Kate Ceberano

She’s been Australia’s high priestess of pop, an award winning jazz singer, wears the hat of a fine artistic director and, above all that; Kate Ceberano is a songwriter with the talent to take a tune to the top of the charts.

2016 sees the release of the Kate Ceberano Anthology, her 24th album – three Disc, 53 Song celebration of the 30 year anniversary since the release of her 1st album “Bear Witness” with Kate fronting the band I’m Talking. Remarkably, she shows no sign of slowing down, let alone stopping.

In 2014 Ceberano became the first Australian woman to be inducted into the Australian Songwriters Association (ASA) Hall of Fame. Joining such luminaries as Don Walker, The Easybeats, LRB and The Angels.

Time Out Melbourne got it right when they wrote “(the) first thing you notice about Ceberano is her energy, which actually sends the atoms crackling as she walks in the room. Flashing eyes, a ready roar, warm and funny – she’s your dream conversationalist”. Whether it is that soulful voice, her charismatic nature or exotic looks: Kate’s earned her ‘Australian icon’ status.

A woman widely respected across various mediums, Kate as a singer has gathered numerous awards: as well as occasionally lighting up our big and small screens (Kate & Friends, Dancing with the Stars, Who Do You Think You Are? X-Factor, Getaway, and more). Then there was her award winning performance in South Pacific and the penning of her acclaimed autobiography I’m Talking. She counts motherhood to daughter Gypsy as her biggest achievement yet.

Kate first found fame with her funk band I’m Talking. I’m Talking are acknowledged as the band “who pioneered New York-style art pop in Australia during the Jurassic Period of Pub Rock”. The group was managed by Ken West, now famous for being co-founder of the Big Day Out. The group’s ‘platinum’ debut album included three top ten singles and won the Best New Talent (1984) gong at the Countdown Awards.

Kate followed that up the following year with the award for Best Female Vocalist (1985). Kate won Best Female Singer (1985) at the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Awards.

After such an auspicious debut album, the group broke up and Kate went solo solo. It was here, in the late 80s, that Ceberano earned a formidable reputation for her soul, jazz and pop repertoire. Quite rightly radio labeled her as having “one of the greatest voices our music industry has ever produced”. Kate’s first solo album was the live recording Kate Ceberano and Her Septet (1987). Her following platter You’ve Always Got The Blues (1988) earned her an ARIA Award for Best Female Artist

(1988). A year later, she won another ARIA for Best Female Artist (1989), as well as one for Highest Selling Single (1989) for Bedroom Eyes from her triple platinum effort, Brave.

In 1992, Kate hit the stage to perform the role of Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar. The show, which had a star-studded cast which included John Farnham, toured nationally performing over 80 arenas shows, and the album was the biggest hit of the year – earning four times platinum status.