Anika Moa announces new album & NZ tour
If Anika Moa was feeling ready to kick back for the remainder of 2018, then things haven’t really run to plan. In fact it’s about to get a whole lot busier for the multi-talented entertainer with a new album release, tv series and live shows all on the way.
Earlier in May, eighteen years after her debut recording on American soil, Moa headed to the vibrant musical hub of New Orleans to record her sixth studio album.
The self-titled album, Anika Moa, is set to be released through Universal Music on 5th October.
“This album saw me heading back to America to record in one of my favorite cities in the world - New Orleans. It's full of life, romance and a touch of crazy which is what I needed for the new songs I was bringing to the table” says Anika.
“Showing this new album off is like having a baby in a way. Your proudest moment with tumultuous moments in-between. I am very proud of this music!”
Producer Brady Blade has enlisted a super-band, with himself as drummer, Doug Pettibone (John Mayer, Lucinda Williams, Marianne Faithfull, Tracy Chapman) playing guitars and pedal steel, and Tony Hall (The Neville Brothers, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Dave Mathews) on bass. Other locals have also popped in to guest; US/Swedish artist Anders Osborne on guitar, Joe Ashlar (Dr. John) on keys and Mike Dillon, percussion. Completing the team was Texas-based engineer, Chris Bell (Destiny’s Child, The Eagles, Erykah Badu, Don Henley).
The result is a 10-track collection of some of Anika’s clearest and most captivating music. Her familiar melodic blueprint journeys through folk, pop and Americana.
Led by acoustic guitar, peppered with lazy pedal steel and resonant piano and finessed with slick production, Moa’s emotive and intelligent lyricism and engaging storytelling ebbs and flows between love, pain, sadness, joy, and adoration.
To celebrate the album release, Anika is also assembling her band to perform live shows in the main centres:
Anika Moa
Friday October 19th – San Fran, Wellington - Tickets HERE
Friday October 26th – Galatos, Auckland - Tickets HERE
Saturday October 27th – Bluesmoke, Christchurch - Tickets HERE
NEW TV SERIES - ANIKA MOA UNLEASHED – SEASON 2
With a constant drive to push out her own boundaries, Anika accidentally transitioned from musician to one of Aotearoa’s best-loved television personalities. Starting with the online ‘Face to Face’ in 2015 to her own live studio show, ‘All Talk With Anika Moa’ hit screens on Maori TV in 2017. Momentum gathered quickly from there and early this year ‘Anika Moa Unleashed’ debuted on TVNZ on demand.
The first season (available now) was one of TVNZ On Demand’s top five local titles for the year to date and has had more than 540,000 streams.
Season two of Anika Moa Unleashed kicks off on TVNZ On Demand from September 26, with 20 new episodes.