Christine Anu Essentials

Torres Strait Islander Christine Anu is a pop singer, dancer, and actress who's a natural at bridging cultural divides with her deeply felt vocal delivery. She broke through in early 1995 with a beat-dappled update of Warumpi Band’s 1987 ballad “My Island Home,” which became a cultural moment in Australia; she went on to perform the song at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Anu has thrived across disciplines, starring in Rent on stage and dueting with First Nations singer/songwriter Chris Tamwoy on a rerecording of “Kulba Yaday,” which she wrote and sang in her mother’s traditional language. She has sung in language across her career—including with The Wiggles—and recorded a proudly multicultural Christmas album. Anu 's highest-charting single, 1995's “Party,” says it all, inviting people from all walks of life to join her in celebration.