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Melissa Morrison Higgins (born 19 August 1983), known professionally as Missy Higgins, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. Her Australian number-one albums are ''
The Sound of White ''The Sound of White'' is the debut studio album by Australian pop singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released 6 September 2004 by Eleven. It won the 2005 ARIA Music Award for Best Female Artist. Higgins had secured recording contracts with Elev ...
'' (2004), ''
On a Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven: A Music Company, Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, ''The Sound of ...
'' (2007) and ''
The Ol' Razzle Dazzle ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'' is the third studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, and was released by Eleven on 1 June 2012. Higgins began work on the album after a quiet retreat from the industry to refocus her life on other p ...
'' (2012), and her singles include "
Scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a na ...
", "
Steer Steer, Steers or Steering may refer to: Animals * Steer or bullock, castrated male cattle * Ox, a steer used as a draft animal People * Steer (surname) * Steers (surname) Places * Steer Creek (West Virginia), a tributary of the Little K ...
" and "
Where I Stood "Where I Stood" is the second single from singer-songwriter Missy Higgins' second album, ''On a Clear Night''. The song was released to commercial radio on 25 June 2007. The single was released on 4 August 2007. It reached No. 10 on the A ...
". Higgins was nominated for five
ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
in
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
and won 'Best Pop Release' for "Scar". In
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, she was nominated for seven more awards and won five. Higgins won her seventh ARIA in
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
. Her third album, ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'', was released in Australia in June 2012 (July 2012 in the US). As of August 2014, Higgins' first three studio albums had sold over one million units. Higgins' fourth studio album, ''OZ'', was released in September 2014 and consists of cover versions of Australian composers, as well as a book of related essays. Alongside her music career, Higgins pursues interests in animal rights and the environment, endeavouring to make her tours
carbon neutral Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the "p ...
. In 2010 she made her acting debut in the feature film ''
Bran Nue Dae __NOTOC__ ''Bran Nue Dae'' is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia, that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Kuckles and friends, and was the first Aboriginal Austra ...
'' and also performed on its soundtrack.


Biography


Early life

Higgins was born in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, to Christopher Higgins, an English-Australian general practitioner, and Margaret (née Morrison), an Australian
childcare Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(r ...
centre operator. Her sister, Nicola, is seven years older and her brother, David, six years older. Higgins learned to play classical piano from age six, following in the footsteps of Christopher and David, but realised she wanted to be a singer at about 12, when she appeared in an Armadale Primary School production of
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
's musical ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
''. Bored with practice, she gave up playing piano at that time. Hoping for more freedom, she urged her parents to send her to
Geelong Grammar School , motto_translation = 1 Corinthians 1:30: "For us, Christ was made wisdom"(1 Corinthians 1:30: Christ, who has been made for us in wisdom) , city = Corio, Victoria , country = Australia , coordinates = , ty ...
, an independent boarding school that her siblings attended. At Geelong, Higgins took up the piano again, this time playing
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and performing with her brother David's group on weekends. Introverted by nature, Higgins found that piano practice helped her cope with living at
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
. At 15, while attending Geelong Grammar's
Timbertop Timbertop is a full-time boarding, co-educational campus of Geelong Grammar School located near Mansfield, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1953, by then Headmaster James Darling, Timbertop is compulsory for all year-nine students attend ...
, she wrote "All for Believing" for a school music assignment, completing it just hours before the deadline. The assignment earned an A and she performed her song in front of classmates. She approached a Melbourne record company and was told that they wanted more than one song. She wrote more songs and worked with the Kool Skools project, which enables students to record music. In 2001, Missy's sister Nicola entered "All for Believing" on her behalf in Unearthed, radio station
Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's competition for unsigned artists. The song won the competition and was added to the station's play list. Two record companies showed an interest in Higgins—
Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
and
Eleven Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12 * one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *'' ...
. She signed with Eleven, partly because they agreed that she would not be "made into a pop star" and partly because they were happy for her to take time off for a
backpacking Backpacking may refer to: * Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel * Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness * Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...
holiday. Higgins'
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...
is Eleven's John Watson, who also managed rock band
Silverchair Silverchair were an Australian Rock music, rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Newcastle, New South Wales, with Ben Gillies on drums, Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars, and Chris Joannou on bass guitar. The group got thei ...
. Watson later disclosed that "Missy's the only time in my career I knew after 90 seconds I really wanted to sign her." The backpacking trip had been planned with a friend for years and the pair spent most of 2002 in Europe; while Higgins was travelling, "All for Believing" started to receive airplay on
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
radio station
KCRW KCRW (89.9 MHz FM) is a National Public Radio member station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, where the station is licensed. KCRW airs original news and music programming in addition to programm ...
. Such radio exposure attracted the attention of American record labels and, by year's end, an international recording deal with
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
had been negotiated.


2003–2005: ''The Sound of White''

