Press
What the Critics Say about Lorina Harding...
"Clearly, Harding's time is now" - Metro Magazine
"...one of the best things to come out of these shaky isles..." - NZ Herald
"Utterly captivating." - Sunday Star Times
"...the best kept secret in NZ music." - NZ Herald
"Miss her show at your peril." - Real Groove
"...an exceptionally talented damn woman." - The Gig Guide
"Harding is a polished performer...a songwriter of great ability." - OUSA Critic
About her voice:
"...distinctive...hushed the crowd." - Wellington Evening Post
"...rich and sensitive..." - The Gig Guide
"...strong, vibrant...absolutely amazing." - The Critic
"...resonant and soulful as a gospel choir..." - Southland Times
"...long mellow notes, deep velvet timbre...brought tears to the eyes..." - Theatre Review
About her songs:
"...masterpieces in miniature..." - NZ Herald
"...a warm and deft fusion of clever, compelling lyrics and catchy melodies..." - CHCH Press
"...beautifully put together...you want them to carry on longer..." - NZ Herald
About her recordings:
"4 1/2 out of 5." - NZ Herald
"Highly recommended..." - The Critic
"...coils lovingly around the ears." - CHCH Star
"...retains the personality and vitality that she conveys on stage." - The Gig Guide
Conversations with Lorina Harding about her new album (Clean Break):
What was the inspiration for Table #7 (The Not So Righteous Cafe)?
Let's see. I wrote a rather controversial song (Mary's Song) about the birth of Jesus from his mother's point of view. Having been through childbirth myself, I thought Mary might have had a different perspective of the whole event. That perspective offended a few...uh spiritually constipated types shall we say so I decided to write a song for them.
"Flight from Murdoch" is a very personal song. How much of yourself do you like to give away?
Well, obviously a lot! My songs are personal but they're also user friendly. Flight from Murdoch is about MY divorce but considering the stats on that little subject , you don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that a LOT of people will relate to "locked into the worst scenario-who gets the kid, who gets the stereo?".
'Mickey, You Call Her' is a chilling statement about the aboriginal people in Canada. It's very graphic as well. Why did you chose this particular subject?
It was one of those songs I had to write so I could sleep at night. I grew up with and around Native American people and saw a lot of disturbing things. Those images stayed with me and the writing of Mickey was a way to exorcise them. I recently received a letter from a Native American counselor who is using the lyrics to Mickey in his work. One of his clients is a woman who was gang raped for over ten hours and believed she was to blame! Apparently my song had a profound effect on her; hearing that had a profound effect on me, too.
Your music swings easily between a heavy subject like 'Mickey' and something comical like 'Nutz'. Is this conscious on your part?
Naaah...I'm just a funny, warped kinda gal who also relates to the underbelly of the world-the shock value of real life -which can be funny too. Joni Mitchell sang: 'Laughing and crying, you know it's the same release'.I agree.