Rimes and RZA to play New Zealand

Teenage American country-pop star LeAnn Rimes is to play two New Zealand shows in October.

The 19-year-old singer broke through as a 13-year-old with the eight-million-selling debut album, Blue, which won her two Grammy Awards.

She heads here on the back of her latest, Twisted Angel - a deliberate stylistic departure from her country roots into pop, rock and dance styles.

Rimes and band will appear at the North Shore Events Centre on Friday October 17 and Wellington's Queens Wharf Event Centre on Saturday October 18. Tickets go on sale on Monday.

Meanwhile, the original ghetto superstar is coming to New Zealand. RZA, chief producer for the influential and hard-hitting 90s hip-hop collective Wu Tang Clan, is on tour to promote his new solo album, The World According to RZA.

The man of many alter egos - Abbott, Prince Rakeem, the Rzarector and the womanising, gun-toting Bobby Digital - has overseen projects by Cypress Hill, Notorious B.I.G. and Bjork and his own supergroup, Gravediggaz.

RZA plays the Fu Bar, Queen St, on September 1 with Wu DJs Cillvaringz and Baretta 9 and support from Mareko and DJ CXL.