November 15, 2025 • 16 mins
For the last 25 years, the Jubilation Choir has been bringing together singers from all walks of life, and some Kiwi music powerhouses are set to appear next Sunday.
Next week, the choir will be joined by Julia Deans, Bella Kalolo and the one and only Anika Moa.
Anika Moa says she's done plenty of collaborations, but appearing in the Jubilation Choir will be a career first.
"It's nice to be a part of this project because we've got two shows, it's in and out, it's doing our favourite songs...and I get to sing with Julia Deans and Bella Kalolo. That's a pretty good Sunday."
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now have you ever heard about the Jubilation Choir? The
Jubilation Choir was set up by a guy called Rick
Bryant who was a good old soul singer, Rick Bryant
and the Giant Bombers, And what he used to do
is just get all sorts of just normal people all
together to sing in a an a choir. They used
to practice up at All Saints' Church Ponceby Road, and
you go past on a Sunday morning and the place
(00:34):
was ringing with pop and rock and gospel and soul,
all sung by a whole lot of hippies, all enjoying
the community of being together and having a sing. The
Jubilation Choir has been going for twenty five years, and
of course Rick passed away, so there was always some
worry about what might happen to the choir. Well, the
good news is the choir is still going and in fact,
next Sunday the choir will be performing. And not only that,
(00:57):
there's a new development. The choir will be joined by
three great powerhouses from New Zealand music. Julia Dean's exp
Fur Patrol, Bellica and the One and Only Anika more so.
Earlier this week, Francesca sat down with Anica and had
a chat about the choir and asked Ganiaka if there
(01:17):
was a revival in the choir or an increased appreciation
for the choir since the passing of Rick.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
I think, I think so.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I mean, the Jubilation Choir has been going for like
twenty five years and they're really.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Really lovely. We had our first rehearsal.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
The other night, and the things that that, the arrangements
that they were doing, the enthusiasm. I was like, I hope,
and I don't mean to sell this as a little backclap,
but I hope when I'm that age, I'm as enthusiastic
about life as them, because it's so fun.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I remember growing up in christ Church.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
I was in all the choirs, and I was in
the Special Choir, and we'd plainly and I would sing
at the town hall and we'd sing all our our
Christian songs and our and our lark song, and you know,
my favorite one to do was.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Cotton candy, cott candy, lovely sticky stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
And I was just such a geek I was I
was a singing nude.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
But I mean I know that. You know, you've collaborated
and performed with lots of artists quite often, but have you,
as an adult sing in a choir?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
No?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
And you know what she said, I'd love to do
an a choir, and the lady from the Jubilation kind of
was like, I don't actually have time. I wish I could,
but I've got other things that that keep me saying.
So it's nice to be a part of this project
because you know, we've.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Got two shows. It's it's in and out.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
It's doing our favorite songs of ours, and I get
to sing with Julia Dean's and Bellaculor or what what's
you know?
Speaker 3 (02:49):
That's that's a pretty good.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Sunday absolutely, I mean Jubilation Quiet there are some pretty
well known names in it. I mean, these people can sing.
You've got Jackie Clark and Jennifer ward Leland.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, yeah, it's yeah. I actually spotted a few other
people I knew too.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
And I was like, oh, you're in the choir. Don't
you own a shop on Bloody Blood right? And they're
like mm hmm, yeah, it's I.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Think that, you know, they meet every Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
They do these shows that they did this one show
with the Chaffoo's Egg Dad Sorry to Ness, and they
said it blew them away, like the crowd was just
going for it. And he's playing as drums and us
singing these cool songs and like that.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Really that what I like to.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Say is they're branching out, they're trialing different people. You know,
they've asked me to to do a show.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
You know, Bala Calora.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Who's famous is famous now from Shortened Street, and I
feel honored.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
I feel really honored to get back to my geek phase.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I met Bella the other day actually for the first time.
