Whats in a Name

The name Runga has become synonymous with good Kiwi music and Boh Runga is making sure every project she puts her name to is a worthwhile one.

Collaboration is nothing new to Boh Runga. She spent many years with Sony’s most successful Kiwi band, Stellar* and has worked with the likes of Wendy Melvoin (Prince and the Revolution), Kevin Savigar (Rod Stewart's songwriter) and Shelly Peiken who wrote Bitch for Meredith Brooks and also Genie in a Bottle for Christina Aguilera.

Boh’s solo album debut, Right Here, included just three of the 11 tracks credited to her alone and she has recently finished The Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour: a tour of some of the country’s most renowned places of worship with Greg Johnson, Zed frontman Nathan King and Auckland songstress Lydia Cole.

What’s more, early next year, Boh will be performing in 18 shows nationwide with some of New Zealand’s best, including sister Bic, on the MORE FM Winery Tour from Friday 5 February – Saturday 6 March.

Like her numerous music collaborations, Boh has been careful to choose other projects that she enjoys and that are close to her heart.

In 2007, Boh unleashed a different side of her creativity with her first jewellery range, ‘Birdland’. Based on her love of New Zealand’s native birds, the collection was created in partnership with NZ Mint. Her second collection, ‘The Messenger Stories’ followed in late 2008.
“My jewellery work is something that I enjoy very much,” says Boh. “I love wearing jewellery that I've designed. I get a thrill when I see other people wear it. It's a dream come true for the kid who used to play with beads and string.”



In February this year, Boh released her third collection, The Lotus and Snowbird: this time with the Japanese cosmetics giant, Shiseido, on board as a collaborative partner. “When Shiseido first approached me to do something, I thought, ‘A joint effort between New Zealand Mint, Shiseido and myself – how could I possibly not,” says Boh, who was also asked to come up with a design for the Moisture Mist Compact.

Boh is currently working with Deborah Caldwell of Storm Boutique on an exclusive t-shirt collection and is planning another jewellery range for February next year.

“I love the fact that I get to be creative,” she enthuses. “I consider myself lucky to do things that I enjoy.

“These projects are all things in which I have big involvement. My jewellery is all my designs. Storm is something that I like and wear and my music is my music.”

Boh knows that with recognition comes responsibility and she has taken every opportunity to use hers for good.

“To do something outside your normal habitual lifestyle, to give back to people who are less fortunate than you and to help them in some way is a good thing to do,” she says.

“It’s a natural kind of thing to find something that you’re excited about, and want to be a part of, that helps others.”

Boh has been a face of the It's Not Okay campaign, a television campaign speaking out against domestic violence, and Canteen, supporting young people with cancer and a prostate cancer awareness boxers campaign with Barkers.



A portion of the sales from Birdland was also donated to the Rautakauri Music Therapy Centre.

It is the joy she gets from these projects that truly drives Boh to be more than just a singer.

“I got to experience firsthand the healing power of music therapy with the children,” she said about her work with the Rautakauri Music Therapy Centre. “I assisted with two boys and that was an eye opener because they went from initially appearing really isolated to enjoying themselves so much.

Boh says it is important for celebrities and people in the public eye to use their status to make positive changes and be an example for others to follow.

“As soon as people give you a voice, you need to use it for good. If people are watching what I do and go away and emulate the positive things I’m doing then that’s a positive thing.”

Visit: www.bohrunga.com or www.thewinerytour.co.nz