Bic Runga

Bic Runga Briolette Kah MNZM ( born January 13, 1976 in Christchurch ) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and one of the most successful musicians of their country.

Biography

Her mother Sophia ( nee Tang ) is a Chinese- Malaysian lounge singer, her father Joseph Runga comes from New Zealand. The parents met in during the journey home of her father in Malaysia know, he was stationed at the time as a soldier in Vietnam. Together they moved to New Zealand.

Her parents knew music and art very important and they integrated these interests in the everyday life of the family. Even with four years of making music together with her sisters Boh Runga and Pearl and took first jointly sung songs on tape. Also in private Runga learned various instruments such as drums, keyboards and guitar.

On the Cashmere High School in Christchurch she gained experience in front of a larger audience. Along with the Combo Love Soup Runga occurred at a talent contest called Smokefee rock quest and reached the third place. This earned her first record contract with the independent label Pagan Records.

Career

Beginning of the nineties drew Bic Runga to Auckland, where she performed his own compositions and received mostly good reviews. Sony Music became aware of it, and at age 19 she signed her first major contract with Sony Music New Zealand.

In 1997, she released her first solo album, Drive on the market, which in New Zealand achieved six times platinum today. This album also won the prize swag of Tui, the New Zealand equivalent of the U.S. Grammy Award. Among other things, there was an award for best album, best shot, best composition and best vocals performance. The most famous song from this album, Sway is to hear, among other things in the film American Pie.

In 2002, Bic Runga released her second solo album, Beautiful Collision. This is the best-selling album to date in New Zealand. For recording of their second album, which was recorded in Auckland, Los Angeles and New York, she lived for some time in New York. In 2003 and 2004 she lived for some time in Paris and London and founded her own label Nu Shoo Records.

In early 2005 she returned to New Zealand. Shortly after her father died. In the same year she played a supporting role in the film Little Fish by Rowan Woods. It played, as well as her mother in real life, a Chinese lounge singer. Also in 2005, the album Birds appeared.

In January 2006, Bic Runga was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit awarded for their services to the New Zealand music.

All three albums by Bic Runga have reached the first place in the New Zealand RIANZ charts and have been awarded with platinum. For example, her second album Beautiful Collision was represented 101 weeks in the New Zealand Albums Chart and reached 11 times platinum.

Private life

Bic Runga has lived since 2005 in New Zealand in the vicinity of her sisters and her mother. She is in a relationship with photographer Darryl Ward. Since 2007, both have a child, which they have named after Rungas father Joseph.

Trivia

Her sisters Boh and Pearl, like Bic artistic work and sing in the bands Stellar ( Boh ) and Ce Soir ( Pearl).

Discography

Albums

Singles