Missy Higgins
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Melissa Morrison Higgins (born 19 August 1983), known professionally as Missy Higgins, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. Her Australian number-one albums are ''
The Sound of White ''The Sound of White'' is the debut studio album by Australian pop singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released 6 September 2004 by Eleven. It won the 2005 ARIA Music Award for Best Female Artist. Higgins had secured recording contracts with Ele ...
'' (2004), ''
On a Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, '' The Sound of White''. She spent six ...
'' (2007) and '' The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'' (2012), and her singles include "
Scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a ...
", " Steer" and " Where I Stood". Higgins was nominated for five ARIA Music Awards in 2004 and won 'Best Pop Release' for "Scar". In 2005, she was nominated for seven more awards and won five. Higgins won her seventh ARIA in 2007. Her third album, ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'', was released in Australia in June 2012 (July 2012 in the US). As of August 2014, Higgins' first three studio albums had sold over one million units. Higgins' fourth studio album, ''OZ'', was released in September 2014 and consists of cover versions of Australian composers, as well as a book of related essays. Alongside her music career, Higgins pursues interests in animal rights and the environment, endeavouring to make her tours
carbon neutral Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the " ...
. In 2010 she made her acting debut in the feature film '' Bran Nue Dae'' and also performed on its soundtrack.


Biography


Early life

Higgins was born in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
, to Christopher Higgins, an English-Australian general practitioner, and Margaret (née Morrison), an Australian childcare centre operator. Her sister, Nicola, is seven years older and her brother, David, six years older. Higgins learned to play classical piano from age six, following in the footsteps of Christopher and David, but realised she wanted to be a singer at about 12, when she appeared in an Armadale Primary School production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat''. Bored with practice, she gave up playing piano at that time. Hoping for more freedom, she urged her parents to send her to Geelong Grammar School, an independent boarding school that her siblings attended. At Geelong, Higgins took up the piano again, this time playing
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and performing with her brother David's group on weekends. Introverted by nature, Higgins found that piano practice helped her cope with living at boarding school. At 15, while attending Geelong Grammar's
Timbertop Timbertop is a full-time boarding, co-educational campus of Geelong Grammar School located near Mansfield, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1953, by then Headmaster James Darling, Timbertop is compulsory for all year-nine students attendi ...
, she wrote "All for Believing" for a school music assignment, completing it just hours before the deadline. The assignment earned an A and she performed her song in front of classmates. She approached a Melbourne record company and was told that they wanted more than one song. She wrote more songs and worked with the
Kool Skools Kool Skools is a multimedia and recording project for secondary school students across the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales. The projects are open to all secondary schools, council youth agencies and youth clubs. Kool Skools prom ...
project, which enables students to record music. In 2001, Missy's sister Nicola entered "All for Believing" on her behalf in Unearthed, radio station Triple J's competition for unsigned artists. The song won the competition and was added to the station's play list. Two record companies showed an interest in Higgins— Sony and Eleven. She signed with Eleven, partly because they agreed that she would not be "made into a pop star" and partly because they were happy for her to take time off for a backpacking holiday. Higgins'
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is Eleven's John Watson, who also managed rock band Silverchair. Watson later disclosed that "Missy's the only time in my career I knew after 90 seconds I really wanted to sign her." The backpacking trip had been planned with a friend for years and the pair spent most of 2002 in Europe; while Higgins was travelling, "All for Believing" started to receive airplay on
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radio station
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. Such radio exposure attracted the attention of American record labels and, by year's end, an international recording deal with Warner Bros. had been negotiated.


