Christine Anu (born 15 March 1970) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She gained popularity with the cover song release of the Warumpi Band's song " My Island Home". Anu has been nominated for 17 ARIA Awards.

Early life

Anu was born on 15 March 1970 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 ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, to a

Torres Strait Islander Torres Strait Islanders () are the Indigenous Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal people of the rest of Australia ...

mother from Saibai. Anu attended Emmaus College in

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of t ...

where she graduated from in 1987 before studying at the

National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association The NAISDA Dance College (usually referred to as simply NAISDA) is a performing arts training college based in Kariong, New South Wales for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. It was established as the Aboriginal Islander ...

in Sydney.

Music career

201000 - Opening Ceremony Christine Anu performs - 3b - 2000 Sydney opening ceremony photo

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", a 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 ''Stylin' Up'' is the debut album by Australian singer Christine Anu, released on 1 May 1995 by Mushroom Records. A deluxe edition was later released with six live tracks. The album was certified platinum in 2000. The album fuses a blend of pur ...

'', which went

platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

. In 1995, Neil Murray won an Australasian Performing Right Association songwriting award for writing "My Island Home". Anu won an

ARIA Award 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 Austra ...

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 "Now Until the Break of Day" is song credited to " Bazmark presents Christine Anu and David Hobson with Royce Doherty". It is included on Luhrmann's debut studio album, ''Something for Everybody'' (1998). The track peaked at number 50 in Austral ...

" on his ''

Something for Everybody ''Something for Everybody'' is the sixth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2370, in June 17, 1961. Recording sessions took place on November 8, 1960, at Radio Re ...

'' album. It was released as a single and the video then won another ARIA award and led to her being cast in ''

Moulin Rouge! ''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and co ...

''. In January 1998, Anu teamed up with

Archie Roach Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian singer, songwriter and Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach was a Gunditjmara and Bundjalung elder who campaigned for the rights of Abori ...

, Paul Kelly, Judith Durham, Renee Geyer,

Kutcha Edwards Kutcha Edwards is an indigenous Australian singer and songwriter. He was born in Balranald, New South Wales, in 1965. A survivor of the Stolen Generations, he was removed from his parents at the age of 18 months. He is a Mutti Mutti man. He was ...

and Tiddas and formed Singers for the Red Black and Gold. Together they released a cover of "

Yil Lull "Yil Lull" is a song written and performed by Joe Geia. It originally appeared on his 1988 album of the same name. Yill Lull means sing in Guugu Yimithirr.Green Left Weekly issue #58 - 3 June 199Hidden Things worth looking for/ref> The colours u ...

". In 2000, Anu released '' Come My Way'' which peaked at number 18 on the ARIA albums chart and went gold. In 2000 she sang the song "My Island Home" at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony. In November 2003, Anu released her third studio album, '' 45 Degrees''. In 2007, Anu toured a children's show and released an associate album titled '' Chrissy's Island Family''. The album gained an

nomination. On 26 September 2010, she released a new digital only single, "Come Home". On 7 November 2014, Anu released a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

album, titled '' Island Christmas''. In March 2018, Anu released a duet version of "Without You" from the musical ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

'' with Greg Gould. The lyric video featured photography from around the world, each photo with a splash of red for HIV/AIDS support and awareness.

Acting and TV career

Anu has also had an acting career in film, stage and television. She appeared in ''

Dating the Enemy ''Dating The Enemy'' is a 1996 Australian comedy about a recently broken up couple who mystically swap bodies and have to live as each other. Plot One Valentine's evening a group of single, dateless friends get together to play Trivial Pursuit ...

'', a 1996 Australian film starring Guy Pearce and

Claudia Karvan Claudia Karvan (born 19 May 1972) is an Australian actress, producer and scriptwriter. As a child actor, she first appeared in the film, '' Molly'' (1983) and followed with an adolescent role in ''High Tide'' (1987). She portrayed a teacher in ...

. She then appeared in an Australian production of the stage musical ''

Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * ''The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 film directed by Roger Corman ** ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film ** ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (film), a 1986 film adaptati ...

'' in the same year. Anu's stage career developed with a starring role in the original Australian production of ''Rent'' in 1998 and 1999. Anu was offered a role in a Broadway production of this musical but had to decline due to commitments in recording her second album. Her links with Baz Luhrmann led to him offering her a part in ''

''. In 2003, she appeared as Kali in ''

The Matrix Reloaded ''The Matrix Reloaded'' is a 2003 American science-fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is a sequel to '' The Matrix'' (1999) and the second installment in the ''Matrix'' film series. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Lau ...

'' 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 The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

at 6.30 pm on Sunday night in Australia along the lines of ''

Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program '' Pop Ido ...