Higgins was the support act on a 2003 Australian tour by folk rock band
The Waifs The Waifs (originally styled as The WAiFS) are an Australian folk rock band formed in 1992 by sisters Vikki Thorn (harmonica, guitar, vocals) and Donna Simpson (musician), Donna Simpson (guitar, vocals) as well as Josh Cunningham (guitar, vocal ...
and rock band
george George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
. She travelled to the US to work with
John Porter John Porter may refer to: Politicians * John Porter (portreeve), 1390–94, Member of Parliament (MP) for Taunton * John Porter (Illinois politician) (1935–2022), Illinois politician, U.S. Representative * John Porter (MP for Bramber) (died 1599 ...
, who produced her first EP, '' The Missy Higgins EP'', which was released in November and entered the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA)
Singles Chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include rec ...
Top 50 in August 2004. She toured Australia, supporting Pete Murray and
John Butler Trio The John Butler Trio are an Australian roots/rock band led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler, an APRA and ARIA-award-winning musician. They formed in Fremantle in 1998 with Jason McGann on drums, Gavin Shoesmith on bass and John Butler on vo ...
. Her four-track single "Scar'" was released in July 2004 and debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Charts. Her first album, ''The Sound of White'', was released in September, and debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Also produced by Porter, it sold over 500,000 copies. She was nominated in five categories at the
ARIA Music Awards of 2004 The 18th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply the ARIAs) were held on 17 October 2004 at the Sydney Superdome within the Sydney Olympic Complex. The ceremony, hosted by Ro ...
for "Scar": Best Female Artist', 'Single of the Year', 'Best Pop Release', 'Breakthrough Artist – Single' and 'Best Video' (directed by Squareyed Films). At the awards ceremony on 17 October she received the award for Best Pop Release, beating
Delta Goodrem Delta Lea Goodrem AM (born November 9, 1984) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Goodrem signed to Sony Music at the age of 15. Her debut album, '' Innocent Eyes'' (2003), topped the ARIA Albums Chart for 29 non-consecutive week ...
,
The Dissociatives The Dissociatives were an Australian alternative rock band consisting of Daniel Johns of Silverchair and dance producer and DJ Paul Mac (of Itch-E and Scratch-E), which formed in mid-2003. They were supported by touring members, Julian Hamilt ...
,
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
and Pete Murray. This was followed by her first national headline tour. Her second single " Ten Days" was co-written with Jay Clifford (guitarist in US band
Jump, Little Children Jump, Little Children is an American indie rock band that formed in 1991 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. Known for its unique sound, energetic live performances, and willingness to interact with fans, the band has a devoted follo ...
) and was inspired by Higgins' 2002 break-up with her boyfriend before she travelled to Europe. Released in November, it peaked at No. 12. On 29 January 2005 Higgins performed with other local musicians including
Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ca ...
and
Powderfinger Powderfinger were an Australian rock band formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their break-up in 2010, the line-up consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bass guitarist John Collins and drummer ...
at the
WaveAid WaveAid was a fund raising concert held on Saturday, 29 January 2005, as a means for raising funds for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known as the Boxing Day tsunami. It was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground and broadcast on ...
fundraising concert in the
Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and as ...
. The concert raised A$2.3 million for four charities supporting the victims of the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...
. In March Higgins performed at the
MTV Australia Awards The MTV Australia Awards (previously known as the MTV Australia Video Music Awards or AVMA's) started in 2005 and were Australia's first awards show to celebrate both local and international acts. The last edition happened in 2009. History The M ...
and won the prize for 'Breakthrough Artist of the Year'. The following month she released her third single, "The Special Two", which was a radio hit and reached No. 2. "The Special Two" was released on an EP which included her
cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...
of the
Skyhooks Skyhook, sky hook or skyhooks may refer to: Fiction * 'Skyhooks' or 'Skyhooks II', parts 1 and 8 respectively of the Adventure Time Elements (miniseries), Elements miniseries. * ''Sky Hook'', a Hugo-award nominated science fiction fanzine * Sk ...
song, "You Just Like Me Cos I'm Good in Bed", recorded for
Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's 30th anniversary. The song had been the first track played on Triple J when it launched (as Double J) in 1975. In May, Higgins won the 'Song of the Year' and 'Breakthrough' awards for "Scar" from the
Australasian Performing Right Association APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...
(APRA). She continued touring in mid-2005 and released her fourth single, "The Sound of White", in August. In September she played a sold-out performance at the Vanguard in Sydney with the proceeds going to charity. She was nominated for seven more
ARIAs In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanimen ...
and in October won 'Album of the Year', 'Best Pop Release', 'Breakthrough Artist – Album' and 'Highest Selling Album' (all for ''The Sound of White'') and 'Best Female Artist' (for "Scar"). She teamed up with fellow ARIA award-winning singer
Ben Lee Benjamin Michael Lee (born 11 September 1978) is an Australian musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but he focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appe ...
in late 2005 for a national tour.


2006–2009: ''On a Clear Night''