We were on a photo shoot for a magazine and Yeah,
a stunning woman, Like she really stunning.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I've got a little secret about her.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
She I do my kids shows and I always bring
a witch on tour with me to do harmonies and
to go into.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
The audience and to be with the kids because I'm
on stage.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Holding it down. And she was my witch one season. Oh.
The funny thing is that we'd be off stage and
she'd be saying the most naughtiest things.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
And then we'd get on stage. We'd be like, hello, kidneys,
how are you today? Oh, it's a lovely day.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
But next I'm still thinking about what she's just whispered.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
In my ear just before my god stayed.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
So it's nice to have someone with such a good
sense of humor who I can gel with in a
naughty way.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
I love it. Julia Dean's is also on the show.
As you mentioned, you're really close with her. I mean
you two have been good mates and supporters of each
other for a long time.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I'd say twenty twenty five years. Twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
And she's doing a new song actually in our shows,
and the quiet arrangement she did because she's amazing with harmonies,
and it just I just sat there with my kids
and I was just like, Wow, Okay, cool, that's my She's.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Always been my goalpost.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
She's always been the person I've always looked up to,
and now I kind of look down to her. She's
a bit shorter than me, And how amazing for her
for all of us to be a passed in our
well in our forties writing great music, still writing great music.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
So I can't wait to hear that song live.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
What do you think it is that brings people together
to sing? Is it about connection. Is it sort of
that communal experience.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
I think it's a communal experience.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
I think that it's it's a real far No vibe
and everyone searching for their place. I didn't grow up
on am I, I didn't grow up with my EWI,
and I always go up north and search for people
that that might be far No because I feel like
I want to be a part of something.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
So I think a.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Quiet experience is almost well, it is kind of on
part because you just not you play soccer with your mates.
You know Shane Carter, he still plays soccer. He's used
to go watch him play soccer and.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
It's part of a team and he's part of a world.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
And I think being a musician can sometimes be a
lonely place as well, because you know you're either in
a band or your solo and you overthink things.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
You're anxious, you're introverted, are not But it's nice to
be part of something. It really is.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
What songs you singing? Can you tell us?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Oh, I'm going to do dreams in my head?
Speaker 4 (06:39):
And another song I wrote from my third album and
songs are tired, And I'm doing a couple of covers
that they asked me to do, which I'm excited about.
And one of them is really really cool from a
nineties brick pop band. I don't know what Bella's doing,
but I yeah, Julia's doing one of your older songs
and then a new song, and I think, and then
(07:00):
we're all we're all singing together on a classic Kiwi song.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Oh, I tell you what it is.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
All I can say is that I really had to
try my hardest because the woman who sings the song
has an amazing voice.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
And I'm like, this might be an odd question, but
if you're singing with the choir, how do you change
a song to If you take one of your songs
which you'll use of singing as a solo artist, do
you change it much to you know, to fit acquire it?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Well, they haven't changed my songs much because they arranged
it as per the strings on the songs, maybe adding
a few flourishes here and there. My friend Bruce Lynch
did all the strings for the two songs I'm doing,
and so they just basically got every part and reenacted,
(07:51):
so they're my strings.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
By my string choir.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
It's clever.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I know, It's amazing.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Now I'm very excited because I've heard a little rumor
that you're working or you're almost finished your first album
for adults in almost a decade.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Since been taken a long time.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
What's been that process of writing and recording this album?
What's that been like?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Well, usually I work really fast, but this time I
haven't because I've really put a lot more thought into
how i want to be placed and how I see
myself fitting in the old Tedtor of today as a musician,
because sometimes you have your lulls and then you come
back and then you lull. I've been working with Jeremy Toy,
(08:36):
who's an amazing producer. Our kids go the same school,
so we dropped in school. I take my dogs for
a walk in them and then will turn up and rehearse,
and then too saidy oh, we've got to get our kids.
But the best thing about him is very very fluid.
So'm if I've got a sick kit at home, if
I'm having a bad day, whatever, I'm like next week.
