Christine Anu | |
|---|---|
 Anu in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Maia Christine Anu (1970-03-15)15 March 1970 (age 55) Cairns,Queensland, Australia |
| Origin | Torres Strait Islands, Queensland, Australia |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Maia Christine Anu (born on 15 March 1970) is an Australian singer-songwriter and actress ofTorres Strait Islander origin. She gained popularity with thecover song release of theWarumpi Band's song "My Island Home" in 1995. Anu has been nominated for manyARIA Awards, winning several, as well as fiveDeadly Awards, among others. In August 2024 she released a new album and single of the same name,Waku: Minaral a Minalay.
She started her career as a dancer, and has had an acting career in film, stage (includingmusical theatre), and television, as well as hosting theWeekendEvenings radio show onABC Radio.
Maia Christine Anu,[1] was born inCairns, Queensland, on 15 March 1970.[2][3] She did not know who her biological father was, and grew up with herTorres Strait Islander mother andstepfather[4] all overQueensland.[5] Her mother is fromSaibai Island,[6][7] and her stepfather was a respected songman on Saibai,[4] originally fromMabuiag Island. He sang traditional songs of the islands, and encouraged familysingalongs.[3][8] He died in 1979 when Christine was 10 years old.[4]
Anu attendedEmmaus College inRockhampton, from which she graduated in 1987. Dancing being her first love, she moved to inner-citySydney to study at theNational Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (later known as NAISDA Dance College),[9][10][8] which had been established byCarole Johnson.[11] She earned an Associate degree in dance in 1992.[12]
Anu began performing as a dancer while at college,[11] and became a member of theBangarra Dance Theatre and theAboriginal Islander Dance Theatre troupes.[3] She toured with Bangarra in 1992 and 1993.[12]
She went on to sing back-up vocals for the Rainmakers, which includedNeil Murray, formerly founder-member of theWarumpi Band, for a year.[8] Her first recording was in 1993 with "Last Train", a dance remake of aPaul Kelly song.[5][3] The follow-up, "Monkey and the Turtle", was based on a traditionalnursery rhyme from the Torres Strait Islands.[13]
In 1995, Neil Murray won anAustralasian Performing Right Association songwriting award for writing "My Island Home".[14] Anu covered the song, which gained immediate popularity, causing her to be remembered as the principal singer of the song. She released her first album,Stylin' Up, which wentplatinum,[5] in 1995.[3]
"Come On" was released as the fourth and final single fromStylin' Up. The song peaked at number 94 in Australia on theARIA Charts.[15][16] At theARIA Music Awards of 1996 the song won two of three awards for which it was nominated, includingBest Female Artist and Best Indigenous Release.[17] In that year she also won aDeadly Award for best female artist.[12][18]
Baz Luhrmann asked her to sing on the song "Now Until the Break of Day" on his 1997 albumSomething for Everybody album. It was released as a single, with the video winning another ARIA award in 1999, and led to her being cast inMoulin Rouge!.[5][12]
In January 1998, Anu teamed up withArchie Roach,Paul Kelly,Judith Durham,Renee Geyer,Kutcha Edwards and Tiddas and formed Singers for the Red Black and Gold. Together they released a cover of "Yil Lull".[19][20] In that year, she won the Female Artist of The Year Deadly Award.[21]
In 2000, Anu releasedCome My Way which peaked at number 18 on the ARIA albums chart and went gold.[5] She released the hit single "Sunshine on a Rainy Day", for which she won the ARIA Awards for both Best Female Artist and Engineer of the Year.[18][22] In the same year, she sang the song "My Island Home" at theSydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony.[23]
In 2003, Anu released her third studio album,45 Degrees, and in 2005 releasedAcoustically.[3] In that year, she was again winner of the Deadly Award for Female Artist of the Year,[24] and in 2004 she won Single of the Year for "Talk About Love".[25]
In February and March 2007, Anu toured New South Wales with a new stage show,Black is Blue, singing the songs ofblues legends such asBillie Holiday,Nina Simone,Marlene Cummins, andElla Fitzgerald.[26] Also that year she toured a children's show and released an associate album titledChrissy's Island Family.[27] The album gained anARIA Award nomination.[28]
On 26 September 2010, she released a new single, "Come Home", but it was not successful.[29] In 2012 she released the albumRewind: The Aretha Franklin Songbook.[3]
On 7 November 2014, Anu released aChristmas album, titledIsland Christmas,[30] and the following year releasedReStylin' Up 20 Years.[3]
In March 2018, Anu released a duet version of "Without You" from the musicalRent 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.[31]
Through 2023, Anu worked on her first album since 2015's liveReStylin' Up 20 Years. The project is using Germanethnomusicologist Wolfgang Laade's recordings of Anu's grandfather, Nadi Anu, which are held by theAustralian Institute Of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Studies.[11] The resulting album,Waku: Minaral a Minalay, was released on 2 August 2024.[32][4] Her daughter, Zipporah, wrote one of the songs on the album.[33]
Anu has had an acting career in film, stage (includingmusical theatre), and television.
