bringing other people into
your life, and I don't I think that's disrespectful because
I think you'd want everyone to be on the same
page as you. But I like the idea of novels.
I like the idea of making up stories that sort
(03:00):
of are about you, but not about you.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So I like that.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And your whole life is a memoir, you know, ol
when I'm unraiding out there, it's all out there, but
not for a show for creativity's sake, Because when you're
a creative person, like me and a but you know, crazy,
you tend to come up with some wild, far out
things and it's lovely.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
And is that why you like entertaining and writing for children?
M because you can exercise that.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah. And it's also a way of therapy as well
and making getting people to laugh and making people happy.
And it's that people pleaser in me that wants to
be the best I can for my kids and for
audiences so that they can go home and and get
that warm, fuzzy feeling or be offended by me, which
I've had emails and people go, well you offend me
(03:50):
that day. I'm like, oh, sorry about it.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Now tell me about playing the Mermaid. So this is
This is in the upcoming Auclid Theater Company's Peter Pan.
Have you done much theater?
Speaker 3 (04:04):
The last play I did was in said form at
Hornby High School when I was eighteen.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
It's so brave of you to say yes to this.
Is it brave or I think it is?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Is another step into taking a risk, And I don't
really think. When they offered me the part, I was like,
I can't act, I can't do this, I can't learn lines.
I can't And then I'm like you know what, try
try and do it because you love the thrill of
live audiences, you love entertaining people.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
That's a good point. You're used to a live audience.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, see, I'm not.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That's my problem.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I can't.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, absolutely fine here in the studio, great, but I'm
a bit terrified of a live audience.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
But acting is a lot harder than people think. Like everyone,
a lot of people will look at the TV and
just or you know, anything, just like anyone could do that,
and it's not. I died on Shortland Street in a
plane crash many years ago with Kirsty and Lionel. They
gave me three lines. I think they cut them all. Yeah,
so I just died. I think they thought that's all
we can do with this this. I found it very
(05:08):
hard to make it look natural, sound natural. It's just
it's a lot more difficult when you're putting this sort
of manufactured. This is talking about television, you know, and
people are filming you and you sort of It's just
I couldn't do it. It just I just have to
good at dying.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I'm not an experienced actor. But one thing I find
is if I just take away the ego take away
and just not think. Just don't think too much. Yeah,
if you ever think it, you'd start mucking up your lines.
And I like improv. I like you know, so when
I went for my first rehearsal, I improv. And so
(05:44):
they're writing a script around my amum, okay great, and
then I have to learn a few lines, but they're
all in Gaelic.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So right, yeah, and how is the Gaelic coming?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
And even read the spy.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
This is going really well?
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Have you done?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I suppose some of your TV shows is a slightly
alter ego of yours.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
It's funny because a lot of people are like, wow,
you're nuts. I have Paul Kessley writing my scripts. Everything
I do is scripted except for all the rude moments
and silly moments, so he scripts everything. Everything I'm saying
is scripted, So it is kind of acting.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, so that, yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Maybe I am an actor.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I think you are. I claim it. You're going to
be in an Auckland Theater Company production. Yeah, absolutely are. Yeah,
I'm started. Yeah, tell me about the music that you're writing.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, I've been seeing a therapist for five months every
single week, and I'm going to see her she's amazing
for another year and a half. And what comes out
of those sessions are a lot of trauma, a lot
of PTSD, all that kind of stuff, very personal, and
I just go home and sat at my kitchen table
and write music. Now and the kids are at school,
(07:01):
they're old enough, and so I've written these songs.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That are very, very very sad.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
And very very Uneca Moorish Circuit to two thousand and one.
I'm taking it back to simplicity and not thinking too
much about who my audience is, because I feel like
my audience is me and this is part of my therapy,
and people that listen to it when it's recorded and out,
(07:30):
I think it will gel with a lot of manawahine
and a lot of people who struggle with looking at
themselves in the mirror and accepting themselves. Because I may
seem like a really happy, go lucky you know out
there world lady, I'm sensitive. I've got a lot of
(07:54):
self doubt and self hatred, all those kinds of things
you know we all do, right, we all do. So
I'm trying to spin all of that into my music
so that I can heal myself and hopefully all other people.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
I did about five sessions of therapy last year, maybe
when I was just needing a bit of help, knowing
how to support somebody else in my life who needed
some help. And you know, we do therapy for lots
of different reasons. And do you know what I thought
to myself, I see why Americans go to therapy all
the time. This is so good, you know, I sing it.
(08:28):
If I could afford to, I'd absolutely be in here
regularly like it was. It was just so beneficial.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Well, because I think a lot of mothers, especially or
you know, we give, give, give, We don't. We put
us our glass, we have our cold coffee, we eat
the cold food. And this is an hour where we
get to be listen to because no one listens to us.
I mean, my kids don't listen to me half the time.
(08:56):
You need therapy just having kids.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I'm so excited to hear what you're doing because after
you know, the last time we spoke you'd left Rady
when you were talking about wanting to do smaller creative projects. Yes,
I feel like where you're at now, it's good. It's
where you want to This is where you wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
A raiety place. This is this is. I mean, I'm
still running around like a like a turkey, you know,
school drop offs, pickups, that sports, bloody bloody blah. But
I'm doing exactly what i want when I want, and
it's brilliant and I'm so stoked that the Auckland Theater
Company saw something in me. I'm stoked to be riding
again and I'm just can't wait for summer so i
(09:36):
can get a tan. Are you enjoying the variety? Yeah, yep,
it's fantastic. It's it's lovely because it's not the same
every day. Sorry about that.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Well, I guess you also now have that time and
space to be creative.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Yeah, yeah, pretty much.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
That makes a difference too, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Yeah, but it's a bit harder to pay the mortgage,
but I've just got to get on with it. Basically.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
There's always that trade off though, right Yeah. Hustle hustle,
Yeah yeah, And we spend a lot of time focusing
on the hustle.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah. I find the hustle really exciting, and it's like,
I don't know what I'm going to do next year.
I've got a couple of gigs book, but I don't
know what I'm gonna do maybe I'm gonna write another book,
who knows. And I love that. I love that insecurity.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Do you have the time to focus on your health though, too?
I mean, obviously I'm just mentioned about the therapy because
that's really important as well, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Yeah. No, I'm are out walking every day, trying to
eat as many vegetables as I can and keeping on
top of my diabetes. And you know, last night I
went to a food patrol gig and it was way
past my bedtime. But Julia's a really dear friend of mine,
and Anna Colington and I were like in the back
sweating with our perimnimum paus symptoms. I kept on going
for wheeze and I was like, oh god, this music's
(10:52):
too loud. It's too hot in here. So I had time,
you know, with my friends. But oh it's hard trying
to be young. And you know, I was dancing and yeah,
but every time I dart, oh ny did we you know?
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Oh, Anika, It's always a pleasure to catch up with you.
And I'm really pleased to hear that things are going
well and I can't honestly, I can't wait to see
how the Mermaid Queen Goes. You have to come in
the production and see it and be so luck with
the book.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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