Anna Rugis
New Zealand-born, Anna Rugis has been singing since childhood. Her singing experience across music genres includes, musicals and jazz in the 1960’s, pop and rock as a backup singer for Cat Stevens, Cliff Richard, Van Morrison, The Kinks, among others, in the 1970s, Evita, the musical, and a bluegrass band called Gentle Annie in the 1980’s.
This depth of professional production and performance skills are reflected in her recordings which provide a listening experience of subtle beauty and charm. In the 90’s Anna re-released her first album of originals, Reconcilation followed by Cavesongs and Traffic in Gold.
Anna is published regularly in poetry journals and also writes musicals on environmental themes for primary schools. She produced Dianne Ponzio's CD, In the Middle in 2005 and co-produced Linn Lorkin's, Kiwiana in 2006. Anna also produced 5 albums of songs for kids about environmental issues including Island Dreams, Riversongs and Daisy Face. She wrote and performed in 3 parlour musicals during that time as well which took her all over Aotearoa with Arts on Tour.
Currently, Anna is producing and engineering herself with DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation), Logic, Reason and Ableton. Anna’s recent projects include recording over 50 songs, of which about 22 are new releases, providing material for 4 new albums which are completed for release.
The first of these, Out Of The Blue is a collection of original mouth music songs in the celtic style. Lyrical vocals with intricately layered harmonies and a sophisticated folk/pop twist.
This music is unique and enchanting, sounding quite new, yet with a curiously ancient ring.
Nowhere To Go But Here is a collection of new originals which Anna describes as, “uncommon love songs.” A single from this album In Your Eyes I can See it Shine is a tribute to Anna’s dear old friend Linda Lewis who celebrates 50 years in music in the UK this year. She describes her current work as an “ intimate singer/songwriter pop with each song a world of sonic colour unto itself.”
Quotes about Anna
“Anna Rugis began to sing. Her acoustic mouth music could only be described as mercurial, magical and many moons ancient. It’s as if it had slipped from the earth and taken to air to fly around the walls on wings.” Ponsonby News.
“Rugis has recorded and produced two previous albums of original songs Reconciliation (1997) - this album has musicality, poetry and spirituality to burn – Carol Wright. New Age Voice USA and Cave Songs (2003) A unique and sophisticated marriage of music and poetry. Anna Rugis is a brilliant composer as well as a fine lyricist and singer with an enchanting voice. Beautifully crafted, light hearted and at the same time, as deep as it gets.” Women in Music (USA).
Traffic in Gold
2008
Light As
2014
Nowhere To Go But Here
2021
