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Anika Moa

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Anika Moa
Moa performing in Wellington, June 2010
Moa performing in Wellington, June 2010
Background information
Birth nameAnika Rose Moa
Also known asDJ Unika
Born (1980-05-21) 21 May 1980 (age 44)
Papakura, New Zealand
OriginChristchurch, New Zealand
GenresPop
Occupations
  • TV presenter
  • musician
Instruments
Years active1998–present
Labels
  • Warner/Atlantic
  • EMI
Spouses
Angela Fyfe
​
​
(m. 2010; div. 2013)​
Natasha Utting
​
​
(m. 2014; sep. 2021)​

Anika Rose Moa (born 21 May 1980) is a New Zealand recording artist and television presenter. Her debut studio album Thinking Room, was released in September 2001, which reached number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart and provided two Top 5 singles, "Youthful" (2001) and "Falling in Love Again" (2002). Moa competed at the Rockquest songwriting contest in 1998, which led to a recording contract. She is the subject of two documentaries by film-maker Justin Pemberton: 3 Chords and the Truth: the Anika Moa Story (2003), detailing her signing to a record label and the release of Thinking Room, and In Bed with Anika Moa (2010) on her later career.[1]

Early life

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Anika Moa was born in 1980 in the Auckland suburb of Papakura.[2] She grew up in Christchurch and attended Hornby High School.[3][4] Her father Tia, who died in 2007, was Māori (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri) and her mother Bernadette is of English descent.[4][5] Moa and her siblings were raised by Bernadette, who was a member of a band, which performed three days a week.[4] Moa met Tia at 13 – he gave her a guitar and encouraged her to learn songwriting on it.[4] While at secondary school she joined musicals, choirs and rock bands.[4]

Music career

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1998–2007: Thinking Room to Stolen Hill

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In 1998, Moa won an award for Most Promising Female Musician and a music school scholarship at the New Zealand Smokefreerockquest high school music competition.[4] After recording a demo tape, she signed a record deal with Warner Music in New Zealand and Atlantic Records in New York. She moved to New York to record her first album, Thinking Room (September 2001), with Victor Van Vugt producing.[4] Her lead single, "Youthful", appeared in July 2001, which reached No. 5 on the New Zealand Singles Chart. Moa became homesick and uncomfortable with the "superficial" imagery used by her manager to promote her.[4] In 2002 she returned to Auckland.[4]

She released her second album Stolen Hill on 1 August 2005, describing the album as "more sparse" and true to herself, compared to her first.[6] One track, "In the Morning", refers to her abortion in 2000.[7] The album was certified gold. She toured New Zealand in October of that year. In 2005 Moa was one of many New Zealand musicians who contributed to single "Anchor Me", which commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior.

2007–2012: In Swings the Tide, civil union and Love in Motion

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In October 2007 Moa released her third studio album, In Swings The Tide, which went platinum and won a number of rave reviews. For the first time she was credited with producing the album alone. In 2009 The New Zealand Herald named Moa as one of the "Top 10 Kiwi music successes of the past 10 years".[8]

Moa performing "Running Through the Fire" at the 2010 New Zealand Music Awards.

Moa came out as openly lesbian in 2007.[9] She entered into a civil union with Australian burlesque dancer, Azaria Universe (Angela Fyfe), in February 2010. Her partner was the inspiration for Moa's fourth album, Love in Motion (March 2010), which peaked at number four.[10] Fyfe became pregnant with twins in the following year.[11]

To support the album, she embarked on a nationwide tour from October to December 2010.[12] Moa has collaborated with other New Zealand solo artists, SJD and Bic Runga. She performed with the band, Dimmer, in a backup and touring capacity. She has DJed under the name, DJ Unika.

2013: Peace of Mind, separation and Songs for Bubbas

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In February 2013 Moa teamed with Boh Runga and Hollie Smith to release an album, Peace of Mind.[13] Moa and Fyfe separated, and they have joint custody of the twins. In November 2013 she released her first children's album, Songs for Bubbas.[14]

Television and radio work

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All Talk with Anika Moa (2016–2017)

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In September 2016 Moa debuted her interview talk show All Talk with Anika Moa, which was broadcast for the Māori Television, developed with support from NZ on Air. The show is filmed in front of a small studio audience, and has featured appearances from a number of New Zealand celebrities including actor Temuera Morrison and musician Stan Walker.[15] There were two series developed, each consisting of 10 episodes, as well as a special episode highlighting moments from the series. The final episode of series two aired in July 2017.[16]

Anika Moa Unleashed (2018)

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In March 2018, Moa debuted a new interview show, Anika Moa Unleashed, available online through TVNZ OnDemand. In 2019 the show started showing on TVNZ 1 on Saturday nights.[17] The show features Moa visiting the homes of notable New Zealand celebrities, public figures, and personalities. She has reportedly signed to develop twelve episodes.[18]

Other appearances

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In April 2018, Moa had a stint as a television presenter for the current affairs programme Seven Sharp, filling in for Jeremy Wells. She co-hosted alongside Hilary Barry for several episodes. Her final broadcast was on 20 April.[19][20]

She started working at radio network NZME in August 2019, first working at The Hits, later moving to the breakfast show on Flava, which she co-hosted until late 2022, before leaving to focus on her music career.[21] She also appears on the kids TV series Toi Time. In 2022, she appeared in the episode of Wellington Paranormal as Birdwoman.