During 2006, Higgins lived in
Broome, Western Australia Broome, also known as Rubibi by the Yawuru people, is a coastal pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. In the the population was recorded as 14,660. It is the largest town in the Kimberley reg ...
for six months, away from the entertainment industry. The relaxed lifestyle helped her focus on writing new material. The landscape made a big impression, "It was the first place I'd ever felt honestly connected with my country, with the physical land of my country" and inspired her to write "Going North". She then toured the United States and South Africa, writing more material on the road. In September she based herself in Los Angeles to record her second album, ''On a Clear Night'', with producer
Mitchell Froom Mitchell Froom (born June 29, 1953) is an American musician and record producer. He was a member of the bands Gamma (band), Gamma and Latin Playboys, and is currently the keyboardist for Crowded House. He has produced albums for several artists, ...
. "Steer" was released as an EP, followed a fortnight later by its album on 28 April 2007, both debuted at No. 1 on their respective charts. In February, Higgins had contributed a tribute song to the album, ''
Cannot Buy My Soul ''Cannot Buy My Soul: The Songs of Kev Carmody'', or more simply ''Cannot Buy My Soul'', is a 2007 double-CD compilation tribute album featuring various artists performing tracks by Australian singer-songwriter Kev Carmody. They were brought tog ...
'', for noted
indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
singer,
Kev Carmody Kevin Daniel Carmody (born 1946), better known by his stage name Kev Carmody, is an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter and musician, a Murri man from northern Queensland. He is best known for the song "From Little Things Big Things Grow", ...
, singing "Droving Woman" with musician Paul Kelly and group
Augie March Augie (sometimes spelled Auggie) is a nickname for variations of the name August, which derives from the Latin name Augustus. It may refer to: People *Augie Auer (1940–2007), meteorologist *Augie Galan (1912–1993), Major League Baseball play ...
. On 7 July, she participated in the Live Earth concert in Sydney, performing her own set before joining Carmody, Kelly and vocalist
John Butler John Butler may refer to: Arts and entertainment *John "Picayune" Butler (died 1864), American performer *John Butler (artist) (1890–1976), American artist * John Butler (author) (born 1937), British author and YouTuber *John Butler (born 1954), ...
on stage for the song "
From Little Things Big Things Grow "From Little Things Big Things Grow" is a protest song recorded by Australian artists Paul Kelly & The Messengers on their 1991 album ''Comedy'', and by Kev Carmody (with Kelly) on his 1993 album ''Bloodlines''. It was released as a CD single ...
". Emily Dunn in ''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' wrote "
he song He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
could have been the event's anthem". ''Rolling Stone'''s Dan Lander pointed out a highlight, when the "whole crowd sung along – all eleven verses." Higgins returned to Los Angeles to focus on the US market—she spent September and October touring—where she was still relatively unknown. On 26 October, backed by the
Sydney Youth Orchestra Sydney Youth Orchestras (SYO) provides a pathway for hundreds of young musicians from beginner to pre-professional to connect, create and champion orchestral music. Musicians are welcome to audition annually and are placed in orchestras and ens ...
, she headlined the annual Legs 11 concert, a breast cancer benefit held in The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Two days later Higgins performed at the
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
ARIAs where she was nominated for 'Best Pop Release', 'Highest Selling Album' and 'Highest Selling Single' (for "Steer") and won 'Best Female Artist' (for ''On a Clear Night'')—her seventh ARIA Music Award. On 31 October, she was a guest at television music channel MAX's inaugural Concert for the Cure, a private concert for people affected by breast cancer. She sang headline act Powderfinger's " Sunsets" with front man
Bernard Fanning Bernard Fanning (born 15 August 1969) is an Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He was the lead vocalist of Queensland alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989. Born and raised in Toowong, Brisbane, Fanning received ...
and joined in with the encore of "
These Days These Days may refer to: Music Albums * ''These Days'' (Bon Jovi album), and the title song (see below) ** These Days Tour, a 1995–1996 tour by Bon Jovi in support of the above album * ''These Days'' (Crystal Gayle album), 1980 * ''These ...
". She spent November and December on her For One Night Only Tour, taking in Cairns, Sydney and Perth.
You Am I You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by its lead singer-songwriter and guitarist, Tim Rogers. They formed in December 1989 and are the first Australian band to have released three successive albums that have each debuted ...
lead singer, Tim Rogers, joined her on some shows. ''On a Clear Night'', was released in the US on 26 February 2008, supported by a tour in March. Her ten-month stay in Los Angeles during 2008 promoted her songs for films and television shows. Her first US single "
Where I Stood "Where I Stood" is the second single from singer-songwriter Missy Higgins' second album, ''On a Clear Night''. The song was released to commercial radio on 25 June 2007. The single was released on 4 August 2007. It reached No. 10 on the A ...
" was featured in US series including ''
Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...
'', ''
One Tree Hill One Tree Hill may refer to: * "One Tree Hill" (song), a 1987 song by U2 referencing One Tree Hill, New Zealand volcanic peak * ''One Tree Hill'' (TV series), a 2003–2012 American drama series named for the U2 song ** ''One Tree Hill'' (soundtr ...
'' and ''
So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and has ...
''. During 2008, Higgins supported the
Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part o ...
and then
Ben Folds Benjamin Scott Folds (born September 12, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and composer, who is the first artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., since May 2017. Folds was th ...
on their respective US tours. February and March 2009 saw her co-headlining a US tour with Canadian
Justin Nozuka Justin Tokimitsu Nozuka (born September 29, 1988) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. His debut album ''Holly'' has been released in Europe, Canada, Japan and the United States. He has licensed the album to indie label Coalition Enterta ...
. On 31 March she released an EP, ''More Than This'' in Australia that features cover versions of " More Than This" by
Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...
, " (I'm) In Love Again" by
Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...
, "
Breakdown Breakdown may refer to: Breaking down *Breakdown (vehicle), failure of a motor vehicle in such a way that it cannot be operated *Chemical decomposition, also called chemical breakdown, the breakdown of a substance into simpler components *Decompo ...
" by
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the lat ...
and "
Moses Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...
" by
Patty Griffin Patricia Jean Griffin (born March 16, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.Griffin, Patrici She is a vocalist and plays guitar and piano. She is known for her stripped-down songwriting style in the folk music genre. Her songs ha ...
. "Moses" had been included on Triple J's 2005 compilation album '' Like a Version: Volume One'' and "More Than This" was recorded as part of '' Covered, A Revolution in Sound'', a Warner Bros. tribute album also released in March 2009.


2010–2013: ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle''

Higgins started writing music for her third album in 2009. After about seven years of touring and recording she took a break from the music industry to pursue other interests. In 2010 she enrolled in a course in indigenous studies at the
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
. Her acting debut was as Annie in 2010 film ''
Bran Nue Dae __NOTOC__ ''Bran Nue Dae'' is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia, that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Kuckles and friends, and was the first Aboriginal Austra ...
'' directed by
Rachel Perkins Rachel Perkins (born 1970) is an Australian film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. She directed the films ''Radiance'' (1998), ''One Night the Moon'' (2001), ''Bran Nue Dae'' (2010), and ''Jasper Jones'' (2017). Perkins is an ...
. The film is an adaptation of the 1990 musical, ''
Bran Nue Dae __NOTOC__ ''Bran Nue Dae'' is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia, that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Kuckles and friends, and was the first Aboriginal Austra ...
'', "Australia's first Aboriginal musical". Although Higgins would consider future acting projects she has no plans to actively pursue it as a career. In July and August 2010, Higgins played several dates of
Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan Order of Canada, OC Order of British Columbia, OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing ( ...
's
Lilith Fair Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 ...
tour in the US. At Lilith Fair, she met Australian musician
Butterfly Boucher Butterfly Giselle Grace Boucher (born 2 June 1979) is an Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer born in Adelaide. From the age of 15 years she played bass guitar in her older sister, Rebecca Boucher Burns (Becca ...
and they decided to work together. In 2011, Higgins travelled to where Boucher was living in
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
to record her third album, which is co-produced by Boucher and Brad Jones. Titled ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'', the album was released on 1 June 2012. Its first single, "
Unashamed Desire "Unashamed Desire" is the first single from Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins' third album, ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle''. The song made its worldwide premier on Triple J in April and the single was released digitally on 23 April 2012 "Un ...
", co-written with Boucher, was released on 23 April. In November 2011, at the
ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
, Higgins performed a duet of "Warwu"with
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (22 January 1971 – 25 July 2017), commonly known as Gurrumul and also referred to since his death as Dr G. Yunupingu, was an Aboriginal Australian musician of the Yolŋu peoples. A multi-instrumentalist, he played ...
, from his ''
Rrakala ''Rrakala'' is the second album from Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. It is performed in Yolngu. Gurrumul plays piano, drums, nylon-string acoustic guitar, electric and acoustic guitars. It reached number three on the ARIA charts. At the 2011 ARI ...
'' album. "The Ol' Razzle Dazzle" album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart the week of 12 June 2012. It was Higgins' 3rd straight number one album. As of January 2019, Higgins ties Olivia Newton-John for the 3rd highest tally of Australian Number One albums by an Australian female artist. Only Delta Goodrem (with four Number 1 ARIA albums) and Kylie Minogue and Kasey Chambers (with five each) have achieved more.


