Rolling Stone AU/NZ: Bic Runga and Benee chat sport, storytelling and family in raw new interview

Benee (left) and Bic Runga chatted about their experiences in the music industry as part of Rolling Stone AU/NZ's Musicians on Musicians. Photos / Peter De Graaf, Whakaata Māori

THREE KEY FACTS

• Kiwi artists Bic Runga and Benee discussed their careers and songwriting process in Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s first Musicians on Musicians issue.
• Runga’s mother, who didn’t previously understand her career, is now proud of her achievements.
• Both artists highlighted the influence of sports on their music careers and the uniqueness of Kiwi songwriters.

Award-winning Kiwi songstress Bic Runga has revealed her mum “never really understood” what she did until her later career during a candid new interview with fellow musician Benee.

The Sway hitmaker sat down with the Supalonely star for Rolling Stone AU/ NZ’s first ever Musicians on Musicians issue, where the two talked frankly about their songwriting and careers.

Runga, 48, who is now on the Apra (Australasian Performing Right Association Limited) board, told Benee (real name Stella Rose Bennett) that she was currently at a different stage in her career, and while her mum previously didn’t understand it, she was now on board.

“I’m enjoying a different phase right now, like being on the Apra board,” the New Zealand Order of Merit holder said.

“My mum never really understood what I did. So now she’s proud of me in my middle age”.

Bic Runga revealed how her mum never understood what she did until recently in a new Rolling Stone AU/NZ interview. Photo / Tom Grut

Runga and Benee, who are both credited as helping shape the sound of New Zealand pop music in their respective generations, also revealed how playing sport helped them with the competitive aspect of the music industry.

Benee was known to be actively involved in high-level water polo growing up.

“It seems to be a theme. A lot of artists I know played sports at a high level,” she said.

“Would you call sports creative? Maybe, but it’s active. Teamwork is huge in music – having your team of managers and everything. It’s like you have a game plan for the year. It feels like a sport.”

Praising Benee for her insights, Runga likened the pressure of competitive sport to that of getting on stage.

“Performing under pressure is another thing – there’s so much nervousness to control when you’re on stage. The more pressure, the more focused you have to be”.

Both singers also commented on the differences of working in Los Angeles and New Zealand, with Benee saying the pair were “lucky” to come from the New Zealand music scene.

“I feel like the world looks to Aotearoa for tastemaking – Lorde, Kimbra, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Dave Dobbyn and so many incredible smaller artists,” she said.

“Maybe it’s our isolation and nature that creates such unique music. You can’t escape that influence”.

Popstar Benee sat down with fellow Kiwi musician Bic Runga in a candid new interview for Rolling Stone AU/NZ.

Runga added that she believed Kiwi artists “punch above our weight in quality songwriting”.

“It’s like Ireland – our songwriters are storytellers, outside the mould and free,” she said.

“I remember a journalist saying you can tell a New Zealand songwriter because when you think it’s going to go right, it goes left”.

The pair’s Musicians on Musicians issue also features interviews with Kiwi singer Stan Walker and rapper Kobie Dee, with the cover featuring Australian musicians Tones and I and Luke Steele from Empire of the Sun.

The magazine follows on from the popular format launched in 2019 by Rolling Stone USA.

Musicians from all sides of the industry talk openly and frankly about their experiences, artistic process and personal lives.

Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s Musicians on Musicians, featuring the full interview with Benee and Bic Runga, will hit shelves next week on December 12.