Activism

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In December 2012, Moa starred in an online video campaign supporting gay marriage, alongside New Zealand singers Hollie Smith and Boh Runga, as well as Olympian Danyon Loader and former Governor-General Dame Catherine Tizard.[22] She was openly critical of New Zealand's National-led government until it left office in 2017.[23]

Awards and nominations

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APRA Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2005[24] "Stolen Hill" APRA Silver Scroll Nominated
2008[25] "Dreams in My Head" Nominated
2010[26] "Running Through the Fire (Storm)" Nominated
New Zealand Music Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2002[27] Thinking Room Album of the Year Nominated
Top Female vocalist Won
International Achievement Nominated
"Youthful" Single of the Year Nominated
Songwriter of the Year Won
2006[28] Stolen Hill Best Female Solo Artist Nominated
Best Aotearoa Roots Album Nominated
2008[29] In Swings the Tide Nokia Album of the Year Nominated
Mazda Best Female Solo Artist Won
2010[30][31] Love in Motion Vodafone Album of the Year Nominated
Mazda Best Female Solo Artist Won
Best Pop Album Nominated

Discography

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Main article: Anika Moa discography

References

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  1. ^ "The Docufactory Website". The Docufactory Ltd. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  2. ^ Nimmervoll, Ed. "Anika Moa". Howlspace. White Room Electronic Publishing. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Anika Moa". Christchurch City Libraries. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mills, Amanda (5 November 2020). "Anika Moa Profile". AudioCulture. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  5. ^ Jones, Bridget (24 September 2017). "Anika Moa gets real about love, death and success 10 years on from her toughest days". Stuff. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  6. ^ Bourke, Chris. "Anika Moa, 'In the morning', 2005 (3rd of 5)". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  7. ^ Yates, Siena (19 September 2018). "Wahine toa: Anika Moa opens up on abortion, sexism and coming out". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Top 10 Kiwi music successes of past 10 years". The New Zealand Herald. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  9. ^ "Kiwi music star Anika Moa: "I prefer women"". GayNZ.com. 2 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
  10. ^ "Anika Moa — Love in Motion". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  11. ^ "Double trouble for Anika Moa". Stuff. 6 February 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  12. ^ NEWS: Anika Moa NZ Tour October - December 2010 Archived 14 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Rip It Up Magazine - Retrieved 9 July 2010
  13. ^ "Album review: Anika, Boh and Hollie, Peace of Mind - Entertainment - NZ Herald News". The New Zealand Herald. 7 February 2013.
  14. ^ "Anika Moa Releases Her First Kids' Album". scoop.co.nz.
  15. ^ Chapman, Madeleine (3 May 2017). "A star is born: The horror of being thrust into the spotlight at a NZ talk show taping". The Spinoff. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  16. ^ "All Talk with Anika Moa". Māori Television. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Anika Moa Unleashed". TVNZ OnDamand. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  18. ^ Yates, Siena. "New Kiwi TV show Anika Moa Unleashed 'goes way off the rails'". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  19. ^ "The greatest hits from the Anika Moa and Hilary Barry era of Seven Sharp". The Spinoff. 20 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Seven Sharp host Anika Moa says 'bugger it', and gets another moko". Stuff. Stuff Limited. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Anika Moa announces she's leaving Flava". The New Zealand Herald. 6 November 2022. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Marriage equality 'about love'". 3 News NZ. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  23. ^ "Best of 2016: Why Anika threatened to castrate me". June 2023.
  24. ^ Kara, Scott (29 July 2010). "Silver Scroll award short list named". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  25. ^ "APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2008 - Announcing the top 20 NZ songs of the last 12 months" (Press release). christchurchmusic.org.nz. 10 July 2008. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  26. ^ "APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2010" (Press release). Australasian Performing Right Association. 29 July 2010. Archived from the original on 26 August 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  27. ^ "2002 NZ Music Awards: They oughta be congratulated..." NZ Musician. 10 (3). June–July 2002. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  28. ^ "NZ Music Awards finalists announced". muzic.net.nz. 6 September 2006. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  29. ^ "Flight of the Conchords sweep Music Awards". The New Zealand Herald. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  30. ^ Sundae, Hugh (1 September 2010). "NZ music awards finalists announced". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  31. ^ "Gin Wigmore scoops music awards". Stuff (Fairfax New Zealand). 7 October 2010. Archived from the original on 10 October 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
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