People play it at weddings, parties – even to patients in palliative care. It’s been 30 years since Christine Anu shot to fame with her haunting cover of My Island Home.
She’s a doting grandmother – “and menopausal, I tear up about everything” – but the song remains a fan favourite, requested everywhere she sings.
Christine has performed the upbeat ballad for royalty – including Prince Charles and Princess Diana – presidents, prime ministers and a global TV audience of around 2.4 billion at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
“Of course, I still love the song, no way could I ever not,” the multi-talented diva says with a laugh, revealing big plans for a national tour to celebrate My Island Home’s milestone 30th anniversary.
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“You realise how big something is when a song has its special place out there beyond you, for people you’ve never met. They play it in planes when they come in to land! It’s your song, my song, our song. I can’t wait to get out there on the road and just remind everyone how special this song is to them.
“It has all the right feels, doesn’t it? It’s like a living, breathing organism, this song. We’ve grown up together.”
Born in Rockhampton and raised around Queensland, Christine, now 55, was part of a poor, close-knit Indigenous clan. As a child, she never could have imagined what her future would hold. The proud Torres Strait Islander moved to Sydney in her teens, trained as a dancer and toured as a backing vocalist with the Rainmakers in her early 20s.
DATE WITH DESTINY
Destiny called when composer Neil Murray, who had already scored a huge hit with the Warumpi Band version of My Island Home, asked Christine to re-record the song in 1995.
That marked the start of a multi-award-winning career, with Christine’s first album, Stylin’ Up, going platinum. From there, she branched out with roles in movies like Moulin Rouge! and The Matrix Reloaded, stage musicals, radio and TV, appearing in everything from Play School to The Masked Singer.
“It was extremely generous of Neil to gift me the song the way he did,” the feisty mother-of-two says with a smile. “I had My Island Home before I had children. It was my first baby!”
A BLESSED LIFE
Today, Christine has a new tot to cherish – 19-month-old grandson Wandjina. “It’s like love on steroids,” she beams. “Suddenly I’m an empty-nester and my little boy Kuiam is 28 and a parent!”
Meanwhile, 22-year-old daughter Zipporah – whose father is acclaimed Aussie actor Rodger Corser – has followed her parents into the entertainment industry as a singer-songwriter and dancer.
“She’s my little bestie, a real pocket rocket,” says Christine, who’s currently starring in the Australian Opera production of bluesy musical Hadestown.
“Zippy surprised me with an opening night gift. She decked out my dressing room, this princess of mine. Photos of my mum, the little guy, all my family, over every single one of the mirrors. All these photos of love just beaming back at me, and little knick-knacks and flowers. I was so overcome, I just held my knees and started to cry.
“Zippy is my mum’s namesake and I’m so proud of the young woman I’ve raised. I just wanted both my kids to be really respectful, good people, and I think I’ve achieved that.”
Christine’s eyes well up as she talks about her family. “I just get so emotional,” she admits. “I’ll try to get through the set list on my tour without crying, but it’s always so beautiful to look out at an audience with a tear in your eye.
“I’ll be out there giving people their most beloved song, and a lot of music from my new album, Waku: Minaral A Minalay. And Zippy will be there on tour with me, doing my hair and makeup and backing vocals.
“And I know my mum will be there, too. She passed away late last year and I’m still grieving. I’m a bloody orphan now so I’ve had to become the matriarch. I’m in my eldership years.”