2014: ''Oz''

In September 2014, Higgins released her fourth studio album, ''Oz'', which features cover versions of Australian composers, including The Angels, Slim Dusty, Something For Kate, Warumpi Band, Paul Kelly and The Drones. The album is also accompanied by a book of related essays, in which Higgins uses each of the recordings to reflect upon subjects such as music and love. Higgins collaborated with
Dan Sultan Daniel Leo Sultan (born 1983) is an Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, actor and author. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 he won ARIA Award for Best Male Artist, Best Male Artist and ARIA Award for Best Blues and Root ...
for the recording of the Slim Dusty song "
The Biggest Disappointment "The Biggest Disappointment" is an Australian country music song written by Joy McKean and made famous by her husband, Slim Dusty. It has been covered by artists including Missy Higgins, Troy Cassar-Daley, Beccy Cole, and Gina Jeffreys.Country mus ...
". Higgins explained in an October 2014 interview that she experienced a significant bout of writer's block following the completion of her second album and someone suggested an album of cover versions at the time, but she only revisited the idea during the conception of ''Oz''. Higgins further explained:
I responded to all these songs on an emotional level, when I first heard them. I wanted songs I felt I could tell with my own voice, and interpret them authentically ... But it was important to maintain the emotional integrity and the heart of the song. It was a high priority to keep true to the songs.
The album was co-produced by Jherek Bischoff, who previously worked with
David Byrne David Byrne (; born 14 May 1952) is a Scottish-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, visual artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of ...
, formerly of
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...
, and
Amanda Palmer Amanda MacKinnon Gaiman Palmer (born April 30, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and performance artist who is the lead vocalist, pianist, and lyricist of the duo The Dresden Dolls. She performs as a solo artist and was also a ...
. ''Oz'' debuted at number 3 on the ARIA Albums chart and remained in the top five positions until 18 October 2014. The national Australian tour in support of ''Oz'' commenced on 20 September 2014 in
Cairns Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...
, Queensland, and ended in Melbourne in October 2014. Higgins was accompanied by Bischoff, and Australian artist
Dustin Tebbutt Dustin Tebbutt is an Australian musician from Armidale, New South Wales. He began recording music in 2013 and released his debut EP, titled ''The Breach'', the same year. He has since released four additional EPs and one full-length album, ''Fir ...
appeared as a special guest.


2015–present: ''Solastalgia'', ''The Special Ones'' and ''Total Control''

On 19 February 2016, Higgins released a new single titled, " Oh Canada", in her response to the
death of Alan Kurdi Alan Kurdi (born as Alan Shenu), initially reported as Aylan Kurdi, was a two-year-old Syrian boy (initially reported as having been three years old) of Kurdish ethnic background whose image made global headlines after he drowned on 2 September 20 ...
. In May 2017, Higgins released "
Torchlight ''Torchlight'' is an action role-playing hack and slash dungeon crawler video game developed by Runic Games and published by Perfect World, released for Windows in October 2009. The fantasy-themed game is set in the fictional town of Torchlight ...
", for the Australian drama film, '' Don't Tell''. In October 2017, Higgins appeared in a revival of the 1996 musical ''
Miracle City ''Miracle City'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Nick Enright and music by Max Lambert. Synopsis It is conceived as a real time, live-to-air Christian television show ''Ministry of Miracles'' hosted by Tennessee evangelical family Ricky a ...
'' by
Nick Enright Nicholas Paul Enright AM (22 December 1950 – 30 March 2003) was an Australian dramatist, playwright and theatre director. Early life Enright was born on 22 December 1950 to a prosperous professional Catholic family in East Maitland, New Sou ...
and
Max Lambert Max Lambert (born 1955) is an Australian composer and musical director. Biography Born in 1955 in Sydney, he studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Lambert composed the musicals ''Darlinghurst Nights'' and ''Miracle City'', both first ...
at the
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
, playing the role of Bonnie Mae. In February 2018, Higgins released the single " Futon Couch", the first single from her fifth studio album, called '' Solastalgia'', released in May 2018. In February 2018, it was announced that Missy Higgins would support
Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
's tour around Australia. In November 2018, Higgins released her first greatest hits album titled '' The Special Ones''. A stand-alone single, "When the Machine Starts", was released in November 2020; a second, "Edge of Something", was released in October 2021. In October 2019, new music by Higgins featured in the Australian television series '' Total Control''. This would later serve as the basis of a mini-album, also titled '' Total Control'', that Higgins announced in February 2022. It is set for release on 4 March 2022.