2003–2005: ''The Sound of White''

Higgins was the support act on a 2003 Australian tour by folk rock band The Waifs and rock band george. She travelled to the US to work with John Porter, who produced her first EP, '' The Missy Higgins EP'', which was released in November and entered the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replac ...
(ARIA)
Singles Chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include rec ...
Top 50 in August 2004. She toured Australia, supporting Pete Murray and John Butler Trio. Her four-track single "Scar'" was released in July 2004 and debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Charts. Her first album, ''The Sound of White'', was released in September, and debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Also produced by Porter, it sold over 500,000 copies. She was nominated in five categories at the
ARIA Music Awards of 2004 The 18th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply the ARIAs) were held on 17 October 2004 at the Sydney Superdome within the Sydney Olympic Complex. The ceremony, hosted by Ro ...
for "Scar": Best Female Artist', 'Single of the Year', 'Best Pop Release', 'Breakthrough Artist – Single' and 'Best Video' (directed by Squareyed Films). At the awards ceremony on 17 October she received the award for Best Pop Release, beating Delta Goodrem, The Dissociatives, Kylie Minogue and Pete Murray. This was followed by her first national headline tour. Her second single " Ten Days" was co-written with Jay Clifford (guitarist in US band
Jump, Little Children Jump, Little Children is an American indie rock band that formed in 1991 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. Known for its unique sound, energetic live performances, and willingness to interact with fans, the band has a devoted follo ...
) and was inspired by Higgins' 2002 break-up with her boyfriend before she travelled to Europe. Released in November, it peaked at No. 12. On 29 January 2005 Higgins performed with other local musicians including Nick Cave and Powderfinger at the WaveAid fundraising concert in the Sydney Cricket Ground. The concert raised A$2.3 million for four charities supporting the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In March Higgins performed at the MTV Australia Awards and won the prize for 'Breakthrough Artist of the Year'. The following month she released her third single, "The Special Two", which was a radio hit and reached No. 2. "The Special Two" was released on an EP which included her
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of the
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song, "You Just Like Me Cos I'm Good in Bed", recorded for Triple J's 30th anniversary. The song had been the first track played on Triple J when it launched (as Double J) in 1975. In May, Higgins won the 'Song of the Year' and 'Breakthrough' awards for "Scar" from the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). She continued touring in mid-2005 and released her fourth single, "The Sound of White", in August. In September she played a sold-out performance at the Vanguard in Sydney with the proceeds going to charity. She was nominated for seven more ARIAs and in October won 'Album of the Year', 'Best Pop Release', 'Breakthrough Artist – Album' and 'Highest Selling Album' (all for ''The Sound of White'') and 'Best Female Artist' (for "Scar"). She teamed up with fellow ARIA award-winning singer Ben Lee in late 2005 for a national tour.


2006–2009: ''On a Clear Night''

