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 44)
Origin Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Genres Pop
Occupations Singer
songwriter
actress
Years active 1992–present
Labels Independent
Website christineanu.com.au

Christine Anu (born 15 March 1970) 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[edit]

Early life[edit]

Anu was born on 15 March 1970[citation needed] in Cairns, Queensland, to a Torres Strait Islander mother from Saibai.[1][2]

Music career[edit]

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,[3] 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!.[3]

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.[3] 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.

Acting and TV career[edit]

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."[6]

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[7]

Personal life[edit]

Anu married her childhood sweetheart, Simon Deutrom, in 2010.[8][9] Anu is a mother of three: eldest son Kuiam (born 1996), daughter Zipporah (born 2002) and youngest son Wayne.[3][8][10] Zipporah's father is actor Rodger Corser.[11]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Year Album details Chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
AUS
[12]
1995 Stylin' Up 21
2000 Come My Way
  • Second studio album
  • Released: 11 September 2000
  • Format: CD
 18
  • ARIA certification: Gold.[13]
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
 —

Singles[edit]

Year Title Chart positions Album
AUS
[12]
1993 "Last Train"
(with Paul Kelly)		 93 Single-only
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)		 — Single-only
2010 "Come Home" —
2014 "Beat of your heart" Single-only

Filmography[edit]

Films and television[edit]

List of films and television shows featuring Christine Anu
Year Title Role Notes
1988 Wildside TV guest appearance [14][15]
1996 Dating the Enemy minor role, first feature film[16]
2001 Moulin Rouge! dancer [15]
2003 The Matrix Reloaded Kali also related video game Enter the Matrix[17]
2000 It's a Wiggly Wiggly World Herself The Wiggles video and album[18]
2004 Popstars Live Judge [19]
2004 Play School
2007 Toasted TV
2009 Who Do You Think You Are? Herself episode "Christine Anu" aired 18 October 2009[20]
2012 Outland Rae lead role[21]
2012 Excess Baggage Herself celebrity contestant[22]

Theatre and stage performances[edit]

List of theater shows featuring Christine Anu
Year Title Role Notes
1997 Little Shop of Horrors Crystal David Atkins musical[14]
1998-99 Rent Mimi Australian stage musical[23]
2013 South Pacific Bloody Mary musical[24][25]
2014 Parramatta Girls play

Awards and nominations[edit]

ARIA Awards[edit]

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[edit]

  1. ^ "Christine Anu – Biography". BiggestStars.com. Retrieved 14 December 2009. 
  2. ^ "Christine Anu". Who Do You Think You Are?. Season 2. Episode 4. 18 October 2009. 3:55 minutes in. Special Broadcasting Service. SBS One.
  3. ^ a b c d Frog princess, Sydney Morning Herald 18 January 2003. Accessed 27 June 2007.
  4. ^ Christine Anu's 45 Degrees. Abc.net.au. Retrieved on 12 June 2012.
  5. ^ a b "History: Winners by Artist: Christine Anu". ARIA Awards. Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 18 May 2009. 
  6. ^ Sydney Morning Herald article on her departure from Popstars Live. Smh.com.au (14 April 2004). Retrieved on 12 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Season 2 episodes | Who Do You Think You Are on SBS". Retrieved 7 January 2014. 
  8. ^ a b "Christine Anu". Ngarralinyi 2TLP Community Indigenous Radio. Retrieved 26 July 2013. 
  9. ^ "Christine Anu: My Facebook wedding". New Idea. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2013. 
  10. ^ "Christine Anu". Essential Baby. 25 September 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2013. 
  11. ^ "Rush star Rodger Corser and Renae Berry expecting first child together". Herald Sun. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2013. 
  12. ^ a b "Christine Anu – Australian chart history". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  13. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums". ARIA. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  14. ^ a b admin (2010-12-13). "Gig of the week: Christine Anu". Sea Cliff Coast. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  15. ^ a b "Frog princess". smh.com.au. 2003-01-18. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  16. ^ "Catching up with Christine Anu". Deadly Vibe. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  17. ^ "Screen World - John Willis - Google Books". Books.google.com. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  18. ^ "WIGGLES, THE: IT'S A WIGGLY WIGGLY WORLD | Roadshow Entertainment". Roadshow.co.nz. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  19. ^ "Anu: Why I quit - TvRadio". www.smh.com.au. 2004-04-14. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  20. ^ http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/whodoyouthinkyouare/episodes/detail/episode/1667/season/2
  21. ^ Vickery, Colin (2012-01-31). "Excess Baggage's Christine Anu ready to star in ABC sitcom Outland". News.com.au. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  22. ^ "Christine Anu". Channelnine.ninemsn.com.au. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  23. ^ "Australia's Rent Premieres in Sydney Nov. 4". Playbill.com. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  24. ^ Words By Robert Dunstan. "South Pacific Music - Festival Theatre Adelaide". Ripitup.com.au. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 
  25. ^ "Christine Anu: The New Bloody Mary". Stage Whispers. 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2014-06-26. 

External links[edit]
Authority control
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