She appeared inDating the Enemy, a 1996 Australian film starringGuy Pearce andClaudia Karvan.[34][35] She has also hosted children's television programmePlay School.[36]
Anu appeared in an Australian production of the stage musicalLittle Shop of Horrors,[3] and her stage career developed with a starring role as Mimi in the original Australian production ofRent[3] in 1998[18] and 1999,[37] which played to glowing reviews. Anu was offered a role in a Broadway production of this musical but had to decline due to commitments in recording her second album.[18]
She had parts in the filmsMoulin Rouge! (2001) andThe Matrix Reloaded (2003)[3] as Kali. She also played Kali on the video gameEnter the Matrix.[38]
From October 2004 through 2005, she toured Australia inIntimate and Deadly, a cabaret-style stage show based on her life.[39][3] The show opened at Kabarett Voltaire in theSeymour Centre in Sydney, and toured toMelbourne.[40]
In 2012 she played the lead role of Australian sci-fi television seriesOutland, about a gay sci-fi fan club. Anu plays wheelchair-using Rae, the sole female member of the group.[41]
On the 21 October 2024, it was announced she would be playing the role of Hermes in the touring Australian production ofHadestown.[42]
In 2004, she became a judge onPopstars Live, a television quest broadcast on theSeven Network at 6.30 pm on Sunday night in Australia along the lines ofAustralian Idol. The program failed to achieve a similar level of success, leading network executives to pressure the judges to offer harsher criticism of the contestants. Anu refused to offer harsher criticism, saying that she wished to be a role model, leading to her resignation as a judge in April 2004.[43]
In 2009, Anu participated inWho Do You Think You Are.[44]
In August 2020, Anu was revealed to be "the Goldfish" in thesecond season ofThe Masked Singer Australia and was the third contestant unmasked, placing 10th overall.[45]
Anu also performed "Waltzing Matilda" at the2003 AFL Grand Final[46][47] and performed at the2024 AFL Grand Final.[48]
In December 2015, ABC announced that Anu would host theEvenings radio program onABC Radio Sydney,ABC Radio Canberra andABC Local Radio stations acrossNew South Wales.[49][50] Anu shared the role withDominic Knight, then took over full-time in April 2016 after Knight's resignation. In the first half of 2016 the program suffered a dip in the ratings after she began hosting.[51][52][53] In November 2016, ABC announced a nationalEvenings program on Friday and Saturday acrossABC Local Radio, hosted by Anu.Chris Bath replaced Anu as host ofEvenings from Monday to Thursday onABC Radio Sydney,ABC Radio Canberra andABC Local Radio stations across New South Wales.[54]
After a break, Anu restarted presentingWeekend Evenings in January 2023.[55] As of February 2025[update], Anu presentsWeekend Evenings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, along with Sirine Demachkie.[56]
Anu is a mother of a son, Kuiam, and daughter,[5][57][58] Zipporah Corser Anu.[33] Zipporah's father is actorRodger Corser,[59] and she is also musically talented.[4]
Anu married her childhood sweetheart, Simon Deutrom, in 2010.[57][60] He is not the father of either of her children. In June 2016, Anu announced that she and Deutrom were separating after six years of marriage, and they later divorced.[61]
She revealed in 2012 that she had struggled withweight gain, after suffering fromdepression, and appeared on theNine Network's reality showExcess Baggage.[41] After her separation from Deutrom, she lost 25 kg (55 lb).[62]
In February 2020, Anu pleaded guilty in theRockhampton Magistrates Court to mid-rangedrunk driving, after having been pulled over by police inRockhampton onNew Year's Eve.[63][64] She was fined A$650 and had her driver's license suspended for three months.[63][64]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Dating the Enemy | Minor role, first feature film[65] | |
| 1998 | Wildside | TV guest appearance[5][66] | |
| 2000 | It's a Wiggly Wiggly World | Herself | The Wiggles video and album[67] |
| 2001 | Moulin Rouge! | Dancer | [5] |
| 2003 | The Matrix Reloaded | Kali | Also lent voice to video gameEnter the Matrix[38] |