Musical influences and technique

Higgins grew up in the 1980s and 1990s listening to artists that her older siblings liked—Nicola played
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
, while David favoured
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
and
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
. Departing for boarding school at age 13, she was exposed to
alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...
artists like
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
and
Hole A hole is an opening in or through a particular medium, usually a solid body. Holes occur through natural and artificial processes, and may be useful for various purposes, or may represent a problem needing to be addressed in many fields of en ...
and started teaching herself guitar and writing her own music. She also began singing with David's jazz group on weekends. As an adult she prefers
Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...
and
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
to "poppy dance music". She has cited
Patty Griffin Patricia Jean Griffin (born March 16, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.Griffin, Patrici She is a vocalist and plays guitar and piano. She is known for her stripped-down songwriting style in the folk music genre. Her songs ha ...
,
Ron Sexsmith Ronald Eldon Sexsmith (born January 8, 1964) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario. He was the songwriter of the year at the 2005 Juno Awards. He began releasing recordings of his own material in 1985 at age 21, and has ...
,
Rufus Wainwright Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has recorded 10 studio albums and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written two classical operas and set ...
, Paul Kelly and
Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan Order of Canada, OC Order of British Columbia, OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing ( ...
as influences. Material from her third album is influenced by
ambient music Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. It may lack net composition, beat, or structured melody.The Ambient Century by Mark Prendergast, Bloomsbury, London, 2003. It u ...
from
Low Low or LOW or lows, may refer to: People * Low (surname), listing people surnamed Low Places * Low, Quebec, Canada * Low, Utah, United States * Lo Wu station (MTR code LOW), Hong Kong; a rail station * Salzburg Airport (ICAO airport code: LO ...
,
Jon Hopkins Jonathan Julian Hopkins (born 15 August 1979) is an English musician and producer who writes and performs electronic music. He began his career playing keyboards for Imogen Heap, and has produced but also contributed to albums by Brian Eno, Co ...
, Icelandic band
Sigur Rós Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band from Reykjavík, active since 1994. The band comprises singer and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal sound, fron ...
and Estonian classical composer
Arvo Pärt Arvo Pärt (; born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of contemporary classical music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs tintinnabuli, a compositional technique he invented. Pärt's music is in pa ...
. Higgins' song writing grew out of a desire to express her emotions when she was at school and her lyrics describe her feelings about her own life and relationships. The piano was the first instrument she learned to play, and she continues to use it as well as
digital piano A digital piano is a type of electronic keyboard instrument designed to serve primarily as an alternative to the traditional acoustic piano, both in how it feels to play and in the sound it produces. Digital pianos use either synthesized emulat ...
s including a
Roland Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...
RD-300SX, RD-700 and KR-15. She also uses guitars extensively in her music particularly when touring, due to their portable nature and favours the Australian brand,
Maton Maton is an Australian musical instruments manufacturing company based in Box Hill, Melbourne. It was founded in 1946 by Bill May and his brother Reg. The name "Maton" came from the words "May Tone" and is pronounced ''May Tonne''. Products ...
. On occasion she plays
keytar The keytar is a lightweight synthesizer that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement onstage, compared to conventional keyboard ...
,
xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Like the glockenspiel (which uses metal bars), the xylophone essentially consists of a set of tuned wooden keys arranged in the ...
and
melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usual ...
during performances. On 7 September 2012, Higgins recorded a
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of
Gotye Wouter André "Wally" De Backer (born 21 May 1980), better known by his stage name Gotye ( ), is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. The name "Gotye" is a pronunciation respelling of "Gauthier", the French cognat ...
's "Heart's A Mess" for the "Like a Version" segment on Australian radio station
Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
, explaining on-air that the song is her favourite Gotye composition. Higgins had travelled with Gotye previously and referred to him as "an incredible singer" in the interview prior to the rendition. In the 2020 Australian documentary film ''
Slim and I ''Slim and I'' is a 2020 Australian documentary film directed by Kriv Stenders about the life of Joy McKean and Slim Dusty, Australia's most successful husband and wife singer-songwriter duo. Making of the documentary The documentary came a ...
'', directed by
Kriv Stenders Kriv Stenders is an Australian writer, producer and director best known for the film '' Red Dog'' and the thriller film ''Kill Me Three Times''. He started off directing music videos for many famous Australian bands, including Go Betweens, M ...
, Higgins paid tribute to the influence on her life and career of acclaimed Australian country music singer-songwriting couple
Slim Dusty Slim Dusty, AO MBE (born David Gordon Kirkpatrick; 13 June 1927 – 19 September 2003) was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He was an Australian cultural icon and one of the country's most awarded stars, ...
and
Joy McKean Joy McKean , (born 14 January 1930), is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and wife and manager of the late Slim Dusty. Known as the "grand lady" of Australian country music, McKean is recognised as one of Australia's leading songwrite ...
. The film features interviews and covers of McKean songs by acclaimed contemporary artists including Higgins (''
The Biggest Disappointment "The Biggest Disappointment" is an Australian country music song written by Joy McKean and made famous by her husband, Slim Dusty. It has been covered by artists including Missy Higgins, Troy Cassar-Daley, Beccy Cole, and Gina Jeffreys.Country mus ...
''),
Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...
, Paul Kelly, and
Troy Cassar-Daley Troy Cassar-Daley (born 18 May 1969) is an Australian country music songwriter and entertainer. Cassar-Daley has released thirteen studio albums, two live albums and five compilation albums over 30 years, including the platinum-selling ''The Gr ...
.


Activism and Charitable Works

Higgins has been active and vocal about many issues including climate and environmental issues, animal welfare, female empowerment, refugees and Indigenous issues.These issues have been influential to her works throughout her career.


Climate and Environment

Higgins has been a long time advocate for the environment and has actively participated in many environmental initiatives and events aimed at raising awareness on climate change and environmental issues. She is currently a patron of Green Music Australia, which aims to harness the cultural power of music to create a greener and safer planet. From her early tours such as her ‘
On A Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven: A Music Company, Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, ''The Sound of ...
’ tour, Higgins has aimed for her tours to be
carbon neutral Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the "p ...
, and she was named one of Billboard magazine’s 2007 Top 10 Green Artists. She also contributed to Green Music Australia and Creative Victoria’s 2022 initiative ‘Sound Country: A Green Artist Guide’ which aims to provide a practical framework for touring musicians to implement sustainable solutions. Higgins has also participated in many environmental fundraising and donation campaigns including the
Sierra Club The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, who be ...
’s 2009 2% Solution Campaign where she made her song ‘
Where I Stood "Where I Stood" is the second single from singer-songwriter Missy Higgins' second album, ''On a Clear Night''. The song was released to commercial radio on 25 June 2007. The single was released on 4 August 2007. It reached No. 10 on the A ...
’ available for free to those who pledged to decrease their carbon output by 2% . Higgins also donated royalties from her 2009 digital EP ''More Than This'' to the Save the Kimberley organisation focused on conservation of Western Australia’s
Kimberley Region The Kimberley is the northernmost of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy Desert, Great Sandy and Tanami Desert, Tanami deserts ...
; an area which Higgins is passionate about protecting from industrialisation. In October 2012, Higgins also performed at two "Save the Kimberley" events held at
Federation Square Federation Square (colloquially Fed Square) is a venue for arts, culture and public events on the edge of the Melbourne central business district. It covers an area of at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets built above busy ra ...
in Melbourne and The Esplanade in Fremantle, Western Australia; march to protest against the proposed gas refinery construction at James Price Point accompanied the free concert and campaign supporters were photographed with banners and placards. Higgins was among 21 artists to write and record music for the album ‘Sounds for the Reef’ which raised funds for legal action against plans to turn Queensland’s
Abbot Point Abbot Point Port is home to the North Queensland Export Terminal (NQXT), the most northerly deepwater coal port of Australia, situated approximately north-west of the township of Bowen (Queensland). Established in 1984, it consists of a rail ...
into one of the world’s largest coal ports and the decision to allow dredging near the
Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
. The album's 21 songs were sold on the
Bandcamp Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California, US. On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp ...
website. Higgins also vocally protested against the
Adani coal mine The Carmichael coal mine is a coal mine in Queensland, Australia which produced its first shipment of coal in December 2021. The mine has drawn criticism for its environmental impacts on the Great Barrier Reef, water usage and carbon emissions. ...
in 2017, writing an open letter to the former Australian Opposition Leader
Bill Shorten William Richard Shorten (born 12 May 1967) is an Australian politician currently serving as Minister for Government Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme since 2022. He previously served as leader of the opposition a ...
and current Australian Attorney-General
Mark Dreyfus Mark Alfred Dreyfus (born 3 October 1956) is an Australian politician and lawyer who has been attorney-general of Australia and cabinet secretary since June 2022, having held both roles previously in 2013 and from 2010 to 2013 respectively. ...
, and donating time to narrating two campaign videos and the #StopAdani Roadshow Opener. Climate change played a large role in the creation of the music for her 2018 album ‘ Solostalgia', which was named for a kind of distress brought on by environmental changes close to home. The album is also influenced by the feeling of climate grief and climate anxiety.


