Anika Moa Biography

Anika Rose Moa (born 21 May 1980) is a New Zealand pop recording artist. In 2001 she signed to Atlantic Records in the United States and released her debut album, Thinking Room, the album reached the top of the New Zealand Singles Chart and was a commercial success. Moa was raised in Christchurch, New Zealand. While attending highschool, Moa entered the 'Smokefree Rockquest'.

Moa has been the subject of two documentaries by filmmaker Justin Pemberton called 3 Chords & the Truth: the Anika Moa Story (2003) and In Bed With Anika Moa (2010).

Early life

Anika Moa was born on 21 May 1980 in Auckland, New Zealand. She is of Ng?puhi and Te Aup?uri descent.

She received a record deal with Warner Music in New Zealand and Atlantic Records in New York. The record company had commercialised plans for her " which conflicted with her down-to-earth personality. Overall Moa did not enjoy her time in the United States and returned to base herself in New Zealand in 2002.

She released her second album on 1 August 2005. She has collaborated with many artists including New Zealand's SJD and Bic Runga. She has also joined the band Dimmer, in a backup and touring capacity. She appears on the Greenpeace single "Anchor Me", which commemorates the twentieth anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior. She also DJs under the pseudonym DJ Unika.

2007 – present: In Swings the Tide, civil union and Love in Motion

In October 2007, she released her third studio album, In Swings The Tide. The album was self produced for the first time. In 2009 The New Zealand Herald mentioned Moa as one of the "Top 10 Kiwi music successes of the past 10 years".

Moa came out as openly lesbian in 2007, and entered into a civil union with Australian burlesque dancer Azaria Universe (Angela Fyfe) in February 2010. Moa said it was love on first sight; "I met Azaria and fell in love instantly and that was it, I knew I was going to be with her for the rest of my life".]. In February 2011 Fyfe was pregnant with twins, due date August 2011. The twin boys are nicknamed were "Stabber" and "Dabber" in Woman's Day magazine 16 May 2011.

Moa mostly performs live as a solo act where she strums an acoustic guitar and sings.

Universe was a major inspiration for her fourth album, Love in Motion. The album peaked at number four on the New Zealand Albums Chart.

To support her fourth album Love in Motion, Anika is embarking on a nationwide tour of New Zealand with special guest Mel Parsons, beginning 21 October 2010 and finishing 4 December.

Activism

In December 2012, Moa starred in an online video campaign supporting gay marriage, alongside other New Zealand singers such as Hollie Smith and Boh Runga, as well as Olympian Danyon Loader and former Governor-General Dame Catherine Tizard.

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

|- |2005 |"Stolen Hill" |rowspan="3"|APRA Silver Scroll | |- |2008 |"Dreams in My Head" | |- |2010 |"Running Through the Fire (Storm)" |

New Zealand Music Awards

|- |rowspan="5"|2002 |rowspan="3"|Thinking Room |Album of the Year | |- |Top Female vocalist | |- |International Achievement | |- |rowspan="2"|"Youthful" |Single of the Year | |- |Songwriter of the Year | |- |rowspan="2"|2006 |rowspan="2"|Stolen Hill |Best Female Solo Artist | |- |Best Aotearoa Roots Album | |- |rowspan="2"|2008 |rowspan="2"|In Swings the Tide |Nokia Album of the Year | |- |Mazda Best Female Solo Artist | |- |rowspan="3"|2010 |rowspan="3"|Love in Motion |Vodafone Album of the Year | |- |Mazda Best Female Solo Artist | |- |Best Pop Album |

Discography

Studio albums

• Thinking Room (2001)
• Stolen Hill (2005)
• In Swings The Tide (2007)
• Love In Motion (2010)

Love in motion covers album 2011