| 2004 | Popstars Live | Judge | [68] |
| 2004 | Play School | ||
| 2005 | The Alice | Valerie | Episodes 1.11 and 1.13 |
| 2005 | Blinky Bill's White Christmas | ||
| 2007 | East West 101 | Fiona Baker | Episode "Death at the Station" |
| 2007 | Toasted TV | ||
| 2009 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | Episode "Christine Anu" aired 18 October 2009[69] |
| 2012 | Outland | Rae | Lead role |
| 2012 | Excess Baggage | Herself | Celebrity contestant[70] |
| 2013 | Dance Academy | Summer | Episode "Travelling Light" |
| 2015 | Ready for This | Vee | |
| 2017 | Kiki and Kitty | Mum | 5 episodes |
| 2018-2020 | Black Comedy | Herself | 4 episodes |
| 2020 | The Masked Singer (Australia) | Goldfish | Contestant (10th Place) |
The following list includes selected stage performances by Anu.[71]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom | Stage musical | |
| 1996-97 | Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal | David Atkins musical[66] |
| 1998–99 | Rent | Mimi | Stage musical |
| 2002-03 | Kissing Frogs | ||
| 2010 | The Sapphires | ||
| 2011 | Rainbow's End | Gladys Banks | Stage play. 2009 Parramatta production and 2011 national tour. |
| 2013 | South Pacific | Bloody Mary | Stage musical[72][73] |
| 2014 | Parramatta Girls | Stage play | |
| 2016 | Hairspray | Motormouth Maybelle | Arena production |
| 2025 | Hadestown | Mrs. Hermes | Stage musical |
At the 2025NAIDOC Awards Anu was presented with the Creative Talent Award.[74]
TheARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented byAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of themusic of Australia. They commenced in 1987. ARIA Awards won by Anu include:[75]
| Year | Award[75] | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Best Video | "Last Train" | Nominated |
| Breakthrough Artist – Single | Nominated | ||
| 1995 | Best Indigenous Release | Stylin' Up | Won |
| Breakthrough Artist – Album | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| Album of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Song of the Year | "Island Home" | Nominated | |
| 1996 | Best Indigenous Release | "Come On" | Won |
| Best Pop Release | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Artist | Won | ||
| 1998 | Best Video (directorBaz Luhrmann) | "Now Until the Break of Day" | Won |
| 2000 | Engineer of the Year | "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" | Won |
| Best Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 2001 | Best Pop Release | Come My Way | Nominated |
| Best Female Artist | Nominated | ||
| 2007 | Best Children's Album | Chrissy's Island Family | Nominated |
| 2015 | Best World Music Album | Island Christmas | Nominated |
| 2024 | Best World Music Album | Waku: Minaral a Minalay | Nominated |
TheAustralian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in theAustralian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019[76] | Christine Anu | Diversity in Music Award | Won |
| Christine Anu | Artistic Excellence Award | Won |
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.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Won |
| 1998 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2000 | "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" | Single of the Year | Won |
| 2003 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2004 | "Talk About Love" | Single of the Year | Won |
| Year | Award | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Best Female Actor in a Leading Roles (Music Theatre) | Rent | Won |
TheNational Indigenous Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises the achievements of Indigenous Australians in music.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | "Waku: Minaral a Minalay" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [77] |
TheQueensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebratingQueensland, Australia's emerging artists. They commenced in 2006.[78]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | herself | Lifetime Achievement Award | awarded | [79] |
...1979 when Anu was 10 years old
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