Animal Welfare

Higgins has been a vegetarian for many years after being introduced to the idea by an ex-boyfriend and wanted to do something for animals rights after reading ‘
Eating Animals ''Eating Animals'' is the third book by the American novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, published in 2009. A ''New York Times'' best-seller, ''Eating Animals'' provides a dense discussion of what it means to eat animals in an industrialized world. It ...
’ by
Jonathan Safran Foer Jonathan Safran Foer (; born February 21, 1977) is an American novelist. He is known for his novels ''Everything Is Illuminated'' (2002), '' Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'' (2005), '' Here I Am'' (2016), and for his non-fiction works ''Eatin ...
. She helped promote the 2005
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; , stylized as PeTA) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. PETA reports that PETA entities have ...
(PETA) advertising campaign and has supported their anti-
fur Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket t ...
stance. In 2012, Higgins voiced a series of radio advertisements organised by the group
Animals Australia Animals Australia is an Australian animal protection organisation. Its aim is to investigate and expose animal cruelty, inspire kindness to animals through public awareness campaigns—particularly focused on farmed animals—and provide funding a ...
in a campaign to put an end to battery-hen egg production in Australia. Higgins was one of numerous publicly known advocates for the 'Oscar's Law' campaign. The campaign, launched in 2010, protests against the existence of "puppy factories" in Australia, whereby animals are factory farmed. One of the campaign's slogans was "Break the Puppy Trade—Don't buy puppies from pet shops" and the list of notable advocates included
Paul Dempsey Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock group Something for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album, '' Everything Is True'', on 20 Au ...
,
Kate Ceberano Catherine Yvette Ceberano ( or , born 17 November 1966) is an Australian singer and actress who performs in the soul, jazz, and pop genres, as well as in film and musicals such as '' Jesus Christ Superstar''. Her song " Pash" received a gold ...
and
Mick Molloy Michael Molloy (born 11 July 1966) is an Australian comedian, writer, producer, actor and television and radio presenter who has been active in radio, television, stand-up and film. He currently hosts ''The Front Bar'' on the Seven Network. L ...
. Higgins has also performed at animal welfare and conservation related fundraising and awareness concerts.This includes kicking off Animal Australia’s 2013 event ‘Animal Matters’ with a performance of ‘Hidden Ones’, and performing at Melbourne Zoo’s Twilights concert in 2012, 2013 and the 2020 where proceeds from the event went to conservation efforts and aims to save threatened species.


Refugees

In 2016, Missy Higgins released “ Oh Canada” which was written from the perspective of the refugee father of Alan Kurdi, a two year old Syrian boy who drowned while fleeing to Europe. All of the song’s net profits went to the
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) is an asylum seeker support organisation in Australia. The ASRC, based in Footscray, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, provides aid, justice and empowerment programs to over 1000 asylum seekers living i ...
(ASRC), and Higgins performed the song during the ASRC telethon held on World Refugee Day. In 2017 Higgins was announced as a new ASRC Ambassador and in 2018 appeared on ABC’s Q&A program and expressed her views on the Australian Government’s treatment of asylum seekers. Higgins also featured in the 2022 documentary ‘Scattered People: A Song Can Take You Home’ presented by the ASRC and Being Reel Films, along with other Australian Musicians.


Female Empowerment

Rolling Stone Australia ''Rolling Stone'' Australia is the Australian edition of the United States' ''Rolling Stone'' magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture, published monthly. The Australian version of ''Rolling Stone'' was initially published in 197 ...
called Higgins’ soundtrack for the second season of the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
drama Total Control an “outspoken fight for equality”, and the work was inspired by
Grace Tame Grace Tame (born 28 December 1994) is an Australian activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault. Tame was named 2021 Australian of the Year on 25 January 2021. Early life, family and education Grace Tame was born in Hobart in about ...
and Brittany Higgins and the
2021 Australian Parliament House sexual misconduct allegations In February and March 2021, a number of allegations involving rape and other sexual misconduct against women involving the Australian Parliament and federal politicians were raised, causing controversy especially for the federal Liberal-Nationa ...
, with themes of exploitation and female empowerment. The album was about taking control as a woman, with songs like ‘I Take It Back’ which was written about reclaiming story, identity and power as a woman. In 2021, Higgins appeared on the panel of
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
’s Q&A Season Finale 'Power, Protests and Parliament' and discussed her views on the behaviour of
Australian Parliament The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislature, legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the ...
in relation to women in parliament, advice for young women who want to move into the music industry and the power imbalance of the music industry. Higgins also headlined the all-female festival tour ‘Wildflower’ in 2022 alongside
Kate Miller-Heidke Kate Melina Miller-Heidke (; born 16 November 1981) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Although classically trained, she has generally followed a career in alternative pop music. She signed to Sony Australia, Epic in the US and RCA in the ...
,
Kasey Chambers Kasey Chambers (born 4 June 1976) is an Australian country singer-songwriter and musician born in Mount Gambier. She is the daughter of fellow musicians, Diane and Bill Chambers, and the younger sister of musician and producer, Nash Chambers. ...
,
Sarah Blasko Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow (born 23 September 1976), known professionally as Sarah Blasko, is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. From April 2002, Blasko developed her solo career after fronting Sydney-based band, Acqui ...
,
Deborah Conway Deborah Ann Conway (born 8 August 1959) is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actress. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their top 5 hit "Man Overboard". Conw ...
, Thornbird and
Alice Skye Alice Skye is an Australian singer and songwriter. She is a Wergaia woman from Horsham. In 2017, she was the Triple J Unearthed National Indigenous Winner. She released her debut album ''Friends with Feelings'' in 2018 and toured nationally wi ...
in order to celebrate women and the return of the live scene. Generational strength has also been a motivator for Higgins, wanting to show her daughter how to be a strong, independent woman.