During 2006, Higgins lived in Broome, Western Australia for six months, away from the entertainment industry. The relaxed lifestyle helped her focus on writing new material. The landscape made a big impression, "It was the first place I'd ever felt honestly connected with my country, with the physical land of my country" and inspired her to write "Going North". She then toured the United States and South Africa, writing more material on the road. In September she based herself in Los Angeles to record her second album, ''On a Clear Night'', with producer Mitchell Froom. "Steer" was released as an EP, followed a fortnight later by its album on 28 April 2007, both debuted at No. 1 on their respective charts. In February, Higgins had contributed a tribute song to the album, ''
Cannot Buy My Soul ''Cannot Buy My Soul: The Songs of Kev Carmody'', or more simply ''Cannot Buy My Soul'', is a 2007 double-CD compilation tribute album featuring various artists performing tracks by Australian singer-songwriter Kev Carmody. They were brought tog ...
'', for noted indigenous singer, Kev Carmody, singing "Droving Woman" with musician Paul Kelly and group Augie March. On 7 July, she participated in the Live Earth concert in Sydney, performing her own set before joining Carmody, Kelly and vocalist John Butler on stage for the song " From Little Things Big Things Grow". Emily Dunn in ''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' wrote " he songcould have been the event's anthem". ''Rolling Stone'''s Dan Lander pointed out a highlight, when the "whole crowd sung along – all eleven verses." Higgins returned to Los Angeles to focus on the US market—she spent September and October touring—where she was still relatively unknown. On 26 October, backed by the Sydney Youth Orchestra, she headlined the annual Legs 11 concert, a breast cancer benefit held in The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Two days later Higgins performed at the 2007 ARIAs where she was nominated for 'Best Pop Release', 'Highest Selling Album' and 'Highest Selling Single' (for "Steer") and won 'Best Female Artist' (for ''On a Clear Night'')—her seventh ARIA Music Award. On 31 October, she was a guest at television music channel MAX's inaugural Concert for the Cure, a private concert for people affected by breast cancer. She sang headline act Powderfinger's " Sunsets" with front man Bernard Fanning and joined in with the encore of "
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". She spent November and December on her For One Night Only Tour, taking in Cairns, Sydney and Perth. You Am I lead singer, Tim Rogers, joined her on some shows. ''On a Clear Night'', was released in the US on 26 February 2008, supported by a tour in March. Her ten-month stay in Los Angeles during 2008 promoted her songs for films and television shows. Her first US single " Where I Stood" was featured in US series including '' Grey's Anatomy'', '' One Tree Hill'' and '' So You Think You Can Dance''. During 2008, Higgins supported the Indigo Girls and then Ben Folds on their respective US tours. February and March 2009 saw her co-headlining a US tour with Canadian Justin Nozuka. On 31 March she released an EP, ''More Than This'' in Australia that features cover versions of " More Than This" by Roxy Music, " (I'm) In Love Again" by Peggy Lee, " Breakdown" by Tom Petty and " Moses" by Patty Griffin. "Moses" had been included on Triple J's 2005 compilation album '' Like a Version: Volume One'' and "More Than This" was recorded as part of ''
Covered, A Revolution in Sound ''Covered, A Revolution in Sound'' is a tribute album produced and released by Warner Bros. Records to commemorate its 50th anniversary as a record label. The album consists of some of the greatest hits from previous and current artists from the ...
'', a Warner Bros. tribute album also released in March 2009.


2010–2013: ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle''

Higgins started writing music for her third album in 2009. After about seven years of touring and recording she took a break from the music industry to pursue other interests. In 2010 she enrolled in a course in indigenous studies at the
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb ...
. Her acting debut was as Annie in 2010 film '' Bran Nue Dae'' directed by Rachel Perkins. The film is an adaptation of the 1990 musical, '' Bran Nue Dae'', "Australia's first Aboriginal musical". Although Higgins would consider future acting projects she has no plans to actively pursue it as a career. In July and August 2010, Higgins played several dates of Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair tour in the US. At Lilith Fair, she met Australian musician Butterfly Boucher and they decided to work together. In 2011, Higgins travelled to where Boucher was living in Nashville to record her third album, which is co-produced by Boucher and Brad Jones. Titled ''The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'', the album was released on 1 June 2012. Its first single, " Unashamed Desire", co-written with Boucher, was released on 23 April. In November 2011, at the ARIA Music Awards, Higgins performed a duet of "Warwu"with Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, from his ''
Rrakala ''Rrakala'' is the second album from Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. It is performed in Yolngu. Gurrumul plays piano, drums, nylon-string acoustic guitar, electric and acoustic guitars. It reached number three on the ARIA charts. At the 2011 ARI ...
'' album. "The Ol' Razzle Dazzle" album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart the week of 12 June 2012. It was Higgins' 3rd straight number one album. As of January 2019, Higgins ties Olivia Newton-John for the 3rd highest tally of Australian Number One albums by an Australian female artist. Only Delta Goodrem (with four Number 1 ARIA albums) and Kylie Minogue and Kasey Chambers (with five each) have achieved more.