(08:56):
So we're nearly finished. We're just mixing it at the moment,
and I'm going to tour it next year, and I'm
going to but I'm going to start from the start.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I'm going to tour or little bars.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
And houses and I'm doing I'm doing grassroots again because
I want to connect with people again. I don't I
don't want to put out a single and then go, yeah,
you go, I'm off on holiday, and I want to
I want to be part of the community, the people
that love music.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
I think people are really responding to that at the
moment too. I think we're all looking for that, you know,
intimacy and sort of connection and belonging, and.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
You know, I think, yeah, and I think it's really important.
You know, a lot of my crowded women who are
going through perimenopause, who their kids are leaving home and
I've still got young ones.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
But I'm starting to.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Branch out and and feel myself again, even though I
don't feel myself because I'm going through perimenopause.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
But I'm trying my best to punch through.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
A wall of all everything in my life to then
find simpleness and doing shows, you know, turning up at
the door and.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Going hey, guys, welcome to the show, and.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Not being backstage being too cool to talk to people,
and you know, we all go through those phases in
our twenties, and yeah, I'm just looking forward to playing
new music to people who won't expect what I have
to show them.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
So can I ask you more than happy to leave
it as a surprise when the album comes out. But
where do you sort of see yourself fit into the
contemporary music scene?
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Finally, I really look up to Red Fountain, and she
was one of those oh wow, what are you doing?
You know with her career and with her songwriting, and
I just I believe a songwriting just getting better and better.
So I want to be better and better because I
challenge myself to write a better music, better songs, more
(10:55):
heartfelt stuff. So I guess I see I'm in that
camp of finding myself again and then putting it out
there and then people finding me, not pushing anything on people,
just going here, I am, this is me?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
How am I? Let's go? Let's go.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Ever since I've known you, you've had an incredible work ethic.
You've just worked and worked and worked, and of course
you're working in radio for a long time. You decided
to step away and make some changes to your life
in order to manage you know, your mental and physical
health better. How has the slower life changed you?
Speaker 4 (11:33):
When I say slowing down. That means only seventy five percent.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
So well, that's what That's what I'm sort of intrigued about.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
You know.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Is it easy to step back and slow down when
you've always been that kind of person that's always pushed
and pushed and worked and work.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I can't. I can't. I'd like to, but my brain
won't let me.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
And I enjoy I enjoy the excitement of doing things
too much, you know, going out for dinners and doing gigs.
And I've been trying new things this year. So I've
been taking acting classes. Oh gosh, a long way to
go there.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I got a new agent.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
I've been doing auditions for movies and TV series and
that's a challenge for me because I'm very bad at
being vulnerable. So I'm learning so that, you know, for
me to get out of my comfort zone even though
I act, but I just don't. I want to do
serious acting, which is so cliche, but it's true.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
Acting's hard. It's something which I think, it's something which
people don't understand if you've never been on a seat
or a stage or something on a stage. But I
tried to act twenty years ago. I was so bad.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
Yeah, it's so high special people are looking at you
and you're like, I mean, I did this two day
one and acting class and it was kind of like
a healing yoga class as well, and oh goodness, you've
close your eyes and I'd be like, oh, God on God,
has everyone closer to I just was in my head
too much. But I'm learning that's what I want to
do going forward. And you know, we'll see if you
(13:08):
see serious nicks on on on the TV have a
little half.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
I haven't spoken to you since you released your debut
children's book, The Witch of Makatu and the Bleating Lambs.
I want to congratulate you because you were a finalist
in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Yeah,
are you even though you've got an album on the
go and you're starting a new career as an actor,
are you? Are you encouraged to write more?
Speaker 4 (13:32):
I wish I could say yes, but you know that
there's that that that lead up to Christmas as a parent,
and you're just trying your best to keep your head
above water.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
That's I'm today.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I'm head above watering day and I've got so much
on and I'm like and you know, you got your
tech list and you're just taking it off and ticking
it off, and so I can't remember what your question was.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
But I think you've summed it out. I think you've
answered it perfectly.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
There.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
I always have a picture of is it the duck
or the swan that people talk about, which looks like
it's gliding gracefully across the lake, but underneath the little
feet are going furious. That kind of explains life.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Right, that's me, that's me.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
And yeah, but you know, put that in with twenty
four hour seven maintenance of type one diabetes.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
It's pretty wild.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
How is how is that going? Because it's a big
thing to get your hair around, and it takes time,
doesn't it? To how to manage it?
