Photo Copyright 2006 - Darryl Ward

LAST UPDATE: 31 January, 2007. For a history of the changes that have been made to this site click here.

21 July, 2007

It's a boy!!

Bic had a baby boy, delivered on Friday, 20 July, 2007 at 11:45pm. Eight pounds six ounces, the new-born purportedly has the Runga hair.

Mum is well!

Congratulations to Bic & Darryl, you will be great parents.

31 January, 2007

Bic is pregnant!

Bic announced on her MySpace site ( http://www.myspace.com/bicrunga ) that she is pregnant, due in July:

"Hey, this is Bic..

Sorry you haven't heard from me for a bit. I've got a really good excuse. I'm quite pregnant, i thought you might want to hear it from me... in case you see me eating pies on High St.

Due in July... pretty excited! The tour starts this week too. It's torture finding clothes to wear. It's a good thing tent dresses are back. Otherwise there might be trouble.

So, looking forward to the first show this Sunday. Just come out of the feeling sick phase. Been really bored lying in bed eating malt biscuits, so very happy to be on the road. See you soon..

Bic"

Congratulations to Bic & Darryl.

11 December. 2006

Acoustic Winery Tour 2007

Breaking with the traditional New Zealand Summer beach tour, Bic Runga is heading out to play in the stunning surroundings of some of Aotearoa's most picturesque wineries and estates.

Bic is taking out a new band and a bagful of the finest tunes from each of her albums, including 'Drive', 'Sway', 'Something Good' and 'Winning Arrow', to create a fantastic experience for fans of great music and indulgent times. Wonderful songs, food and wine make good company on summer evenings in these spectacular outdoor locations.

2006 has been another amazing year in Bic's career. She was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to music in the New Year's Honours list and then spent the year touring the world in support of her third album, Birds. And Bic met some famous fans of hers along the way too - she was photographed in London for Mojo magazine with Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page and was then pictured in the papers with a smiling Elton John at a UK music awards night.

Bic rounded out the year by taking her tally of NZ Music Awards to eighteen when she was awarded four Tuis for Birds including Best Female Solo Artist and Album of the Year.

Boh Runga joins Bic on the bill for the 2007 Acoustic Winery tour. Boh will be performing songs from her Stellar songbook including the group's just-released third album, Something Like Strangers.

Don't miss the opportunity to hear the beautiful vocals of Bic Runga and Boh Runga echoing throughout New Zealand vineyards this summer. Tickets for the tour go on sale next week.

Tour Dates:
Sunday 4 February - Ascension Vineyard - Matakana

Friday 9 February - Pegasus Bay Winery - Waipara

Saturday 10 February - Millbrook - Queenstown

Friday 16 February - Okurukuru Winery - New Plymouth

Saturday 17 February - Morton Estate Winery - Katikati

Friday 2 March - The Black Barn - Napier

Saturday 3 March - Alana Estate - Martinborough

Tickets are available from Ticketek, Ticket Direct and Venues

(Content from www.bicrunga.com)

20 March, 2006

A review of BIRDS by MAX TV in Australia

MAX TV in Australia has a review and interview with Bic on their website. Check out their website . The link to the video interview / review can be found on the front page in the TOURS section.

20 March, 2006

UK Tour May/June 2006

JUNE 2006

6 March, 2006

An interview with Bic by SonyBMG

There is an audio interview with Bic at the SonyBMG Australia website, prior to the release of BIRDS in Australia.

6 March, 2006

www.bicrunga.co.uk open

Bic's new site in the UK is now open, www.bicrunga.co.uk

5 March, 2006

I Like Music.com interview

Bic Runga - Birds / Say After Me

3 March, 2006

"Bic Runga’s first two albums “Drive” and “Beautiful Collision” are collectively 18 times Platinum and both entered the New Zealand Chart at #1. Her third album “Birds” released in the UK on the 8th May is her third consecutive #1 album and is already certified platinum.