Indigenous Issues

Higgins undertook an Indigenous Studies course at the University of Melbourne and has been a vocal supporter of Indigenous Australian peoples for years.  In 2007 she joined the
Oxfam Australia Oxfam Australia is an Australian, independent, not-for-profit, secular, community-based aid and development organization, and is an affiliate of the Oxfam International confederation. Oxfam Australia's work is divided into four broad categories co ...
‘Close the Gap’ campaign and recorded a cover of 'Droving Woman' with
Augie March Augie (sometimes spelled Auggie) is a nickname for variations of the name August, which derives from the Latin name Augustus. It may refer to: People *Augie Auer (1940–2007), meteorologist *Augie Galan (1912–1993), Major League Baseball play ...
on the tribute album to
Kev Carmody Kevin Daniel Carmody (born 1946), better known by his stage name Kev Carmody, is an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter and musician, a Murri man from northern Queensland. He is best known for the song "From Little Things Big Things Grow", ...
, an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter and musician. In 2008, Higgins collaborated on a re-release of the song “
From Little Things Big Things Grow "From Little Things Big Things Grow" is a protest song recorded by Australian artists Paul Kelly & The Messengers on their 1991 album ''Comedy'', and by Kev Carmody (with Kelly) on his 1993 album ''Bloodlines''. It was released as a CD single ...
” along with Tim Levison and others. The song begins with a sample from the 2008 Formal Apology to the Stolen Generations made by former Australia Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957) is an Australian former politician and diplomat who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and again from June 2013 to September 2013, holding office as the leader of the ...
. When discussing the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Higgins stated that First Nations people have never been treated as equals and have been oppressed as a people. Higgins mentioned that her album Total Control was partly inspired by strong
First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...
women who she knew and in an interview with
Rolling Stone Australia ''Rolling Stone'' Australia is the Australian edition of the United States' ''Rolling Stone'' magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture, published monthly. The Australian version of ''Rolling Stone'' was initially published in 197 ...
, Higgin’s was quoted saying “Australian First Nations people have to cop so much every day and they’re still surviving in a country that refuses to acknowledge our history.”.


Other charitable Works

Higgins has also been involved in other charitable works throughout her career. All proceeds from her 2015 charity show at Sydney’s ‘The Vanguard’ were donated to the One In Five Foundation, a Melbourne charity supporting research into mental health.   In 2020, along with Tim Minchin, Higgins gave her support to the
Fred Hollows Foundation The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit aid organisation based in Sydney, Australia, which was founded in 1992 by eye surgeon Fred Hollows. The foundation focuses on treating and preventing blindness and other vision problems. It opera ...
with the collaborative song " Carry You" which was adapted to the foundation's 2020 campaign to encourage people to carry on Fred Hollows's legacy of ending avoidable blindness. She also performed the song with Minchin at the streamed charity concert Music from the Home Front which paid tribute to the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood comma ...
and workers on the frontline of
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
responses. Proceeds from the album of the same name went towards the music crisis charity Support Act. In 2022, Higgins headlined the
Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...
telethon concert in support of the Children’s Hospital Foundation, raising funds for medical research, equipment and support services for young patients and their families. Higgins also joined the
Australian Red Cross The Australian Red Cross, formally the Australian Red Cross Society, is a humanitarian aid and community services charity in Australia. Tracing its history back to 1923 and being incorporated by royal charter in 1941, the Australian Red Cros ...
event '' Australia Unites: Red Cross Flood Appeal'' along with other Australian artists in order to raise funds for victims of the
2022 eastern Australia floods The 2022 eastern Australia floods were one of the nation's worst recorded flood disasters with a series of floods that occurred from February to April in South East Queensland, the Wide Bay–Burnett and parts of coastal New South Wales. Brisb ...
.


Personal life

Higgins has been a patron of multiple mental health charities since 2003. She described her younger self as "a bit of a depressed child" and "introverted", and that she had "experienced various degrees of depression". Prescribed
antidepressant Antidepressants are a class of medication used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain conditions, and to help manage addictions. Common side-effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, hea ...
medication while in high school, she learned to channel low moods into songwriting, calling music her "emotional outlet". In a 2006 interview she said that her songs were "coming from more of a happier place". While recording her second album she discovered a passion for rock climbing, as a "meditative pursuit" and that, "It's the first and last thing I've had – other than music – that I'm passionate about." From 2004 to 2007, Higgins' sexual orientation was the subject of media speculation based partly on interpretations of her lyrics and her interviews. In an October 2007 interview with Australian lesbian magazine ''Cherrie'', she was asked if she fell under the
moniker A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
of "not-so-straight" girls. She replied "Um, yeah, definitely. ... I think sexuality is a fluid thing and it's becoming increasingly more acceptable to admit that you're that way." In November her Myspace page reported, "I've been in relationships with both men and women so I guess I fall most easily under the category 'Bisexual'". In 2013, Higgins began a relationship with Broome playwright and comedian Dan Lee. Higgins gave birth to a son in 2015. Higgins and Lee were married in March 2016, and she gave birth to a daughter in August 2018. In early 2022, Higgins and Lee amicably separated.


Discography

* ''
The Sound of White ''The Sound of White'' is the debut studio album by Australian pop singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released 6 September 2004 by Eleven. It won the 2005 ARIA Music Award for Best Female Artist. Higgins had secured recording contracts with Elev ...
'' (2004) * ''
On a Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven: A Music Company, Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, ''The Sound of ...
'' (2007) * ''
The Ol' Razzle Dazzle ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'' is the third studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, and was released by Eleven on 1 June 2012. Higgins began work on the album after a quiet retreat from the industry to refocus her life on other p ...
'' (2012) * '' Oz'' (2014) * '' Solastalgia'' (2018)


Filmography

*2010: ''
Bran Nue Dae __NOTOC__ ''Bran Nue Dae'' is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia, that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Kuckles and friends, and was the first Aboriginal Austra ...
'' as Annie *2014: ''
Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a h ...
'' – Narrator (Documentary)


Awards and nominations


APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Higgins has won two awards from eight nominations. , - , rowspan="3",
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, , "
Scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a na ...
" (Missy Higgins,
Kevin Griffin Kevin Michael Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Better Than Ezra. His songs have been performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor ...
) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - , " Ten Days" (Missy Higgins, Jay Clifford) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - , Missy Higgins , , Breakthrough Award , , , - , rowspan="3",
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, , rowspan="2", "
The Special Two "The Special Two" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins and the third single released from her debut album, ''The Sound of White''. The song was also included on her 2003 debut EP, '' The Missy Higgins EP'', although re-recorded ...
" (Missy Higgins) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - , Most Performed Australian Work , , , - , "Ten Days" (Missy Higgins, Jay Clifford) , , Most Performed Australian Work , , , - , rowspan="2",
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, , "Everyone's Waiting" (Missy Higgins and Daniel Wilson) , , rowspan="2", Song of the Year, , , - , "Set Me On Fire" (Missy Higgins, Butterfly Boucher and Daniel Wilson) , , , - ,
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, , "Oh Canada" , , Song of the Year, , , - , rowspan="3",
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, , " Carry You" ( Tim Minchin) – Missy Higgins , , rowspan="2", Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
, , , - , "Edge of Something" (Higgins,
Antony Partos Antony Michael Partos (born 1 August 1968) is an Australian film and TV composer. He specialises in creating scores that blend both acoustic and electronic elements with a mix of world musical instruments. His feature film credits include '' Ani ...
, Matteo Zingales) – Missy Higgins , , , - , "Arrows" , , Song of the Year , , , - ,
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, , " Carry You" (Tim Minchin) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - ,
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, "Bloody Game" from ''Total Control'' , Best Original Song Composed for the Screen , , -


