NZ pop singer Cassie Henderson wins Best Pop Artist at the AMAs
NZ pop singer Cassie Henderson caught up with Kara Rickard for Music 101 off the back of her success at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards.
Her latest single, 'Seconds to Midnight', came out on Sony NZ in August 2024 and remained at #1 on the RadioScope NZ Airplay Charts for 15 weeks. The track was recently reimagined by rapper Timmy the First and producer Mazbou Q as part of NZ On Air's Beyond the Beat.
Artist Cassie Henderson at the Aotearoa Music Awards 2025.
Photo:
James Ensing-Trussell
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Otago Daily Times
3 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Exhibition explores iconic performers
There is plenty of glitter, glamour and outrageous style in Auckland Museum's ''Diva'' exhibition but it is the underlying story that really resonates, finds Rebecca Fox. Getting up close to outfits most only see on the big or small screens at the ''Diva'' exhibition, there are two things that hit you. One is the extraordinary lengths artists will go to make a statement at the cost of their own personal comfort, and the other is how small they are. Discovering the mannequins the garments are hung on were all custom-made to fit the outfits only reinforces that - such as the Louis XIV-inspired look with towering powdered wig and train worn by Sir Elton John for his 50th birthday celebration, designed by Sandy Powell, or designer to the stars Bob Mackie's Cher costumes or Rihanna's 2018 Met Gala crystal outfit. They are among 280 objects, including show-stopping costumes, fashion, photography and music, that form ''Diva'', an exhibition by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London that has travelled to Auckland Museum. Each garment arrived already on its mannequin in crates. The exhibition is split into two acts: the first traces the origin and legacy of the diva across opera, stage and screen; the second explores the construction of the modern diva through fashion, voice, image and political power. ''Diva'' curator Kate Bailey says ''Diva'' explores the performer, not just as an artist, but as a trailblazer and how they have leveraged their fame to advocate for change from civil rights to gender equality. ''At the heart of this exhibition is a story of iconic performers who, with creativity, courage and ambition, have challenged the status quo and used their voice and their art to redefine and reclaim the diva.'' A highlight is the inclusion for Auckland of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's millennium coat, worn at the New Year's Day 2000 performance that was broadcast to 1 billion people around the world. Auckland Museum curator of social history Jane Groufsky says it was selected from Dame Kiri's collection at Te Papa because it is one of the most conspicuously Aotearoa garments of the opera singer's due to its reference to the kākahu (adorned Māori cloak). ''She also fulfills a lot of the other things that we see with the other divas. She really fought for what she did, she worked hard, but then now in her more retired career, she has the foundation where she's supporting other young singers to come up and come through and follow that same path - which is kind of something she has in common with a lot of the divas in the exhibition, is that they're all using their voice to kind-of effect change in some positive way or bring up others and to follow in their footsteps.'' But there are also the stories of the first divas, with one of Groufsky's favourites, the Mariano Fortuny dress worn by American dancer and choreographer Isadore Duncan (1877-1927). ''It's hard to remind yourself how groundbreaking that style, that lack of form-fitting, was in the early 20th century. I think its still not known today how he did those pleats. So it's really special to see it in the museum.'' Another standout for her is the only known surviving dress worn by American actress Clara Bow (1905-65), who rose to fame during the silent film era of the 1920s, that is rarely seen outside of the United States. ''I went through a big silent film phase in my teens. She was the original ''it'' girl. It's amazing it survived.'' Accompanying all of these items is a soundtrack to match, played through headphones which cleverly pick up where you are looking and play the corresponding track, adding to the immersive feel of the exhibition. To see: DIVA, Tmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum, until October 19.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Rare, centuries-old hairdressing memorabilia now on show in Christchurch