Speaker 3 (14:28):
I take our hour by hour.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
It's like it's a disease and it could kill me
at any time because of insulin. You give yourself insulin
you you you carb count, you, sugar count you. It's like, yes,
I was trying to explain it to Julia the other day.
It's like, you're a mathematician, but you've been pit there
without asking for it. And yeah, I'm really good at maths,
(14:51):
but I the math when it comes to giving yourself
in soln, trying to give you just enough so that
you live and not too much so tie.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
It cracks me up. But also I feel lonely and
sad and cry a lot.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
So there's there's there's there's ups and downs with it.
But you know, if I can turn up to an
interview and smile and talk about it, then I'm so
much better for it.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
But I was very pleased to say I saw on
Instagram that you managed this year to have a beautiful
holiday in Greece, which I believe was your first overseas
trip where you were not working.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
Yes, and I really, oh man, it's it's amazing when
you give yourself permission to like I like you said,
slow down. I mean we were, we were traveling, my
partner and I were just going for it, and those
emails were not being answered.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
You know, I didn't even put it I'm away at email.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
I just didn't reply to anyone and went to London
for three nights to see Neil Young at Hyde Park,
which has been a.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Bucket the stream for me.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
So that's my new goal is to give myself a
bit of time out every year, and I mean save
save like a maniac because you can't just you know,
not everyone's life is perfect, and not eveyone's a millennaire,
but work really hard to get those moments of simplicity
and far no time, and you know, kick the kids off.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Than the nannies.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
I love it. Hey, Anica, have a blast singing with
the choir.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
We shall we Shall so Yeah Evandale Theater, November the
twenty third Jubilation Choir with Bella color Or Julia Dean's
and me Anica Moorea.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yes that is Anikamoya. Who else could it be? She
caught up with Francesca earlier this week and Ansonika mentioned
she is singing with the Jubilation Choir at the Hollywood
Avandale on Sunday the twenty third, and tickets are on
sale now.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
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 Rudkin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now have you ever heard about the Jubilation Choir? The
Jubilation Choir was set up by a guy called Rick
Bryant who was a good old soul singer, Rick Bryant
and the Giant Bombers, And what he used to do
is just get all sorts of just normal people all
together to sing in a an a choir. They used
to practice up at All Saints' Church Ponceby Road, and
you go past on a Sunday morning and the place
(00:34):
was ringing with pop and rock and gospel and soul,
all sung by a whole lot of hippies, all enjoying
the community of being together and having a sing. The
Jubilation Choir has been going for twenty five years, and
of course Rick passed away, so there was always some
worry about what might happen to the choir. Well, the
good news is the choir is still going and in fact,
next Sunday the choir will be performing. And not only that,
(00:57):
there's a new development. The choir will be joined by
three great powerhouses from New Zealand music. Julia Dean's exp
Fur Patrol, Bellica and the One and Only Anika more so.
Earlier this week, Francesca sat down with Anica and had
a chat about the choir and asked Ganiaka if there
(01:17):
was a revival in the choir or an increased appreciation
for the choir since the passing of Rick.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
I think, I think so.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I mean, the Jubilation Choir has been going for like
twenty five years and they're really.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Really lovely. We had our first rehearsal.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
The other night, and the things that that, the arrangements
that they were doing, the enthusiasm. I was like, I hope,
and I don't mean to sell this as a little backclap,
but I hope when I'm that age, I'm as enthusiastic
about life as them, because it's so fun.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I remember growing up in christ Church.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
I was in all the choirs, and I was in
the Special Choir, and we'd plainly and I would sing
at the town hall and we'd sing all our our
Christian songs and our and our lark song, and you know,
my favorite one to do was.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Cotton candy, cott candy, lovely sticky stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
And I was just such a geek I was I
was a singing nude.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
But I mean I know that. You know, you've collaborated
and performed with lots of artists quite often, but have you,
as an adult sing in a choir?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
No?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
And you know what she said, I'd love to do
an a choir, and the lady from the Jubilation kind of
was like, I don't actually have time. I wish I could,
but I've got other things that that keep me saying.