ARIA Awards

The
ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
are presented annually from 1987 by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Higgins has won nine awards from twenty-five nominations.ARIA Music Awards for Missy Higgins: * Search Results 'Missy Higgins' * 2004 winners and nominees: * 2005 winners and nominees: * 2006 winners and nominees: * 2007 winners and nominees: * 2008 winners and nominees: * 2012 winners and nominees: * 2013 winners and nominees: , - , rowspan="5",
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, , rowspan="4", "
Scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a na ...
" , , Single of the Year , , , - , Best Female Artist , , , - , Breakthrough Artist – Single , , , - , Best Pop Release , , , - , "Scar" – Squareyed Films , , Best Video , , , - , rowspan="8",
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, , rowspan="5", ''
The Sound of White ''The Sound of White'' is the debut studio album by Australian pop singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released 6 September 2004 by Eleven. It won the 2005 ARIA Music Award for Best Female Artist. Higgins had secured recording contracts with Elev ...
'' , ,
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
, , , - , Best Female Artist , , , - , Highest Selling Album , , , - , Breakthrough Artist – Album , , , - , Best Pop Release , , , - , ''The Sound of White'' – Cathie Glassby , , Best Cover Art , , , - , rowspan="2", "
The Special Two "The Special Two" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins and the third single released from her debut album, ''The Sound of White''. The song was also included on her 2003 debut EP, '' The Missy Higgins EP'', although re-recorded ...
" , , Single of the Year , , , - , Highest Selling Single , , , - ,
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, , ''If You Tell Me Yours, I'll Tell You Mine'' , , Best Music DVD , , , - , rowspan="4",
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, , rowspan="3", ''
On a Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven: A Music Company, Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, ''The Sound of ...
'' , , Best Female Artist, , , - , Best Pop Release , , , - , Highest Selling Album , , , - , "
Steer Steer, Steers or Steering may refer to: Animals * Steer or bullock, castrated male cattle * Ox, a steer used as a draft animal People * Steer (surname) * Steers (surname) Places * Steer Creek (West Virginia), a tributary of the Little K ...
" , , Highest Selling Single , , , - ,
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, , " Peachy" , , Best Female Artist , , , - , rowspan="4",
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, , rowspan="3", ''
The Ol' Razzle Dazzle ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'' is the third studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, and was released by Eleven on 1 June 2012. Higgins began work on the album after a quiet retreat from the industry to refocus her life on other p ...
'' , , Best Female Artist , , , - , Album of the Year , , , - , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , "
Everyone's Waiting "Everyone's Waiting" is the 12th episode of the fifth season of the HBO television program, television series ''Six Feet Under (TV series), Six Feet Under'', the series's 63rd episode overall and the series finale. The episode was written and di ...
" –
Natasha Pincus Natasha Pincus is an Australian creative film maker. Pincus has created music videos for a number of Australian musicians, including Powderfinger, Paul Kelly, Gotye, Missy Higgins, The Paper Kites and Sarah Blasko. Pinctus created a major film w ...
, , Best Video , , , - ,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, , "Set Me on Fire" , , Best Female Artist , , , - ,
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, , '' Solastalgia'' , , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - ,
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, ''Total Control '' , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , -


EG Awards / Music Victoria Awards

The EG Awards (known as ''Music Victoria Awards'' since 2013) are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006. , - ,
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, Missy Higgins , Best Female , , - ,
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, Missy Higgins , Best Female , , -


Helpmann Awards

The
Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical t ...
is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group ''Live Performance Australia'' since 2001. Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. ! , - , rowspan="2",
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, ''Missy Higgins'' - ''Missy Higgins'' ,
Helpmann Award for Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert The Helpmann Award for Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert was an award, presented by Live Performance Australia (LPA) at the annual Helpmann Awards from 2005-2008. In the following list winners are listed first and marked in ...
, , rowspan="2", , - , ''Missy Higgins'' , Helpmann Award for Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , - ,
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, ''Missy Higgins Orchestral Concert Series 2016 '' , Helpmann Award for Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , , -


MTV Australia Video Music Award

The
MTV Australia Video Music Award The MTV Australia Awards (previously known as the MTV Australia Video Music Awards or AVMA's) started in 2005 and were Australia's first awards show to celebrate both local and international acts. The last edition happened in 2009. History The M ...
were presented annually from 2005 to 2009 by
MTV Australia MTV is a 24-hour general entertainment channel specialising in music and youth culture programming which serves Australia and New Zealand. It is operated by parent company Paramount Networks UK & Australia headquartered in London with a local of ...
.FasterLouder.com.a
Nominees Announced For The MTV Australia Video Music Awards
''FasterLouder.com.au''. Accessed 17 June 2008.
, - , rowspan="3",
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, , rowspan="3", Missy Higgins , , Best Female , , , - , Best Breakthrough , , , - , Supernova Award , , , - ,
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, , "The Special Two" Missy Higgins , , Best Female Artist , , , -


References

;General * * * Note: n-lineversion established a
White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd
in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition. ;Specific


External links

*

at
MusicBrainz MusicBrainz is a MetaBrainz project that aims to create a collaborative music database that is similar to the freedb project. MusicBrainz was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the Compact Disc Database (CDDB), a database for sof ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Higgins, Missy 1983 births Living people 21st-century Australian singers 21st-century guitarists 21st-century pianists APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Australian women guitarists Australian women singer-songwriters Australian multi-instrumentalists Australian pianists Australian women pianists Bisexual musicians Bisexual women LGBT singers from Australia LGBT songwriters People educated at Geelong Grammar School Singers from Melbourne Australian people of English descent 21st-century Australian women singers 21st-century Australian women musicians 21st-century Australian musicians 20th-century Australian women musicians 20th-century Australian musicians 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people 21st-century women guitarists 20th-century women pianists 21st-century women pianists