2014: ''Oz''

In September 2014, Higgins released her fourth studio album, ''Oz'', which features cover versions of Australian composers, including The Angels, Slim Dusty, Something For Kate, Warumpi Band, Paul Kelly and The Drones. The album is also accompanied by a book of related essays, in which Higgins uses each of the recordings to reflect upon subjects such as music and love. Higgins collaborated with Dan Sultan for the recording of the Slim Dusty song "
The Biggest Disappointment "The Biggest Disappointment" is an Australian country music song written by Joy McKean and made famous by her husband, Slim Dusty. It has been covered by artists including Missy Higgins, Troy Cassar-Daley, Beccy Cole, and Gina Jeffreys.Country musi ...
". Higgins explained in an October 2014 interview that she experienced a significant bout of writer's block following the completion of her second album and someone suggested an album of cover versions at the time, but she only revisited the idea during the conception of ''Oz''. Higgins further explained:
I responded to all these songs on an emotional level, when I first heard them. I wanted songs I felt I could tell with my own voice, and interpret them authentically ... But it was important to maintain the emotional integrity and the heart of the song. It was a high priority to keep true to the songs.
The album was co-produced by Jherek Bischoff, who previously worked with David Byrne, formerly of
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...
, and Amanda Palmer. ''Oz'' debuted at number 3 on the ARIA Albums chart and remained in the top five positions until 18 October 2014. The national Australian tour in support of ''Oz'' commenced on 20 September 2014 in Cairns, Queensland, and ended in Melbourne in October 2014. Higgins was accompanied by Bischoff, and Australian artist Dustin Tebbutt appeared as a special guest.


2015–present: ''Solastalgia'', ''The Special Ones'' and ''Total Control''

On 19 February 2016, Higgins released a new single titled, " Oh Canada", in her response to the
death of Alan Kurdi Alan Kurdi (born as Alan Shenu), initially reported as Aylan Kurdi, was a two-year-old Syrian boy (initially reported as having been three years old) of Kurdish ethnic background whose image made global headlines after he drowned on 2 September ...
. In May 2017, Higgins released " Torchlight", for the Australian drama film, '' Don't Tell''. In October 2017, Higgins appeared in a revival of the 1996 musical ''
Miracle City ''Miracle City'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Nick Enright and music by Max Lambert. Synopsis It is conceived as a real time, live-to-air Christian television show ''Ministry of Miracles'' hosted by Tennessee evangelical family Ricky a ...
'' by Nick Enright and
Max Lambert Max Lambert (born 1955) is an Australian composer and musical director. Biography Born in 1955 in Sydney, he studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Lambert composed the musicals '' Darlinghurst Nights'' and '' Miracle City'', both firs ...
at the Sydney Opera House, playing the role of Bonnie Mae. In February 2018, Higgins released the single " Futon Couch", the first single from her fifth studio album, called ''
Solastalgia Solastalgia () is a neologism, formed by the combination of the Latin words ''sōlācium'' (comfort) and the Greek root ''-algia'' (pain, suffering, grief), that describes a form of emotional or existential distress caused by environmental change ...
'', released in May 2018. In February 2018, it was announced that Missy Higgins would support Ed Sheeran's tour around Australia. In November 2018, Higgins released her first greatest hits album titled '' The Special Ones''. A stand-alone single, "When the Machine Starts", was released in November 2020; a second, "Edge of Something", was released in October 2021. In October 2019, new music by Higgins featured in the Australian television series '' Total Control''. This would later serve as the basis of a mini-album, also titled '' Total Control'', that Higgins announced in February 2022. It is set for release on 4 March 2022.