So it's nice to be a part of this project
because you know, we've.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Got two shows. It's it's in and out.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
It's doing our favorite songs of ours, and I get
to sing with Julia Dean's and Bellaculor or what what's
you know?
Speaker 3 (02:49):
That's that's a pretty good.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Sunday absolutely, I mean Jubilation Quiet there are some pretty
well known names in it. I mean, these people can sing.
You've got Jackie Clark and Jennifer ward Leland.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, yeah, it's yeah. I actually spotted a few other
people I knew too.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
And I was like, oh, you're in the choir. Don't
you own a shop on Bloody Blood right? And they're
like mm hmm, yeah, it's I.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Think that, you know, they meet every Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
They do these shows that they did this one show
with the Chaffoo's Egg Dad Sorry to Ness, and they
said it blew them away, like the crowd was just
going for it. And he's playing as drums and us
singing these cool songs and like that.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Really that what I like to.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Say is they're branching out, they're trialing different people. You know,
they've asked me to to do a show.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
You know, Bala Calora.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Who's famous is famous now from Shortened Street, and I
feel honored.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
I feel really honored to get back to my geek phase.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I met Bella the other day actually for the first time.
We were on a photo shoot for a magazine and Yeah,
a stunning woman, Like she really stunning.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I've got a little secret about her.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
She I do my kids shows and I always bring
a witch on tour with me to do harmonies and
to go into.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
The audience and to be with the kids because I'm
on stage.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Holding it down. And she was my witch one season. Oh.
The funny thing is that we'd be off stage and
she'd be saying the most naughtiest things.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
And then we'd get on stage. We'd be like, hello, kidneys,
how are you today? Oh, it's a lovely day.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
But next I'm still thinking about what she's just whispered.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
In my ear just before my god stayed.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
So it's nice to have someone with such a good
sense of humor who I can gel with in a
naughty way.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
I love it. Julia Dean's is also on the show.
As you mentioned, you're really close with her. I mean
you two have been good mates and supporters of each
other for a long time.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I'd say twenty twenty five years. Twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
And she's doing a new song actually in our shows,
and the quiet arrangement she did because she's amazing with harmonies,
and it just I just sat there with my kids
and I was just like, Wow, Okay, cool, that's my She's.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Always been my goalpost.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
She's always been the person I've always looked up to,
and now I kind of look down to her. She's
a bit shorter than me, And how amazing for her
for all of us to be a passed in our
well in our forties writing great music, still writing great music.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
So I can't wait to hear that song live.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
What do you think it is that brings people together
to sing? Is it about connection. Is it sort of
that communal experience.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
I think it's a communal experience.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
I think that it's it's a real far No vibe
and everyone searching for their place. I didn't grow up
on am I, I didn't grow up with my EWI,
and I always go up north and search for people
that that might be far No because I feel like
I want to be a part of something.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
So I think a.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Quiet experience is almost well, it is kind of on
part because you just not you play soccer with your mates.
You know Shane Carter, he still plays soccer. He's used
to go watch him play soccer and.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
It's part of a team and he's part of a world.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
And I think being a musician can sometimes be a
lonely place as well, because you know you're either in
a band or your solo and you overthink things.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
You're anxious, you're introverted, are not But it's nice to
be part of something. It really is.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
What songs you singing? Can you tell us?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Oh, I'm going to do dreams in my head?
Speaker 4 (06:39):
And another song I wrote from my third album and
songs are tired, And I'm doing a couple of covers
that they asked me to do, which I'm excited about.
