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Anika Moa is one of New Zealand’s
best loved singer song-writers.
She began writing when she
was just 13 and catapulted to fame
when she was signed US giant
Atlantic Records and was whisked
off to NewYork aged 18. Moa has
since gone on to win a host of New
Zealand Music Awards including
Best Female SoloArtist prizes in
2008 and 2010, Songwriter of the
Year in 2002, and, most recently
Best Children’s Album for last
year’s
Songs For Bubbas.
Her fifth
studio album
Queen At The Table
has just been released.
Were all the songs written with a view
to have an electronic setting or did you
rework any older songs?
Jol and I wrote all these songs together
and fresh – the subjects came after the
beats. It was like the beats influenced
what I was going to say, and how. It
was refreshing to be able to write with
someone, I’ve always done it by myself.
There’s still a perception among some
people that electronic-based albums
must be easy – “all you have to do is
program a computer and you’re away”.
How hard is it, in reality?
It’s really, really easy BUT it’s not easy
to write good songs. You must have
everything in balance.
How did you find working
with Jol Mulholland?
Jol is like a brother to me now. I admire
his production, writing, musicianship and
everything else. He inspired me to see
This album is very different from what
you’ve done before.What prompted it?
It’s an album about confronting the love
and loss moments. Jol Mulholland and I did
it very quietly over a year, and just worked
on it like two school boys. We decided to
ditch the instruments early on in the piece,
as they didn’t add anything new or great to
what we needed; beats are the main focus
and melodies and harmonies… loving it.
You joked last year that this was you
trying to be Lorde. Are you a fan and did
her album have any influence on it?
Yes, I like to joke about that often and I am
indeed a fan. A huge fan of not only her
music, but in her feminist presence in an
often male-dominated music industry.
She defies all boundaries and is acutely
aware of her musical prowess.
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Queen At
The Table
by Anika Moa
is out now.
the world differently but he didn’t need to
say it, he just did it and I happily followed.
He is a wonderful man.
Are you worried that some of your older
fans won’t like the new sound?
I love my new sound and I hope they
do too. It’s for everyone not just me,
so my hope is for them all to come
along for the journey.
What’s your favourite song
on the album?
At the moment it is
Our Love
Will Die
- sombre title but totally
worth it for the lyrics. Love the deep
groove and the keys – there goes Jol
with his magic!
Will you need to rework some of
the material for live performances?
I am doing a live album release at the
Powerstation [May 28], but re-configured.
There are very limited tickets and I will
performing on the dance floor amongst
the people. It will be totally refreshing
and I will get to look my fellow humans
in the eyes and love them even more.
Were you pleased with the way
Songs for Bubba
went and any
plans for a follow-up?
I was so happy it took off the
way it did. I never expected
it to be so popular – I am
writing songs for
Bubbas 2
as we speak!
What’s the last
record that you
bought?
Mel Parsons’
Drylands
.
It is a wonderful
album. Very nostalgic
in its approach and
she is one of my best
friends [laughs].
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