Bic Runga
Image from the album "Birds"
Background information
Birth name	Briolette Kah Bic Runga
Born	January 13, 1976 (age 30)
Origin	Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Genre(s)	Pop/Folk
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar, Drums
Label(s)	Sony / BMG

Briolette Kah Bic Runga (born 13 January 1976) MNZM is a New Zealand singer-songwriter whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one in the New Zealand charts, and has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists of our time. Runga has also found success internationally in Australia and the UK. Image File history File links Bic-Runga-Birds2. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the third largest city in the country. ... The New Zealand region of Canterbury mostly comprises the Canterbury Plains. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Popular music is music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and mostly distributed commercially. ... Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and for the common people. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... Ercole de Roberti: Concert, c. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... ... BMG (Bertelsmann Music Group) is one of the six divisions of Bertelsmann. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Companions Badge of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of chivalry established on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Principal Companion (PCNZM) (formerly Knight or Dame... The term singer-songwriter refers to performers who both write and sing their own material. ... Drive is the debut solo album by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, released on July 21, 1998. ...

Biography

Early life

Runga was born in Christchurch. Her mother, Sophia Tang, was a Chinese Malaysian lounge singer in Malaysia when she met Joseph Runga, a Māori soldier on leave from Vietnam. They both moved to New Zealand to live. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the third largest city in the country. ... A Chinese Malaysian (Mandarin: ma lai xi ya hua ren (馬來西亞華人), Hokkien: mah lai se ah hua kiao, Cantonese: mah lah zai wah kew (馬來西亞華僑), Bahasa Malaysia: fill-in) is an overseas Chinese who resides in Malaysia. ... The word Māori refers to the indigenous people of New Zealand and to their language. ...

Runga grew up in Hornby, Christchurch surrounded by a musically-inclined family, and started recording songs with her sisters, Boh and Pearl, when she was only four years old. Runga's older sister Boh is now a vocalist in the New Zealand rock group Stellar*. Hornby is a major residential and retail suburb at the western edge of Christchurch, New Zealand. ... Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the third largest city in the country. ... Boh Runga is the lead singer and guitarist in New Zealand rock band Stellar*. She comes from a very musical family - both her sisters are, or have been, in bands. ... Stellar* are a New Zealand based rock band. ...

She learned how to play drums at the age of eleven, and guitar at about fourteen. Runga also learnt to play the keyboard at around this time. She attended Cashmere High School, joining high school bands and performing with local jazz groups by her mid-teens. For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... Different kinds of guitars The guitar is a fretted and stringed musical instrument, used in a wide variety of musical styles, and is also widely known as a solo classical instrument. ... Hello People who love keyboards!!!!!!!!!!!! Headline text This article is about keyboards on musical instruments. ... Cashmere High School (commonly CHS), is a state school in Christchurch, New Zealand, colloquially known as Cashmere to Cantabrians. ... Jazz is an original American musical art form that originated around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in African American musical styles blended with Western music technique and theory. ...

Early releases

Runga and Kelly Horgan entered the 1993 Xtrasmokefreerockquest in Wellington under the name of "Love Soup". They won third place and a music contract with Pagan Records. Using a QEII Arts Council grant, Runga recorded the first Drive EP in Wellington. Unsatisified with the direction that her music was being taken, she moved to Auckland in 1994 and spent a year writing and performing. The Rockquest is an annual competition between school-age (five to nineteen year olds) bands throughout New Zealand. ... Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke in Māori) is the capital of New Zealand, the countrys second largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. ... Extended play (EP) is the name typically given to vinyl records or CDs which contain more than one single, but are too short to qualify as albums. ... The Auckland Metropolitan Area, or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest urban area in New Zealand. ...

In 1995, she sent a new demo of "Drive" to Sony Music, who signed Runga in September of that year and bought her Wellington recordings from Pagan Records. Sony had her re-record the song with more instruments, but it was eventually her demo that was used on the upcoming album. It entered the Top 10 in New Zealand and won her the Silver Scroll Songwriting Award in 1996. She next released "Bursting Through", her first single from her upcoming album, also entitled Drive. A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. ... ... Bursting Through was the first music single by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, and was released in 1996. ...

Drive (1997)

Early success eventually led to the release of her album Drive in 1997. Runga's song "Sway", along with a duet with Dan Wilson of Semisonic called "Good Morning Baby", both made their way into the film American Pie. Six singles were released from the album, while "Sway" was released in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Drive is the debut solo album by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, released on July 21, 1998. ... Sway is a 1997 New Zealand music single by Bic Runga. ... Dan Wilson is a Minneapolis musician best known as the main guitarist/vocalist for the band Semisonic. ... Semisonic is an alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Band members are Dan Wilson (guitar/vocals), John Munson (bass), and Jacob Slichter (drums). ... American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film directed by Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz and written by Adam Herz. ...

Beautiful Collision (2002)

Runga released her second solo album, Beautiful Collision, in 2002. It entered the New Zealand charts at number one and went on to become the best selling album in New Zealand. Beautiful Collision is the second solo album by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, released on July 1, 2002 in New Zealand, July 15, 2002 in Australia, and November 5, 2002 in the USA. Track listing When I See You Smile Get Some Sleep Something Good Precious Things The Be All...