''. The program failed to achieve a similar level of success, leading network executives to pressure the judges to offer harsher criticism of the contestants. 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." In 2009, Anu participated in '' Who Do You Think You Are''. She appeared again 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. In August 2020, Anu was revealed to be the 'Goldfish' in the second season of ''

The Masked Singer Australia ''The Masked Singer Australia'' is an Australian reality television singing competition show hosted that premiered on Network 10 on 23 September 2019. Hosted by Osher Günsberg, the show is based on the international music game show franchise ...

'' and was the third contestant unmasked, placing 10th overall.

Radio

In December 2015, ABC announced that Anu will host the ''Evenings'' radio program on ABC Radio Sydney, ABC Radio Canberra and ABC Local Radio stations across New South Wales. Anu shared the role with

Dominic Knight Dominic John Sebastian Knight (born 26 January 1977) is an Australian novelist, comedy writer, radio host and media commentator. Best known as a member of the Australian political satire comedy Logie Awardwinning group The Chaser, he is also ...

, then took over full reigns in April after Knight's resignation. In the first half of 2016 the program suffered a dip in the ratings after she began hosting. In November 2016, ABC announced will host a national ''Evenings'' program on Friday and Saturday across ABC Local Radio. Chris Bath replaced Anu as host of ''Evenings'' from Monday to Thursday on ABC Radio Sydney, ABC Radio Canberra and ABC Local Radio stations across New South Wales.

Personal life

Anu is a mother of two, son Kuiam (born 1996) and daughter Zipporah (born 2002). Zipporah's father is actor Rodger Corser. Anu married her childhood sweetheart, Simon Deutrom, in 2010. In June 2016, Anu announced that she and Deutrom were separating after six years of marriage. On 24 February 2020, Anu pleaded guilty in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court to mid-range drink driving after recording a blood alcohol reading of 0.109 after she was pulled over by police in

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

.Nufer, Darryn (24 February 2020
Pop star fronts court on drink driving charge
, ''

The Morning Bulletin ''The Morning Bulletin'' is an online newspaper servicing the city of Rockhampton and the surrounding areas of Central Queensland, Australia. From 1861 to 2020, ''The Morning Bulletin'' was published as a print edition, before then becoming a ...

''. Retrieved 7 March 2020.(24 February 2020
ARIA Award winner Christine Anu loses license for NYE drink driving
, '' Nine News''. Retrieved 7 March 2020. Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale fined Anu $650 and suspended her driver's license for three months.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''

'' (1995) * '' Come My Way'' (2000) * '' 45 Degrees'' (2003) * '' Acoustically'' (2005) * '' Chrissy's Island Family'' (2007) * '' Rewind: The Aretha Franklin Songbook'' (2012) * '' Island Christmas'' (2014)

Live albums

* ''Intimate and Deadly'' (2010) * '' ReStylin' Up 20 Years'' (2015)

Filmography

Films and television

Theatre and stage performances

Awards and nominations

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 a set of annual ceremonies presented by

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 replac ...

(ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.

Australian Women in Music Awards

The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018. , - , rowspan="2" , 2019 , Christine Anu , Diversity in Music Award , , - , Christine Anu , Artistic Excellence Award ,

Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards, (commonly known simply as The Deadlys), was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013. , - , Deadly Awards 1996 , "herself" , Female Artist of the Year , , - ,

Deadly Awards 1998 Winners of The Deadlys Awards 1998, the awards were an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. Music *Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal Music – CAAMA ...

, "herself" , Female Artist of the Year , , - ,

Deadly Awards 2000 The Deadlys Awards 2000, were an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. Music *Excellence In Film or Theatrical Score: Wesley Enoch - '' The Sunshine Club' ...

, "

Sunshine on a Rainy Day "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" is a song by British pop singer and songwriter Zoë, released as the first single from her debut album, ''Scarlet Red and Blue'' (1991). The song received positive reviews from music critics, reaching number four on ...

" , Single of the Year , , - ,

Deadly Awards 2003 Deadly Awards were an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. Music *Male Artist of the Year: Troy Cassar-Daley *Female Artist of the Year: Christine Anu * ...

, "herself" , Female Artist of the Year , , - ,

Deadly Awards 2004 Deadly Awards 2004 the awards were an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. Music *Most Promising New Talent in Music: Casey Donovan *Single Release of ...

, " Talk About Love" , Single of the Year , , -

Green Room Awards

References

External links

Christine Anu official web site
*
Allmusic Christine Anu entryBlack is Blue tour
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anu, Christine Living people 1970 births 21st-century Australian singers 21st-century Australian women singers APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Australian children's television presenters Australian women pop singers Australian women television presenters Indigenous Australian actresses Indigenous Australian musicians MGM Records artists Mushroom Records artists Musicians from Queensland People from Cairns Torres Strait Islands culture Torres Strait Islanders Blinky Bill