Musical influences and technique

Higgins grew up in the 1980s and 1990s listening to artists that her older siblings liked—Nicola played Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, while David favoured
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and
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
. Departing for boarding school at age 13, she was exposed to
alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...
artists like
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colomb ...
and Hole and started teaching herself guitar and writing her own music. She also began singing with David's jazz group on weekends. As an adult she prefers Nina Simone and
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
to "poppy dance music". She has cited Patty Griffin, Ron Sexsmith, Rufus Wainwright, Paul Kelly and Sarah McLachlan as influences. Material from her third album is influenced by ambient music from Low, Jon Hopkins, Icelandic band Sigur Rós and Estonian classical composer Arvo Pärt. Higgins' song writing grew out of a desire to express her emotions when she was at school and her lyrics describe her feelings about her own life and relationships. The piano was the first instrument she learned to play, and she continues to use it as well as
digital piano A digital piano is a type of electronic keyboard instrument designed to serve primarily as an alternative to the traditional acoustic piano, both in how it feels to play and in the sound it produces. Digital pianos use either synthesized emula ...
s including a Roland RD-300SX, RD-700 and KR-15. She also uses guitars extensively in her music particularly when touring, due to their portable nature and favours the Australian brand, Maton. On occasion she plays keytar,
xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Like the glockenspiel (which uses metal bars), the xylophone essentially consists of a set of tuned wooden keys arranged in ...
and melodica during performances. On 7 September 2012, Higgins recorded a
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song relea ...
of Gotye's "Heart's A Mess" for the "Like a Version" segment on Australian radio station Triple J, explaining on-air that the song is her favourite Gotye composition. Higgins had travelled with Gotye previously and referred to him as "an incredible singer" in the interview prior to the rendition. In the 2020 Australian documentary film '' Slim and I'', directed by
Kriv Stenders Kriv Stenders is an Australian writer, producer and director best known for the film '' Red Dog'' and the thriller film ''Kill Me Three Times''. He started off directing music videos for many famous Australian bands, including Go Betweens, M ...
, Higgins paid tribute to the influence on her life and career of acclaimed Australian country music singer-songwriting couple
Slim Dusty Slim Dusty, AO MBE (born David Gordon Kirkpatrick; 13 June 1927 – 19 September 2003) was an Australian country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He was an Australian cultural icon and one of the country's most awarded stars, ...
and Joy McKean. The film features interviews and covers of McKean songs by acclaimed contemporary artists including Higgins (''
The Biggest Disappointment "The Biggest Disappointment" is an Australian country music song written by Joy McKean and made famous by her husband, Slim Dusty. It has been covered by artists including Missy Higgins, Troy Cassar-Daley, Beccy Cole, and Gina Jeffreys.Country musi ...
''), Keith Urban, Paul Kelly, and Troy Cassar-Daley.


Activism and Charitable Works

Higgins has been active and vocal about many issues including climate and environmental issues, animal welfare, female empowerment, refugees and Indigenous issues.These issues have been influential to her works throughout her career.


Climate and Environment

Higgins has been a long time advocate for the environment and has actively participated in many environmental initiatives and events aimed at raising awareness on climate change and environmental issues. She is currently a patron of Green Music Australia, which aims to harness the cultural power of music to create a greener and safer planet. From her early tours such as her ‘
On A Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, '' The Sound of White''. She spent six ...
’ tour, Higgins has aimed for her tours to be
carbon neutral Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal (often through carbon offsetting) or by eliminating emissions from society (the transition to the " ...
, and she was named one of Billboard magazine’s 2007 Top 10 Green Artists. She also contributed to Green Music Australia and Creative Victoria’s 2022 initiative ‘Sound Country: A Green Artist Guide’ which aims to provide a practical framework for touring musicians to implement sustainable solutions. Higgins has also participated in many environmental fundraising and donation campaigns including the Sierra Club’s 2009 2% Solution Campaign where she made her song ‘ Where I Stood’ available for free to those who pledged to decrease their carbon output by 2% . Higgins also donated royalties from her 2009 digital EP ''More Than This'' to the Save the Kimberley organisation focused on conservation of Western Australia’s
Kimberley Region The Kimberley is the northernmost of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami deserts in the region of the Pilbara, an ...
; an area which Higgins is passionate about protecting from industrialisation. In October 2012, Higgins also performed at two "Save the Kimberley" events held at Federation Square in Melbourne and The Esplanade in Fremantle, Western Australia; march to protest against the proposed gas refinery construction at James Price Point accompanied the free concert and campaign supporters were photographed with banners and placards. Higgins was among 21 artists to write and record music for the album ‘Sounds for the Reef’ which raised funds for legal action against plans to turn Queensland’s Abbot Point into one of the world’s largest coal ports and the decision to allow dredging near the
Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, A ...
. The album's 21 songs were sold on the
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website. Higgins also vocally protested against the
Adani coal mine The Carmichael coal mine is a coal mine in Queensland, Australia which produced its first shipment of coal in December 2021. The mine has drawn criticism for its environmental impacts on the Great Barrier Reef, water usage and carbon emissions. ...
in 2017, writing an open letter to the former Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and current Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, and donating time to narrating two campaign videos and the #StopAdani Roadshow Opener. Climate change played a large role in the creation of the music for her 2018 album ‘ Solostalgia', which was named for a kind of distress brought on by environmental changes close to home. The album is also influenced by the feeling of climate grief and climate anxiety.


