Anne CrummerMNZM (born 1966) is a New Zealand pop singer and songwriter of Cook Islands descent who has seen success in both a solo career and as part of various musical groups.
Biography
Crummer grew up in West Auckland. Her father, Will Crummer, a Cook Islander, was one of her strongest musical influences.[1] Her mother Tangi is Tahitian. Crummer was a precocious singer, performing at Cook Island nightclubs and shopping mall talent quests.[2] At the age of 9, Will Crummer tried to interest her in piano lessons and took her to singing coach Sister Mary Leo, but Crummer preferred to learn from her father.[3] She attended Avondale High School, leaving at the age of "15 years and two months" to focus on a singing career.[1][2] She appeared on the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, won, and released her first single at the age of 16.[3]
At the age of 18 Crummer stood out as a guest vocalist in the Netherworld Dancing Toys hit song "For Today", which was Single of the Year at the 1985 New Zealand Music Awards.[4] She was one of the five founders of the all-female band When The Cat's Away in 1986; their cover of the 1969 Blue Mink song "Melting Pot" topped the charts in New Zealand, and the band won Group of the Year in the 1989 New Zealand Music Awards.[3] Crummer has also performed with Herbs.[5] Crummer released her first solo album, Language, in 1992, and her second, Seventh Wave (co-written with Barbara Griffen) in 1996.[3]Seventh Wave was completed at Prince's studio, Paisley Park.[3]
Crummer was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult and says she cannot read or write or read music, but she credits her dyslexia with giving her a heightened sense of musical appreciation.[3] She did one semester of Cook Islands Māori language at the University of Auckland in 2000.
Part of her work in the music industry has been mentoring in song writing and performing, including in prisons and for Smokefree Rock Quest.[5] In 2014 she was a musical mentor for prisoners in the Māori TV series Songs from the Inside.[2]
On stage, she was a soloist in the musical Rent in Australia and New Zealand,[9] and played the Killer Queen in We Will Rock You (WWRY) in Melbourne in 2005. The Australian production of WWRY toured throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and South Africa. Crummer reprised her role in 2019.[10] She is currently working on her third album, Project Annie C.[1][3]
In December 2021 Crummer and the other four members of When the Cats Away were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame at the Aotearoa Music Awards in recognition of their contributions to New Zealand music.[12]
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Notes
^"Language" was number one in Italy for 3 weeks, Spain 2 weeks, New Zealand 7 weeks, Hawaii 10 weeks, Samoa 1 week, United Kingdom 7 weeks, and Japan 5 weeks.[citation needed]
^"Polynesian Diva reigns supreme". scoop.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011. Annie Crummer's long-term artistic achievement was honoured with the Senior Pacific Artist Award and $10,000. Starting her music career as a child-performer, Ms Crummer released her first single at age 16 and as an established solo artist, has supported some of music's biggest acts including Sir Paul McCartney, Ray Charles and Michael Jackson. Of Tahitian and Cook Island descent, Ms Crummer is a household name, with numerous music awards behind her. She has released two albums, a 'best of' CD, is working on her next album and has expanded her career to include musical theatre.
Top 100 solo peaks to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 70.