And one of them is really really cool from a
nineties brick pop band. I don't know what Bella's doing,
but I yeah, Julia's doing one of your older songs
and then a new song, and I think, and then
(07:00):
we're all we're all singing together on a classic Kiwi song.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Oh, I tell you what it is.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
All I can say is that I really had to
try my hardest because the woman who sings the song
has an amazing voice.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
And I'm like, this might be an odd question, but
if you're singing with the choir, how do you change
a song to If you take one of your songs
which you'll use of singing as a solo artist, do
you change it much to you know, to fit acquire it?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Well, they haven't changed my songs much because they arranged
it as per the strings on the songs, maybe adding
a few flourishes here and there. My friend Bruce Lynch
did all the strings for the two songs I'm doing,
and so they just basically got every part and reenacted,
(07:51):
so they're my strings.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
By my string choir.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
It's clever.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I know, It's amazing.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Now I'm very excited because I've heard a little rumor
that you're working or you're almost finished your first album
for adults in almost a decade.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Since been taken a long time.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
What's been that process of writing and recording this album?
What's that been like?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Well, usually I work really fast, but this time I
haven't because I've really put a lot more thought into
how i want to be placed and how I see
myself fitting in the old Tedtor of today as a musician,
because sometimes you have your lulls and then you come
back and then you lull. I've been working with Jeremy Toy,
(08:36):
who's an amazing producer. Our kids go the same school,
so we dropped in school. I take my dogs for
a walk in them and then will turn up and rehearse,
and then too saidy oh, we've got to get our kids.
But the best thing about him is very very fluid.
So'm if I've got a sick kit at home, if
I'm having a bad day, whatever, I'm like next week.
(08:56):
So we're nearly finished. We're just mixing it at the moment,
and I'm going to tour it next year, and I'm
going to but I'm going to start from the start.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I'm going to tour or little bars.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
And houses and I'm doing I'm doing grassroots again because
I want to connect with people again. I don't I
don't want to put out a single and then go, yeah,
you go, I'm off on holiday, and I want to
I want to be part of the community, the people
that love music.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
I think people are really responding to that at the
moment too. I think we're all looking for that, you know,
intimacy and sort of connection and belonging, and.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
You know, I think, yeah, and I think it's really important.
You know, a lot of my crowded women who are
going through perimenopause, who their kids are leaving home and
I've still got young ones.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
But I'm starting to.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Branch out and and feel myself again, even though I
don't feel myself because I'm going through perimenopause.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
But I'm trying my best to punch through.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
A wall of all everything in my life to then
find simpleness and doing shows, you know, turning up at
the door and.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Going hey, guys, welcome to the show, and.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Not being backstage being too cool to talk to people,
and you know, we all go through those phases in
our twenties, and yeah, I'm just looking forward to playing
new music to people who won't expect what I have
to show them.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
So can I ask you more than happy to leave
it as a surprise when the album comes out. But
where do you sort of see yourself fit into the
contemporary music scene?
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Finally, I really look up to Red Fountain, and she
was one of those oh wow, what are you doing?
You know with her career and with her songwriting, and
I just I believe a songwriting just getting better and better.
So I want to be better and better because I
challenge myself to write a better music, better songs, more
(10:55):
heartfelt stuff. So I guess I see I'm in that
camp of finding myself again and then putting it out
there and then people finding me, not pushing anything on people,
just going here, I am, this is me?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
How am I? Let's go? Let's go.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Ever since I've known you, you've had an incredible work ethic.
You've just worked and worked and worked, and of course
you're working in radio for a long time. You decided
to step away and make some changes to your life
in order to manage you know, your mental and physical
health better. How has the slower life changed you?
Speaker 4 (11:33):
When I say slowing down. That means only seventy five percent.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
So well, that's what That's what I'm sort of intrigued about.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
You know.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Is it easy to step back and slow down when
you've always been that kind of person that's always pushed
and pushed and worked and work.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I can't. I can't. I'd like to, but my brain
won't let me.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
And I enjoy I enjoy the excitement of doing things
too much, you know, going out for dinners and doing gigs.
