Christine Anu is one of the most recognisable names in Australian music, but the ‘My Island Home’ singer hasn’t been to the industry’s biggest awards night in 13 years.
On Wednesday the 50-year-old returned to the ARIA Awards after attending the event in 2007 when she was nominated for her ABC children’s album.
While the ARIAs will go virtual this year with no live audience or red carpet due, Christine said the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t erased all aspects.
“Nothing has stopped the glamour part of the ARIAs, and everyone looking absolutely sensational and feeling so wonderful to be together,” she told HuffPost Australia from the event via phone on Wednesday.
“COVID has kept us apart, kept the music industry apart, and it’s just so wonderful that the ARIAs can go ahead to bring us all together.”
In a sleek black pant suit with white shirt and a fierce red lippie and plait combo, Christine’s 2020 ARIAs look is quite the transformation from fluro green number in 2007.
The musician is one of several female singers who will perform ‘I Am Woman’ on the ARIAs stage as a tribute to the late Helen Reddy. She will join the likes of Delta Goodrem, Marcia Hines, Kate Ceberano, Missy Higgins, Jessica Mauboy, Kate Miller-Heidke, Samantha Jade, Dami Im and many more.
“For me it’s a first,” Christine said of collaborating on stage with a large group of women.
“I’ve never shared the room and had the opportunity to do [this], and this ARIAs has planned for that to happen.”
She said all of the artists involved were “excited” to meet in rehearsals.
“It feels so soppy to say, [the] love between the women meeting each other for the first time; it’s ultimate respect for the power of women and how that feels when you get a room full of that power all in the same place.”
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