Michael Turner with a pair of Smart Cousins Perfect Wave curlers. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon From a curling tongs heated over fire to vintage hairdryers and a shaving and teeth-pulling bowl with spare teeth, a range of hairdressing memorabilia over the centuries is now on show in Christchurch. Hairdresser Michael Turner has been collecting hairdressing tools for more than 25 years, building the biggest private collection in the Southern Hemisphere, including thousand-year-old Roman-era blades. Other items dating back to the 1800s are now on public display at Ferrymead Heritage Park. Turner's favourite object was a 19th century gentleman's metal shaving bowl with a scooped edge that fits under the chin and came with pliers for teeth removal and several real teeth. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon "This shaving bowl, placed under your chin like so, and you would be shaved or you'd have your teeth pulled out. The only other one I know of of this particular type is in Durham Museum in England. They are very, very rare and difficult to come with but really simple," he said. Turner had also collected several large hairdryers, including devices built into a chair, free-standing and bonnet-style with shoulder straps. Michael Turner. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon "You have a strap that goes over your shoulder and then a little plastic tube that goes from the end of the hairdryer on to the plastic bonnet and goes over the head - that's got air holes in it so the heat can escape. You can crank it up if it is too cold or turn it down if its too hot," he said. The collection includes a number of historical curling tongs, including a Smart Cousins Perfect Wave set heated by fire, and a slightly later invention that could be plugged into a light socket. "This Smart Cousins Perfect Wave you put into the hair to give yourself finger waves. First of all, you heat it over a open flame or some form of heat, then get a towel or cloth and wipe it so you have moisture on there as well," he said. "Once you have moist heat you place that into the hair, close it down, pull the device that moves it up or down depending on which way you want your waves to be." Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Turner said his growing collection had taken over his garage so his wife was pleased that the items had found another home. He hoped people could have fun playing with them. "It's interactive, they can put it over their heads, stick their heads in it, open it, close it, pull it out play with it, see how it was put together in the olden days," he said. Ferrymead Heritage Park general manager Ian France said staff were thrilled to have such a carefully curated collection on public display. Ferrymead Heritage Park general manager Ian France. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon "It fits really well with what the rest of the park shows off. We are looking after a lot of things that are of that age for people to see and enjoy. Looking after something that has been looked after and curated for so long," he said. The collection will be on display in two parts of the park, with modern items in the "hall of wheels" and others in the barber shop and tobacconist on the main street. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
14 hours ago
- RNZ News
Māori-Indian collaborations steal spotlight at India's Independence Day celebrations in New Zealand
New Zealand's Indian community was recovering on Monday after three days of frenetic festivities celebrating India Independence Day. In addition to flag-hoisting ceremonies nationwide , urban centres such as Hamilton, Wellington, Dunedin and Palmerston North hosted cultural nights showcasing India's diversity and millennia-old heritage. Auckland - home to the largest Indian diaspora - hosted multiple events from Friday through Sunday. Highlights included Māori chefs taking on Indian chefs in a Masterchef competition, Māori and Indian fashion designers showcasing their creations and Indian diaspora organisations in Auckland coming together at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Eden Terrace to celebrate the South Asian nation's diversity. Mohiniyattam, a traditional dance from Kerala, is performed at Independence Day celebrations in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was joined on stage by opposition leader Chris Hipkins during celebrations in Auckland at the Dew Drop Events Centre on 16 August, stealing the limelight with some startling moves to a popular Indian dance number. On 17 August, organisations representing more than 15 Indian states celebrated the country's Independence Day by performing their respective regional folk and classical dances at Auckland's Mount Eden. Two days earlier, on 15 August - the date India attained independence from two centuries of British rule in 1947 - the Indian High Commission in Wellington and India's Consulate General in Auckland hosted a joint reception in the country's largest city. Nikhil Ravishankar, the incoming Indian-origin chief executive of Air New Zealand who has been named to take over the reins of one of the most respected domestic corporate brands in October , attended the reception. A classical dance performance at Auckland's India Independence Day celebrations. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom Ethnic Communities Minister Mark Mitchell hailed Ravishankar's appointment, highlighting the positive contributions from the Indian community in New Zealand over many decades. Speaker after speakers at events over the weekend echoed the sentiment shared by the minister. Luxon, Hipkins, Indian High Commissioner Neeta Bhushan, Consul General Madan Mohan Sethi, ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar, Labour MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan, and community leaders such as Veer Khar and Bhav Dhillon all pointed to the importance of friendship. Not only has the Indian population surpassed the Chinese community to become the third largest in New Zealand, it has become increasingly prosperous - earning more than the national average. A total of 292,092 people in the country identified as having Indian heritage in the 2023 Census , an increase of 22 percent since 2018. The community now sits behind New Zealand Europeans and Māori in terms of population numbers. Just six Indians were registered in New Zealand in 1881. Indian communities in Palmerston North come together to celebrate Independence Day on Friday. Photo: Supplied In celebration of the resilience and enterprising nature of early pioneers , 2024 became something of a watershed year in terms of Indian history in New Zealand. Last year, Kiwi Indians celebrated a significant rise in the community's median personal income - the highest among all ethnicities . Data released in October 2024 showed the median income of Indian adults in New Zealand was $51,600. By comparison, the median income for the country's overall population was $41,500. What's more, the Indian community contributed an estimated $10 billion to the country's economy in 2019 , according to a 2020 report prepared by Sense Partners for the Waitakere Indian Association. Economists generally believed the figure - roughly 3.3 percent of total GDP at the time - had certainly increased over the past six years. With Luxon visiting the South Asian nation in March, the government has renewed interest in signing a free trade agreement with the world's most populous country and the fourth largest economy. (From left) Chefs Suprabhat Banerjee, Satyanarayana Pandari, Anuj Mathur, Hera Te Kurapa, Ihirei Walker, Sam Linstrom and Prem Ram participate in a Masterchef competition. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom A wide range of diverse cultural performances were held to celebrate India Independence Day in the spirit of unity. In Palmerston North, community groups representing various Indian states came together to celebrate the day at an event titled "United in Diversity". In the deep south, the Dunedin Indian Association organised a "grand patriotic event" at University of Otago's union hall that featured Carnatic (South Indian classical) music. Further north, Hamilton hosted Indian pop singer Shibani Kashyap, with the Waikato Indian Association and Indian Cultural Society collaborating to make the event a reality. Meanwhile, Auckland witnessed Māori and Indian collaborations as Whiria Collective and India's CD Foundation curated a cross-cultural fashion show and Masterchef competition as part of the celebrations. Māori and Indian fashion designers show off their creations at Auckland's Dew Drop Events Centre on Saturday. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom Chefs Sam Linstrom, Hera Te Kurapa and Ihirei Walker from the Whiria Collective faced off against chefs Satyanarayana Pandari, Anuj Mathur, Suprabhat Banerjee and Prem Ram from India, using a mixture of Indian spices and New Zealand ingredients to cook special salmon dishes for the judges. Anand Erickson, Auckland University of Technology lecturer and a judge for the day, expressed excitement at such culinary innovations. "This - fusion food and molecular gastronomy - is quite contemporary and trending," Erickson said. "I am looking forward to more culinary collaborations between our two cultures in future." Among cultural performances, the highest accolades were reserved for the award-winning dance group from the Indian state of Telangana, which performed Perini Natyam, Oggu Katha and Dappu - three ancient dance forms from the region - at various events over the weekend. "Our dance centres around narrating stories related to the Hindu God Shiva, who is very popular in Telangana," said Ravi Kumar, a dancer from India. Not wanting to be outshone, the Indian diaspora in Auckland showcased local creative talent in abundance, with Sonali Banerjee of the Probasee Bengali Association of New Zealand stressing the need for such celebrations to pass on Indian heritage and culture to younger generations. Mary Shaji, who performed a classical Indian dance titled Mohiniyattam that is popular in the Indian state of Kerala, agreed. "Marking our festivals, including Independence Day, is a way for all of us here in New Zealand to remain connected to our Indian roots and values," Shaji said.