And I've been trying new things this year. So I've
been taking acting classes. Oh gosh, a long way to
go there.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I got a new agent.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
I've been doing auditions for movies and TV series and
that's a challenge for me because I'm very bad at
being vulnerable. So I'm learning so that, you know, for
me to get out of my comfort zone even though
I act, but I just don't. I want to do
serious acting, which is so cliche, but it's true.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
Acting's hard. It's something which I think, it's something which
people don't understand if you've never been on a seat
or a stage or something on a stage. But I
tried to act twenty years ago. I was so bad.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
Yeah, it's so high special people are looking at you
and you're like, I mean, I did this two day
one and acting class and it was kind of like
a healing yoga class as well, and oh goodness, you've
close your eyes and I'd be like, oh, God on God,
has everyone closer to I just was in my head
too much. But I'm learning that's what I want to
do going forward. And you know, we'll see if you
(13:08):
see serious nicks on on on the TV have a
little half.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
I haven't spoken to you since you released your debut
children's book, The Witch of Makatu and the Bleating Lambs.
I want to congratulate you because you were a finalist
in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Yeah,
are you even though you've got an album on the
go and you're starting a new career as an actor,
are you? Are you encouraged to write more?
Speaker 4 (13:32):
I wish I could say yes, but you know that
there's that that that lead up to Christmas as a parent,
and you're just trying your best to keep your head
above water.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
That's I'm today.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I'm head above watering day and I've got so much
on and I'm like and you know, you got your
tech list and you're just taking it off and ticking
it off, and so I can't remember what your question was.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
But I think you've summed it out. I think you've
answered it perfectly.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
There.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
I always have a picture of is it the duck
or the swan that people talk about, which looks like
it's gliding gracefully across the lake, but underneath the little
feet are going furious. That kind of explains life.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Right, that's me, that's me.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
And yeah, but you know, put that in with twenty
four hour seven maintenance of type one diabetes.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
It's pretty wild.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
How is how is that going? Because it's a big
thing to get your hair around, and it takes time,
doesn't it? To how to manage it?
Speaker 3 (14:28):
I take our hour by hour.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
It's like it's a disease and it could kill me
at any time because of insulin. You give yourself insulin
you you you carb count, you, sugar count you. It's like, yes,
I was trying to explain it to Julia the other day.
It's like, you're a mathematician, but you've been pit there
without asking for it. And yeah, I'm really good at maths,
(14:51):
but I the math when it comes to giving yourself
in soln, trying to give you just enough so that
you live and not too much so tie.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
It cracks me up. But also I feel lonely and
sad and cry a lot.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
So there's there's there's there's ups and downs with it.
But you know, if I can turn up to an
interview and smile and talk about it, then I'm so
much better for it.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
But I was very pleased to say I saw on
Instagram that you managed this year to have a beautiful
holiday in Greece, which I believe was your first overseas
trip where you were not working.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
Yes, and I really, oh man, it's it's amazing when
you give yourself permission to like I like you said,
slow down. I mean we were, we were traveling, my
partner and I were just going for it, and those
emails were not being answered.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
You know, I didn't even put it I'm away at email.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
I just didn't reply to anyone and went to London
for three nights to see Neil Young at Hyde Park,
which has been a.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Bucket the stream for me.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
So that's my new goal is to give myself a
bit of time out every year, and I mean save
save like a maniac because you can't just you know,
not everyone's life is perfect, and not eveyone's a millennaire,
but work really hard to get those moments of simplicity
and far no time, and you know, kick the kids off.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Than the nannies.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
I love it. Hey, Anica, have a blast singing with
the choir.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
We shall we Shall so Yeah Evandale Theater, November the
twenty third Jubilation Choir with Bella color Or Julia Dean's
and me Anica Moorea.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yes that is Anikamoya. Who else could it be? She
caught up with Francesca earlier this week and Ansonika mentioned
she is singing with the Jubilation Choir at the Hollywood
Avandale on Sunday the twenty third, and tickets are on
sale now.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
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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