PARADISE

DEPARTURE LOUNGE
NEWS, BRIEFINGS, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Paradise Q&A:
NGAIIRE
This PNG-born songstress recently
swept the boards at the National
Live Music Awards
in Australia.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I was born in Lae. My dad is from
Kavieng and Rabaul and my mum is from
Goroka and Lae.
When I was nine months, we moved to
Palmerston North in New Zealand. We
moved back to PNG in `91. After a volcano
eruption in Rabaul, I spent the rest of my time
in Lae. My family moved to Australia about
15 years ago.
Q: Did your PNG childhood inspire
your music?
A: Definitely. Islanders love to harmonise,
sing and play the guitar. I was drawn to music
quite naturally because it was such a big
part of growing up in PNG. When my parents
separated, music became my first saviour.
Q: Was it difficult moving to Australia?
A: When I was 16, my family moved to
Lismore, which was relaxed and welcoming.
I was a tomboy and I went to school with
unshaven legs and baggy pants. Growing
up in PNG, I made every effort to detract
attention away from my body. Little things
like that made me feel alien but Lismore
really embraced us. I did Australian Idol in my
first year in uni so my assimilating into the
culture had to be accelerated.
14 Paradise – Air Niugini’s in-flight magazine
Q: When did you start thinking about
music as a career?
A: Year 12 was the first time I had the
opportunity to study music. My parents
didn’t know I could sing – I didn’t even know I
could sing. I did an Alicia Keys song in school
assembly and I went from being the weird
PNG kid to the girl who sings. I thought,
‘maybe I can make this a career’ and I studied
at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of
Music.
Q: How would you describe your style
of music?
A: It has been a journey, as I’ve experimented
with different genres. You could call it
alternative pop or future soul.
Q: Tell us about the title of your second
album, Blastoma?
A: Blastoma is the cancer I had as a kid.
When I was writing the album, a lot of
personal relationships had come to an end
and I was exhausted from touring. I needed to
remind myself of a time when I had learnt to
be strong – and that was when I had cancer.
Q: Were you surprised to win three
National Live Music Awards?
A: I wasn’t expecting to win anything. I had
gone down to present some awards and I
kept getting called up to receive awards.
It was a great surprise. I was overwhelmed
and moved by the support of the industry.
Q: Why the changing costumes and
hair styles?
A: They’re very much influenced by
growing up in PNG. What I love about PNG
traditional costuming is that it’s unique to
us. Also, my mum had a little fashion label
in Lae and she is definitely a big influence
on my costuming. When I put on some
sparkles or a headdress, I feel I’m going out
to battle.
Q: What inspires you?
A: I have learnt from my recent album how
to be more conceptual and not write about
personal stuff too much. I always had to go
through something bad to write a song but I
have grown as a songwriter and I don’t have
to wait for those bad periods anymore.
Q: What’s your next goal?
A: I’ve been working on a new album
for the past three months. I fly to PNG in
March to draw on PNG aesthetics and
so the others working on the album can
experience these too. n
— MARY O’BRIEN