October 2004 

How have you been?
I am good, tired but good.
Pleased, Happy, Joyous *Laughs*

Congratulations on your success at the New Zealand music awards. How was your night?
Thanks, it was so good. I remember being really apprehensive cos I was wearing a dress from Kate Sylvester and I don't usually wear dresses. But it was real nice, I felt very girly. I usually just wear jeans and cons *Laughs*

You seemed to be genuinely shocked when you won the awards, did you really have no idea that you would in?
I fully was. I was so nervous and I really didn't expect to be. I was just enjoying my night and seeing everyone and when they read the nominees out for my first award I remember thinking "please don't win, please don't win". Then they read out my name and I ran past Campbell Smith, hugged him and said "I don't know what to say". So I think I rambled on a bit. I got back to my seat and told Mum I didn't know what to say and she is so cute, even my Mum said "maybe be a bit more prepared next time". It was cool though with my Mum, she came up from Wellington for the night and on our way there she was real cute and excited telling me how she had never been in a limo before.

Surely you were slightly confident though?
I hoped, but you never know for sure and I didn't want to get all prepared for it. I thought it was great though how Scribe got up there and pulled out his little rhyme book and said I made a list in case I won. That was hilarious.

And then he forgot his parents when he won his first award.
Yeah, that's right. We are catching a flight to Sydney together on Monday so I will tease him a little about that.

I also remember saying thank you to my Mum for pushing my out there and I think a lot of people thought that I meant into the music world but she has never done that. I actually meant giving birth to me *Laughs* I think I was even doing a little gesture with knees bent to try and get that across but I don't think I was clear enough.

You are back home now for a 15 date nationwide headlining tour.
Yeah I am stoked. I have only ever done support tours or multiple billing shows so this time I can really put on a full show. I am also really happy that I can go all over the country to towns I have never been too before like Palmerston North, Wanaka, Whangarei and thank all the people there.

Are you taking a support band along with you?
I am taking a full 6 piece band with me and we are still working on an opening band. It is hard though cos the album seems to have such a wide ranging appeal. I have nine year olds at my shows and forty year olds so we need to find a band that has that sort of appeal too.

You have moved to Sydney now, how have you found adjusting to the Australian way of life?
I like the weather and that's about it *Laughs*. I got there and for about the first week there was something that was really bugging me until I clicked it was their accents *Laughs*. It is funny, although we are so close to each other we look at things so much differently to them and our cultures really are quite different. It makes me miss New Zealand.

What has the Australian response been like to you?
Good, I think. The album isn't released over there until next month. The single "Lifeline" has been out for about a month and it seems to be doing well in the press and on TV but because there are so many radio stations over there it is a lot more work too get them to play it. I don't think it is so much that people don't like it but they haven't heard it yet.

I see that you have remade the "Lifeline" video, why is that?
Well it was my second single here in New Zealand so I could afford to be a little quirky cos people were kinda familiar with me. Over there it is my first single so we wanted it to be simple and straight forward, this is Brooke. It was shot all over Auckland and the Aussies seem to be loving it.

Finally I remember last time we spoke we talked about your sponsored child, Pros, how is he doing?
He is good. I brought him a bike but I haven't seen any photos of him with it yet *Laughs*. When I was over there his teacher said to me, "He need a bike, he need a bike" and I though gees this ladies a bit rude I just got him all these clothes and cutlery *Laughs*.

Do all the other kids have bikes there?
No, I don't think so, so maybe there could be a bit of bike envy going on *Laughs*. He does have either a 4 or 8 kilometre walk to school so it is good for him to have one.

Thanks for taking time out to have a chat with us and we hope the tour goes well and Australia appreciates you as much as we do. Take care.
Thanks.