Animal Welfare

Higgins has been a vegetarian for many years after being introduced to the idea by an ex-boyfriend and wanted to do something for animals rights after reading ‘
Eating Animals ''Eating Animals'' is the third book by the American novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, published in 2009. A ''New York Times'' best-seller, ''Eating Animals'' provides a dense discussion of what it means to eat animals in an industrialized world. I ...
’ by
Jonathan Safran Foer Jonathan Safran Foer (; born February 21, 1977) is an American novelist. He is known for his novels '' Everything Is Illuminated'' (2002), '' Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'' (2005), '' Here I Am'' (2016), and for his non-fiction works ''Eati ...
. She helped promote the 2005 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) advertising campaign and has supported their anti- fur stance. In 2012, Higgins voiced a series of radio advertisements organised by the group Animals Australia in a campaign to put an end to battery-hen egg production in Australia. Higgins was one of numerous publicly known advocates for the 'Oscar's Law' campaign. The campaign, launched in 2010, protests against the existence of "puppy factories" in Australia, whereby animals are factory farmed. One of the campaign's slogans was "Break the Puppy Trade—Don't buy puppies from pet shops" and the list of notable advocates included
Paul Dempsey Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock group Something for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album, '' Everything Is True'', on 20 Au ...
, Kate Ceberano and Mick Molloy. Higgins has also performed at animal welfare and conservation related fundraising and awareness concerts.This includes kicking off Animal Australia’s 2013 event ‘Animal Matters’ with a performance of ‘Hidden Ones’, and performing at Melbourne Zoo’s Twilights concert in 2012, 2013 and the 2020 where proceeds from the event went to conservation efforts and aims to save threatened species.


Refugees

In 2016, Missy Higgins released “ Oh Canada” which was written from the perspective of the refugee father of
Alan Kurdi Alan Kurdi (born as Alan Shenu), initially reported as Aylan Kurdi, was a two-year-old Syrian boy (initially reported as having been three years old) of Kurdish ethnic background whose image made global headlines after he drowned on 2 September 2 ...
, a two year old Syrian boy who drowned while fleeing to Europe. All of the song’s net profits went to the
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) is an asylum seeker support organisation in Australia. The ASRC, based in Footscray, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, provides aid, justice and empowerment programs to over 1000 asylum seekers living i ...
(ASRC), and Higgins performed the song during the ASRC telethon held on World Refugee Day. In 2017 Higgins was announced as a new ASRC Ambassador and in 2018 appeared on ABC’s Q&A program and expressed her views on the Australian Government’s treatment of asylum seekers. Higgins also featured in the 2022 documentary ‘Scattered People: A Song Can Take You Home’ presented by the ASRC and Being Reel Films, along with other Australian Musicians.