Female singer songwriters dominated the charts in 2005 with the overnight success of KT Tunstall, Katie Melua’s outstanding record sales and the long overdue return of Kate Bush. Bic Runga might well be the success story of 2006, her first two albums received huge critical acclaim in the UK and her last album “Beautiful Collision” was hailed as one of the best album of the year in Mojo and Uncut in their end of year round ups as did Sunday Times Culture in 2004."

For a copy of this article, go here.

5 March, 2006

The Sunday Mail interview - Kiwi's a bird of paradise

5 March, 2006
Sally Browne

"SHE'S the best selling New Zealand artist – and, yes, that includes Crowded House – and her songs have even appeared on karaoke games. But ask 30-year-old Bic Runga about her success and she'll shrug it off modestly.

Best-selling singer/songwriter Bic Runga's new album tells of fallen beauty and love and is inspired by the strange feathered species of her country. She spoke to "Wacky, hey?" she says of the "best-selling" title. "I don't really think much about it." "

For a copy of this article, go here.

5 March, 2006

Sydney Morning Herald Interview
Big voice in a small world

Big voice in a small world

A question: who ranks as the highest-selling New Zealand artist ever? Is it a) Neil Finn; b) Tim Finn; c) Russell Crowe; or d) Bic Runga?

The answer is Runga, a songbird as big in her homeland as she is small outside it. She's not the winner of some overhyped talent quest such as Kiwi Idol; instead, she's a talented singer-songwriter with a beautiful voice and a knack for writing lilting, catchy melodies. Tellingly, she has a big fan in Neil Finn and many more fans at her record label, Sony.

For a copy of this article, go here.

1 March, 2006

Bic Runga National Tour - Extra Shows & Date Changes

There have been changes to Bic's NZ National Tour dates as follows:

-Thursday, 23 March, 2006: Extra Show at Neudorf Vineyard, Nelson

-Wednesday, 29 March, 2006: Date change for Hamilton concert (was Thusday, 30 March, 2006).

-Thursday, 30 March, 2006: Extra show at Tauranga (Holy Trinity).

Updated schedule, check here.

27 February, 2006

Boh performs at Auckland Zoo

On 21 January, 2006, Boh performed, along with Kurt (bass player from Stellar*) and Steve (live performance Stellar* keyboard player) at the Auckland Zoo, as part of the Coca-Cola ZooMusic series.

Thanks to the generosity of Patrick Meadows (Auckland Zoo photographer), Claire Vial, and Auckland Zoo, we are able to show you the great photo's from the evening concert.

Check them out here.

17 February, 2006

Bic features in Time Magazine (South Pacific Edition)

Bic features in the February 20, 2006 issue of Time Magazine (South Pacific), with an excellent & well written review of BIRDS by Michael Fitzgerald, in the article 'On The Darker Wings Of Song'.

A copy of the article can be found here.

17 February, 2006

BIRDS Australian CD Releases

Two editions of BIRDS are to be released in Australia in March, 2006.

The 'BIRDS - Tour Edition' (details here) will be released on 6 March, 2006, to coincide with Bic's concerts in Sydney and Melbourne. This CD will feature a bonus disc, with additional live tracks as follows:

-Birds - Live Version

-Blue Blue Heart - Live Version

-Ruby Nights - Live Version

-Listen - Live Version

-The Be All & End All - Live Version

Also, on 13 March, 2006, the official release of the BIRDS Australian Edition album will be released. Details here.

3 February, 2006

BIRDS Australian Release Concerts

March 17th, 2006: State Theatre Sydney.

March 16th, 2006: Hammer Hall- Melbourne  (This is part of the Vic Arts Centre by the river, same Venue the Finn Brothers played).

3 February, 2006

Bic to perform New Zealand tour in March, 2006

Following her Australian tour in March, 2006, Bic will be performing in a series of venues around New Zealand, accompanied by her full BIRDS album studio band.

Venues will include indoor and outdoor venues, from churches, concert halls to vineyards.

Press Release details:

Bic Runga – the ‘Birds’ tour 

The studio band takes flight

 The outstanding line-up of musicians who worked on Bic Runga’s latest album will re-unite for her forthcoming tour beginning on March 19.    

