Boh Runga Right Here for Raukatauri

7 May 2009

The Raukatauri Centre is very fortunate that its patron Boh Runga is making a donation to the Centre from the sales of her new album, Right Here.

Boh used to front Stellar*, one of New Zealand's most successful bands, and after six months spent recording in Hollywood with producer Marshall Altman is stepping out solo for the first time.

"Songwriting's a craft that I've worked at most of my life," says Boh, "and I find that my songs now are influenced by my experiences and what I have observed of people and places on my travels." 

Right Here is packed with hook-drenched songs, from the vibrant pop of 'Evelyn' to the intimate title track, the cocktail noir of 'Airwave' and epic rock of 'Dark Horse'. Boh's vocals are effortlessly wrapped in a range of musical moods throughout the eleven-track CD.  

Boh grew up in Christchurch, the daughter of a Maori ex-serviceman and a Chinese mother who forsook her own singing career in Malaysia to join him in a place she barely knew existed. It wasn't the easiest place to grow up, but the Runga household, with Boh leading the way for her two younger sisters Pearl and Bic, was bursting to its seams with music.

Boh left Christchurch for Auckland to form Stellar* in the late 90s. After signing with Sony Music, their 1999 debut album Mix set New Zealand's radio waves alight, and Stellar* quickly became Sony's biggest selling kiwi band. The acclaim wasn't just multi-platinum sales based, with Stellar* securing eight Tui Awards for Mix and its 2001 follow up Magic Line.

After the release of Magic Line and the subsequent touring of New Zealand, Australia and Europe, Boh headed to Los Angeles for the first time in 2003 to hone her skills as a songwriter at the invitation of her American-based music publishers, Chrysalis.

Armed with a guitar, a sketchbook, and her head full of melodies, Boh Runga is at a creative peak and is proud and excited to release her debut solo album and looks forward to returning to the stage to perform in New Zealand soon.

Boh has been patron of the Raukatauri Centre since it opened in 2004, and will be giving $1 to the Centre for every Right Here album sold.