1. Bic Runga's mother, Sophia Tang, was a Chinese Malaysian lounge singer in Malaysia when she met Joseph Te Okoro Runga, a Maori ex-serviceman and self-taught pianist.
14 Facts About Bic Runga
1. 2.
Bic Runga grew up in Hornby, Christchurch, surrounded by a musically inclined family, and started recording songs with her sisters, Boh and Pearl, when she was four years old.
3.
Bic Runga learned how to play drums at the age of eleven, and guitar at about fourteen.
4.
Bic Runga learned to play the keyboard around this time to perform in jazz bands.
5.
Bic Runga attended Cashmere High School, joining high school bands.
6.
Bic Runga then released "Bursting Through", the first single from her upcoming album, entitled Drive.
7.
In 2000, Bic Runga toured with Tim Finn and Dave Dobbyn, resulting in a release of a live album in November 2000, titled Together in Concert: Live.
8.
Bic Runga released her second solo album, Beautiful Collision in 2002.
9.
Bic Runga played a 'Vietnamese lounge singer' in the 2005 film Little Fish, and covered Gene Pitney's "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" for the soundtrack.
10.
Bic Runga contributed to the score and soundtrack to New Zealand filmmaker Roseanne Liang's debut feature film My Wedding and Other Secrets.
11.
Bic Runga completed a 17 date tour across New Zealand and 13 dates across Ireland, United Kingdom and Australia.
12.
In June 2015, Bic Runga released a new single titled "Dreamed a Dream".
13.
In November 2016, Bic Runga was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.
14.
Bic Runga has two sisters who are musicians, Pearl Runga and Boh Runga.