 The concerts offer the rare opportunity to see and hear on one stage  Bic Runga, Neil Finn, Anika Moa, Shayne Carter, Anna Coddington (Duchess), Riky Gooch (Trinity Roots), Ben Maitland (Boxcar Guitars), Tim Arnold (Pluto) and Conrad Standish (The Devastations)

 Venues include the glorious outdoor settings of Invercargill’s Anderson Park, the Lawns of Caccia Birch mansion in Palmerston North, Neudorf Vineyards in Nelson, Whangarei’s Museum Lawns and Tahaki Reserve in Auckland, together with some of the country’s premier theatres.

 Although released only shortly before year-end, Bic’s album ‘Birds’ entered the charts at No 1, has soared to the top of  ‘CD of the year’ listings and has already sold in excess of triple-platinum.    This is the first time for fans outside of Auckland to see the album translated onto the live stage.

 Concert-goers will also be treated to the well-known songs that helped her debut album, ‘Drive’, achieve sales of 7x platinum and the follow-up ‘Beautiful Collision’, an incredible 11x platinum.  

 Runga continues to make inroads overseas, and will complete a promotional visit to Europe before the tour to build on her firm base of single success in Ireland and the UK.

 Flight of the Conchords *, another act achieving attention in Europe, will open the shows, and Anika Moa will add a solo slot to the outdoor dates.

Tickets are on-sale from February 7 and further in-depth ticketing and general information is available at www.bicrunga.com

But quietly...........Tickets are available early to fans by visiting www.bicrunga.com and clicking on the link on the news page.

* Except Invercargill/con

31 January, 2006

Bic to perform in London 28 February 2006

Bic is playing one show at Dingwalls on 28th February. She will be joined by Boxcar Benny Maitland on guitar and Neil Finn on piano,
playing songs from all her records including selections from the new album "Birds". This show will sell out. Tickets are £12.50 and they
go on sale today from http://www.gigsandtours.com or at www.ticketweb.co.uk

20 January, 2006

BIRDS to be released in Australia March, 2006

The new Bic Runga album, BIRDS, will be released in Australia on 13 March, 2006. There will be a a series of live concerts around that time, in Sydney and Melbourne.

Bic will possibly be accompanied by her studio band.

Joey Waronker (drummer on BIRDS) is currently in studio at Roundhead Recording Studio in Auckland recording with Neil Finn for his new solo album. And POSSIBLY Neil Finn will accompany Bic on her Aussi tour, as he enjoyed the Auckland gigs so much.

Dates for concerts to follow.

16 January, 2006

Boh to perform new Stellar* album material at Auckland Zoo

Award-winning singer-songwriter Boh Runga, with special guest Nathan King, get the series off to a stellar start on Saturday 21 January. Both these artists, who have songs featured in APRA's "Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time", will be performing material from their respective upcoming new albums. Fresh from working on the much-anticipated third album from stellar*, Boh Runga lends the only female voice to the series, which runs until March.

This performance will be part of the Auckland Zoo 'Zoo Music' series of concerts over summer. The lush and intimate surrounds of Auckland Zoo again play host to New Zealand's hottest bands this summer, during seven fantastic concerts in the Coca-Cola ZooMusic series (Saturday 21 January to Sunday 5 March 2006).

Check out the details at the Zoo Music page.

11 January, 2006

BIRDS to be released in the UK - April 2006

The new Bic Runga album, BIRDS, will be released in the UK on 3 April, 2006. There is likely to be a UK tour around that time.

More details to come.

31 December, 2005

BIRDS wins NZ Herald Album of the Year Award

Bic Runga won the New Zealand Herald 'Timeout' magazine album of the year for her third long-player, Birds. Reporter Rebecca Barry talked to the singer/songwriter about her topsy-turvy year.  The interview, 'New mood takes wing for Runga' can be found here.

31 December, 2005

Bic awarded an MNZM in Kiwi New Years Honours List

Bic has been awarded an MNZM (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) in the New Years Honours List for 2006, for services to music.

Bic was unable to be contacted for comment, as she is currently on holiday in China with her mother, and sister, Boh.

