Julia Deans performs ‘Six-Strong Heart’ live on radio for first time | RNZ

LifeMusicJulia Deans performs ‘Six-Strong Heart’ live on radio for first timeThe song, which the Kiwi singer has already performed at live shows, will feature on her upcoming album.Afternoons4 min readAfternoons4 min readCaption:Julia Deans performing in the RNZ studios for NZ Live.Photo credit:RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyNew Zealand artist Julia Deans, of rock band Fur Patrol and The Adults fame, has performed one of her new songs on her upcoming album for the first time on radio to celebrate 20 years of NZ live.Deans has already played ‘Six-String Heart’ at her live shows, which recently included the Atomic 2.0 tour.Related stories:Watch: Julia Deans live at The ShelterThe quintessential rock playlist by Julia DeansFur Patrol celebrate 21st anniversary of landmark debut album PETOn the tour, the singer led Boh Runga, Dianne Swann, Vera Ellen, Jazmine Mary, Karen Hu, Rebel Reid, Mareea Paterson and Ilayda Tunali to pay homage to female pioneers of rock’n’roll.“It’s a vibe, it’s like there’s no ego within the group and we’re all just really supportive of each other.”In line with paying respects to women, she performed ‘Walking in the Sun’ – a song about not treating others as slightly lesser because they’re different.Her new album has been mostly recorded, she says.“It is exciting, it’s just taking a very expletively long time,” Deans tells Afternoons’ host Jesse Mulligan.“I won’t go into the gory details, but it’s a deeply personal album and it’s a concept album as well so it tells a whole story from start to finish.“It’s all well and good writing albums … but you also have to, in between, pay rent and things like that so I take on other jobs to do that, other projects. And I’m not a good multi-tasker. I mean, I can sing and play guitar at the same time but that’s about the extent of it.”She recalls her teenage years and how she would take her guitar to play sets at bars, whilst lying to her parents that she was going to study at the library.Deans joined Celtic rock band Banshee Reel at the start of her career before going on to form Fur Patrol with guitarist Steve Wells in 1996. Two years later, they released their EP Starlifter which featured ‘Dominoes’.“If I don’t hit all the high notes, it’s because I’m not 21 anymore,” Deans jokes before performing the song.The band also opened up for former Split Enz/Crowded House singer Neil Finn in Australia. Deans gives a nod to Finn by playing one of her favourite songs by Split Enz, ‘I Hope I Never’.“I think this is one of the most beautiful break-up songs in the New Zealand music vernacular and the vocal performance on it is exquisite and the piano playing is just divine, so I’m going to butcher that by playing it on guitar.”To celebrate New Zealand music month, Deans will be playing alongside Hollie Smith at SkyCity on 22 May.Country star Kaylee Bell on unexpected motherhoodBell is currently one of New Zealand’s most successful music exports despite a lifetime of health battles that made her think having a baby wasn’t possible.Music12 min readAustria wins Eurovision crown with JJ’s song Wasted LoveIt’s the country’s first victory since bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won in 2014.Music5 min readIndie rock heroes Voom triumphantly return with their first album in almost 20 yearsPlus Greta O’Leary is serene and slightly spooky, and Clear Path Ensemble offer sumptuous jazz vibes.Music5 min readMinuit frontwoman Ruth Carr: ‘Female musicians being forgotten is a pet peeve’Charismatic singer Ruth Carr led local electro-pop trio Minuit to glory in the 2000s – now she’s hitting the stage one last time.Music3 min read