Christine Anu will be recognised for her decades of work with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Australia’s First Nations Music.
Chairman Denny Burgess said: ‘We are extremely pleased to be highlighting the Achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and Christine is highly deserving. Her performance of My Island Home at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics is something well remembered around the World, but the glory is that she’s not just a wonderful singer. Christine is an accomplished Australian songwriter as well, and this is worthy of great recognition.’
Chistine will receive the award from Casey Donovan.
Christine’s story includes a career that has spanned over 25 years across music, stage, screen and radio. She paved the way for many of her contemporaries, and is already a multi nominee and winner of many gongs, including ARIA, Deadly, Green Room and Sydney Theatre Awards. She has infused Torres Strait Islander heritage into her songs, and was the first Australian female commercial pop artist to do this on Australian airways.
Touring nationally and abroad, including Vietnam, North America, China, Middle East and Papa New Guinea, Christine takes amazing experiences in her stride. She has performed for World Leaders and Royalty, and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Janet Jackson and Nelson Mandela.
Having trained in dance at the National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA), Christine has built an illustrious career. Her achievements with platinum albums, sell-out musicals, Hollywood blockbusters, and collaborations with showbiz and musical luminaries such as Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge), Paul Kelly and David Atkins, have established her position as an iconic Australian female entertainer. As well as at the Sydney Olympics, she has performed at momentous events that include Women of APEC, G’Day Australia, 50 Years of Television, APEC Cultural Performance, Sydney Paralympics, FINA World Swimming Championships, and the 25th Anniversary of Carols in the Domain. She also flicked the switch to launch National Indigenous Television in Australia.
After five solo albums, Christine pulled out all the stops with the formation of Stylin Up Entertainment, a collective focused on developing and producing new media brands that are proudly Australian. This spawned a new genre of children’s entertainment branded as Chrissy’s Island Family, and added another ARIA nomination to the many awards she has received.
EVENT: National Songwriting Awards – Ticketed event open to the public.
DATE: Wed 22 November 2017
TIME: 6.30pm for 7pm sharp
WHERE: Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL
COST: $140/head, including 3 course meal and drinks
BOOK: via www.eventbrite.com.au