20 December, 2005

Campbell Smith & Boh at home

An interview with Campbell Smith (Bic's manager) and wife Boh at their home in Auckland. This article appeared in Sunday Star-Times 'Sunday' magazine in December, 2005. Photograph appears with permission from Patrick Reynolds Photography Limited.

25 November, 2005

Bic's new album set to soar

An interview with Bic about her new album, BIRDS, by Stuff.co.nz talks about the making of the album, the artists that appear on the album, and the inspirations for songs on the album.

"It feels like a very New Zealand album, it feels like a soulful album," Runga says.

"It's not a commercial album - I'm not trying to break America or anything - it's just my down home album."

The interview can be found here.

19 November, 2005

'Birds' album details

The track listing for 'Birds' is out.

19 November, 2005

Wings of Desire

A Review of 'Birds'

"If you leave aside the pre-digested schmaltz of Hayley Westenra, and you really should, then Bic Runga is New Zealand's biggest-selling female artist. Her albums, Drive (1996) and Beautiful Collision (2002), have sold 105,000 and 165,000 copies here respectively, as well as a good few thousand overseas, and "Get Some Sleep" made the top 10 in Ireland and Japan as well as grazing the UK top 40. Which means there's an awful lot riding on studio album number three, for Runga and her record company.

To keep Runga's more discerning fans happy, the new album needs to feel like a progression from the youthful bedroom ruminations of Drive and the articulate orchestral pop of Beautiful Collision. And to sell well and consolidate her burgeoning overseas success, it needs to contain a couple of plausible radio hits.

Fortunately, it succeeds on both counts."

To read the full review, click here.

3 November, 2005

Winning Arrow Track Listing

The track listing for Winning Arrow has been released. Tracks are as follows:

A Limited Edition 10" vinyl single will also be available, with two different tracks to the CD single.

17 October, 2005

Birds Concert Poster

The launch concert for the 'BIRDS' album is now being advertised, with the concert coinciding with the album release on 28 November, 2005.

Click on image for a larger view

Tickets are available at Ticketek.

Poster image copyright to, and used with permission from Eccles Entertainment Limited, the concert promoter.

12 October, 2005

Details of 'BIRD's album emerging

Some details of the upcoming album, 'Birds' are starting to emerge.

-The album was recorded in Auckland’s Monte Cecilia House in Hillsborough in August 2005.

-'Birds' was mixed with Bic by Simon Gogerly, renowned for his work alongside Nellie Hooper and with artists as diverse as the Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens and mixing U2’s latest single.

-The album features an eight piece string section and further instrumentation including French horn, flute, harp and clarinet.

-Supporting artists on the record include Neil Finn - pianist/guitarist; Anika Moa - Vocals; Shayne Carter - Vocals; Anna Coddington - Vocals; Trinity Roots’ Riki Gooch on drums; Conrad Standish of acclaimed Melbourne band The Devastations on bass; “Boxcar Benny” Maitland ; and Pluto’s Tim Arnold on guitars.

For a more detailed brief on Bird's, check out the 'About Bird's' page.

1 October, 2005

'Up with the birds'
NZ Herald, Saturday 1 October, 2005

Bic Runga is launching her long awaited third album by playing it live in a one off concert backed by the supergroup of big local names who played on the recording.

The album, titled Birds, will be released on November 28 with a concert at Auckland's Civic Theatre.

In the singer - songwriters backing band will be Neil Finn, Shayne Carter, Anika Moa, Ricky Gooch (Trinity Roots), Ben Maitland (Boxcar Guitars), Tim Arnold (Pluto), Conrad Standish (The Devestations) and Ann Coddington (Duchess).

The musicians were all involved in the recording sessions. Runga produced the album in a temporary shed set up in a large house in the Auckland suburb of Hillsborough.

The first single from the album Winning Arrow is out this week.

Tickets for the Civic show go on sale October 10.

29 September, 2005

New single 'Winning Arrow' released

The new single from Bic's upcoming album, due to be released in New Zealand, is to appear in the shops in NZ 3 October, 2005.

The single was released to radio today.

More news as it becomes available.

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