Hera - Live at the Dux De Lux - christchurch
this saturday 17th November 8.30pm
-free entry
HERA – Opposite Sides of the World
Icelandic singer/songwriter HERA has been living in New Zealand on and off for about 10 years now whilst cultivating a very successful career in her native homeland on the opposite side of the world… Not an easy task geographically speaking but one that was deservedly rewarded in 2002 when HERA was named Best Female Singer at that year’s Icelandic Music Awards, a major achievement for the young artist given that for the previous 10 years that category had been almost completely dominated by Bjork…
2002 had been a good year for the talented young lady. Just 18 years of age HERA’s song “Itchy Palms” was chosen as the title track in the Icelandic produced film “Hafio (The Sea)” and she performed the song live at the film’s premiere in September. “The Sea” went onto win 8 Edda Awards that year (the Icelandic film industry version of the Oscars) and has since been distributed in over 30 different countries. The music video with clips from the movie features on the DVD film release of “The Sea”.
2003 continued where the previous year had ended off with her song “Makebelieve” becoming the 3rd most played track on Icelandic National Radio, another major achievement as the station has a very strong and varied international play-list. The release in summer 2003 of HERA’s Icelandic album “Hafio pennan dag” went on to achieve Gold sales status through Iceland’s major record company, Skifan (now Sena Records).
HERA played 37 dates around Iceland in 2 months with local hero Buddi Morthens becoming the first ever woman to tour Iceland as a solo musician. A European Roadworks music project concert tour followed visiting Italy, UK, Iceland, Belgium and Holland.
The live shows continued both at home and away in 2004 & 2005 supporting Australian music legend NICK CAVE and then as support for JOE COCKER in Iceland’s biggest concert arena. In summer of 2005 HERA played at the famous Glastonbury Festival in UK and ended off the year with a concert event in one of the most remote places on the planet – Ammassalik in Greenland creating yet another unique milestone!
Her latest album “Don’t Play This” was released in Iceland in summer 2005 supported by her first national solo tour. By the end of the year the Icelandic music website (www.tonlist.is) had 8 of her songs on their Top 10 Most Played List simultaneously.
HERA has recently returned to New Zealand performing numerous solo shows and building plans for her first full NZ radio single and video release, having been chosen from over 250 applicants for a recording and video grant from NZ On Air, the NZ government funded initiative for aspiring local recording artists. The new track “Feels So Good” will be released in early 2008.
Iceland has given the musical world some diverse and wonderful musical success stories in Bjork, Mezzaforte and Sigur Ros to name a few. HERA is the next in a very talented and uniquely gifted line of artists from the Opposite Side of the World.
Be prepared to be charmed, intrigued, moved & occasionally shocked by the music of HERA.