Birds (2005)

Her third studio album, Birds, was released in New Zealand on November 28, 2005. It was her third studio album in a row to enter the New Zealand charts at number one. The first single, "Winning Arrow", can be heard at her official site (see links at bottom of page). Birds has currently sold up to 3xPlatinum in sales. It has nearly caught up to the big sales of Beautiful Collision Birds is the third solo album by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, released in New Zealand on November 28, 2005. ... November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Winning Arrow, Bic Rungas first single from her third studio album, Birds, is currently receiving airplay in New Zealand, and is released in two formats. ...

Discography

Bic Runga performing live in Dublin

Image File history File linksMetadata Bicrunga. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bicrunga. ...

Studio albums

• Drive (1997) - #49 Australia #1 New Zealand[1]
• Beautiful Collision (2002) - #41 Australia #1 New Zealand[2]
• Birds (2005) - #26 Australia #1 New Zealand #20 Ireland

Drive is the debut solo album by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, released on July 21, 1998. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Beautiful Collision is the second solo album by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, released on July 1, 2002 in New Zealand, July 15, 2002 in Australia, and November 5, 2002 in the USA. Track listing When I See You Smile Get Some Sleep Something Good Precious Things The Be All... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Birds is the third solo album by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, released in New Zealand on November 28, 2005. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Live albums

• Together in Concert: Live (2000) (with Tim Finn and Dave Dobbyn)
• Live in Concert with the Christchurch Symphony (2003)

This article is about the year 2000. ... Brian Timothy Tim Finn OBE (born June 25, 1952) is a singer and songwriter and one of New Zealands foremost musicians. ... Dave Dobbyn (born January 3, 1957) is a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer from New Zealand. ... Performed with the Christchurch Symphony in Auckland. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

EPs

• Drive "Lovesoup" EP (1995)
• Live in Concert with the Christchurch Symphony EP (2004)

The Drive EP, often called the Lovesoup EP, was the first release by New Zealand singer-songwriter Bic Runga. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Singles

• "Bursting Through" (1996)
• "Sway" (1997) #10 Australia #1 Ireland
• "Suddenly Strange" (1997)
• "Roll into One" (1997)
• "Hey" (1998)
• "Sorry" (1999)
• "Get Some Sleep" (2002) #75 United Kingdom #3 New Zealand
• "Something Good" (2002) #4 New Zealand
• "Listening for the Weather" (2003) #14 New Zealand
• "Winning Arrow" (2005) #23 New Zealand
• "Say After Me" (2006)

Bursting Through was the first music single by New Zealand artist Bic Runga, and was released in 1996. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Sway is a 1997 New Zealand music single by Bic Runga. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Suddenly Strange is Bic Rungas third single from her album Drive. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Roll into One is a 1997 music single by Bic Runga. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hey is a single and song by Bic Runga released in 1998. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... The Bic Runga Sorry single was released as a single only in Australia; the CD includes music videos of the songs Sway and Suddenly Strange. Track listing Sorry Lonely Lola Cherry Cola Girl Sway (live) External links Bics official website Categories: | | ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Old Farts by the Sometimes-United Nations. ... Get Some Sleep is a 2002 musical single by Bic Runga. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Something Good is a single by Bic Runga. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Listening for the Weather is a music single by Bic Runga. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Winning Arrow, Bic Rungas first single from her third studio album, Birds, is currently receiving airplay in New Zealand, and is released in two formats. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Trivia

• In 2000, she toured with Tim Finn and Dave Dobbyn and a live album of the tour (Together in Concert: Live) was released.
• Runga has recorded not one, but two songs called "Drive". The first was her own, which appeared on her debut album of the same name. The second was a collaboration with fellow New Zealanders Strawpeople, providing guest vocals for their cover of The Cars' classic 1984 hit.
• She moved to New York for a while, but then decided to move back to New Zealand, lived in Paris for a year, and then London. Runga has since returned home to New Zealand.
• Runga played a 'Vietnamese lounge singer' in the 2005 film Little Fish, and covered Gene Pitney's "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart".
• Runga was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2006 New Zealand Honours List.
• Regarding the pronunciation of "Bic": "'You say it Bec, rather than Bic,' explains New Zealand singer-songwriter Bic Runga. 'It's Chinese, it's a strange vowel sound which doesn't seem to translate in Australia. It means the colour of jade, which I suppose is just green.'" — "Bic from the brink" by Alexa Moses, The Sydney Morning Herald, September 13, 2002

This article is about the year 2000. ... Brian Timothy Tim Finn OBE (born June 25, 1952) is a singer and songwriter and one of New Zealands foremost musicians. ... Dave Dobbyn (born January 3, 1957) is a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer from New Zealand. ... The Cars were a popular American New Wave band, fronted by Ric Ocasek, that emerged out of the early punk scene in the late 1970s. ... Drive is a 1984 song by The Cars. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ...   City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land area... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Little Fish film poster Little Fish is a 2005 film directed by Rowan Woods. ... Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. ... Companions Badge of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of chivalry established on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Principal Companion (PCNZM) (formerly Knight or Dame... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

External links

• Runga's official website
• Comprehensive fansite
• Bic Runga at the Internet Movie Database