Tuawahine (Heroine) – A magical night of music with some of Aotearoa’s finest

Join us on Friday July 2 at the Civic Theatre in Auckland and witness te mana o te wāhine nō Aotearoa through song and performance in celebration of Matariki. Handpicked by the music director of TUAWAHINE and one of our leading musical forces, singer and songwriter, Ria Hall; the line-up includes Anika Moa, Annie Crummer, Georgia Lines, Paige, and Tami Neilson.

For many, Matariki is a time to gather together and remember those who have gone before, and the legacy they leave. TUAWAHINE will honour the country’s korokoro tūī who have carved a path helping to create one of the most vibrant and diverse musical communities in the world. It also seeks to shine a light on some of our beloved contemporary artists with household names, performing alongside exciting new and emerging acts.

TUAWAHINE is part of the 2021 Auckland Live Cabaret Season, taking over The Civic from June 19 – July 4.

“I am so excited to be involved with TUAWAHINE,” says music director, Ria Hall.

“To have such an eclectic, diverse range of women who represent their respective genres, voices and communities is at the forefront of what this night represents. Matariki provides us with a unique opportunity to reflect on what has gone before, in order to focus on what lies ahead and how we can create and effect positive shifts for our betterment. TUAWAHINE encompasses all of these aspects and showcases the power of a collective voice, through the power of wāhine.”

Ria Hall has selected the artists for the TUAWAHINE line-up, with local legends Anika Moa, Annie Crummer and Tami Neilson bringing their power to the stage.

“I cannot wait to share the stage with a group of my favourite artists and beautiful friends. This will be such a special celebration of our incredibly talented Wāhine!”- Tami Neilson.

Tami Neilson, Anika Moa and Annie Crummer will be joined by some of Aotearoa’s hottest new vocal talents – Georgia Lines and Paige.

“I am really looking forward to performing at the beautiful Civic Theatre for TUAWAHINE to celebrate Matariki. It’s a real honour to play alongside such iconic New Zealand artists,” says Paige.

Get ready for a night of re-imagined classics, current hits and iconic covers delivered by this unique combination of artists as they, in turn, take the lead or support their Tuawahine peers to deliver an unprecedented display of the power of music and the strength of the feminine.

“I wanted to explore and navigate an enticing cross section of the music industry and bring them together in a mana-enhancing, collaborative and supportive way,” says Hall.

“As artists, this doesn’t happen as often as we’d like, for one reason or another. However, TUAWAHINE has opened the doors for the worlds of pop, blues, reggae, folk and te reo Māori to collide and unite under a common Kaupapa in the most cohesive and interesting way.”

“Expect to be transported into a space where all things are possible if we allow the opportunity to thrive!”

Don’t miss Anika Moa, Annie Crummer, Georgia Lines, Paige and Tami Neilson, together for one night only in this truly special event on the Matariki calendar for Auckland Live on July 2, 2021.

Visit aucklandlive.co.nz to see the full Auckland Live Cabaret Season line-up that has just been revealed. 

Auckland Live presents… Tuawahine

Anika Moa, Annie Crummer, Georgia Lines, Paige, Tami Neilson
Musically directed by Ria Hall
Friday July 2
All Ages
The Civic Theatre, Auckland
Tickets are on sale at 9.00am Tuesday May 18 from Auckland Live

ABOUT THE TUAWAHINE ARTISTS:

Anika Moa

Anika Moa is one of the most recognisable names in the Aotearoa music industry. The multi-award winning recording artist, children’s entertainer, television and radio presenter, has released nine albums in a career spanning more than 20 years. From the debut album THINKING ROOM, which reached #1 on the NZ Album Chart and spawned two top #5 singles with ‘Falling In Love Again’ and ‘Youthful’; to STOLEN HILL, IN SWINGS THE TIDE, LOVE IN MOTION and more, Moa has been nominated for the Silver Scroll award three times and has won four NZ Music Awards.

Annie Crummer

An absolute legend on the music scene in Australasia, Annie Crummer released her first single when she was only 16; ‘Once or Twice’ reaching #16 on the NZ Chart. Her debut album LANGUAGE followed (Platinum), then her Gold second album, SEVENTH WAVE. Crummer also featured with Netherworld Dancing Toys on the award-winning smash hit, ‘For Today’. Crummer has won a number of NZ Music Awards and was nominated for an ARIA in Australia.

She is also a founding member of the iconic When The Cat’s Away, who topped the charts with ‘Melting Pot’. Crummer has toured with Sir Paul McCartney, K.D. Lang, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and Sting, amongst many others; and has performed in world-class musicals across Australia and New Zealand – including the lead role in the Australian production of we Will Rock You. In 2011 Annie Crummer was awarded the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD at the Vodafone Pacific Music Awards. In 2017 she was appointed as Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in recognition of her services to music.

Georgia Lines

Tauranga singer-songwriter, Georgia Lines, fills spaces with her soulful, dream-like vocals and distinctive pop, laced with touches of R&B. She’s received more than a million streams on Spotify, with tracks like ‘My Love’, ‘Vacant Cities’ and ‘Never Had Love’  from her self-titled debut EP released in last year’s COVID lockdown. In March, Lines featured on the single ‘In Bloom’ by renowned Kiwi producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Pacific Heights (AKA Devin Abrams). Lines has just released her new single, ‘No One Knows’, and played a co-headline tour with LAIIKA to rave reviews across Wellington, Tauranga, Auckland and Christchurch.

Paige

Paige is a singer-songwriter from Auckland, who has won the world over with her honest and heartfelt song​s. In 2020 she released her EP, ALWAYS GROWING, which included the top 10 radio hit, ‘Waves’. The EP dominated the NZ Official Charts after its release – helping to establish Paige as one of New Zealand’s most exciting new artists. The seven-track record also earned Paige two nominations at the Aotearoa Music Awards for ‘pop artist of the year’ and ‘breakthrough artist’. Aside from clocking up millions of streams on her own songs, Paige has collaborated with fellow Kiwi acts Balu Brigada and JessB, as well as UK’s Violet Skies and toured with Drax Project and Six60. She’s also opened for international acts like George Ezra, Ruel and Nina Nesbitt.

Tami Neilson

One of the most powerful voices in Aotearoa, Tami Neilson is a “fire-breathing r’n’b belter” (Rolling Stone). The award-winning Neilson grew up performing across North America with the Neilson family band, working alongside such greats as Johnny Cash and Kitty Wells. Spending years on the road honing her craft, Neilson has since released seven albums and won numerous awards in New Zealand including Best Female Artist and an APRA Silver Scroll for songwriting (2014’s ‘Walk (Back to Your Arms)’). Tami Neilson’s singing and writing is too big to contain, as HMV Canada noted: “There are singers and then there is Tami Neilson, for whom the word singer just isn’t big enough.”