Female Empowerment

Rolling Stone Australia called Higgins’ soundtrack for the second season of the ABC drama Total Control an “outspoken fight for equality”, and the work was inspired by
Grace Tame Grace Tame (born 28 December 1994) is an Australian activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault. Tame was named 2021 Australian of the Year on 25 January 2021. Early life, family and education Grace Tame was born in Hobart in about ...
and
Brittany Higgins In February and March 2021, a number of allegations involving rape and other sexual misconduct against women involving the Australian Parliament and federal politicians were raised, causing controversy especially for the federal Liberal-Nationa ...
and the 2021 Australian Parliament House sexual misconduct allegations, with themes of exploitation and female empowerment. The album was about taking control as a woman, with songs like ‘I Take It Back’ which was written about reclaiming story, identity and power as a woman. In 2021, Higgins appeared on the panel of ABC’s Q&A Season Finale 'Power, Protests and Parliament' and discussed her views on the behaviour of Australian Parliament in relation to women in parliament, advice for young women who want to move into the music industry and the power imbalance of the music industry. Higgins also headlined the all-female festival tour ‘Wildflower’ in 2022 alongside Kate Miller-Heidke,
Kasey Chambers Kasey Chambers (born 4 June 1976) is an Australian country singer-songwriter and musician born in Mount Gambier. She is the daughter of fellow musicians, Diane and Bill Chambers, and the younger sister of musician and producer, Nash Chambers. ...
, Sarah Blasko,
Deborah Conway Deborah Ann Conway (born 8 August 1959) is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actress. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their top 5 hit "Man Overboard". Conw ...
, Thornbird and
Alice Skye Alice Skye is an Australian singer and songwriter. She is a Wergaia woman from Horsham. In 2017, she was the Triple J Unearthed National Indigenous Winner. She released her debut album ''Friends with Feelings'' in 2018 and toured nationally wi ...
in order to celebrate women and the return of the live scene. Generational strength has also been a motivator for Higgins, wanting to show her daughter how to be a strong, independent woman.


Indigenous Issues

Higgins undertook an Indigenous Studies course at the University of Melbourne and has been a vocal supporter of Indigenous Australian peoples for years.  In 2007 she joined the
Oxfam Australia Oxfam Australia is an Australian, independent, not-for-profit, secular, community-based aid and development organization, and is an affiliate of the Oxfam International confederation. Oxfam Australia's work is divided into four broad categories co ...
‘Close the Gap’ campaign and recorded a cover of 'Droving Woman' with Augie March on the tribute album to Kev Carmody, an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter and musician. In 2008, Higgins collaborated on a re-release of the song “ From Little Things Big Things Grow” along with Tim Levison and others. The song begins with a sample from the 2008 Formal Apology to the Stolen Generations made by former Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. When discussing the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Higgins stated that First Nations people have never been treated as equals and have been oppressed as a people. Higgins mentioned that her album Total Control was partly inspired by strong First Nations women who she knew and in an interview with Rolling Stone Australia, Higgin’s was quoted saying “Australian First Nations people have to cop so much every day and they’re still surviving in a country that refuses to acknowledge our history.”.


Other charitable Works

Higgins has also been involved in other charitable works throughout her career. All proceeds from her 2015 charity show at Sydney’s ‘The Vanguard’ were donated to the One In Five Foundation, a Melbourne charity supporting research into mental health.   In 2020, along with Tim Minchin, Higgins gave her support to the Fred Hollows Foundation with the collaborative song " Carry You" which was adapted to the foundation's 2020 campaign to encourage people to carry on Fred Hollows's legacy of ending avoidable blindness. She also performed the song with Minchin at the streamed charity concert
Music from the Home Front Music from the Home Front was a concert held across Australia and New Zealand on 25 April 2020, to pay tribute to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and workers at the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic response. The concert was broadca ...
which paid tribute to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and workers on the frontline of
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
responses. Proceeds from the album of the same name went towards the music crisis charity Support Act. In 2022, Higgins headlined the Nine Network telethon concert in support of the Children’s Hospital Foundation, raising funds for medical research, equipment and support services for young patients and their families. Higgins also joined the Australian Red Cross event '' Australia Unites: Red Cross Flood Appeal'' along with other Australian artists in order to raise funds for victims of the 2022 eastern Australia floods.


Personal life

Higgins has been a patron of multiple mental health charities since 2003. She described her younger self as "a bit of a depressed child" and "introverted", and that she had "experienced various degrees of depression". Prescribed antidepressant medication while in high school, she learned to channel low moods into songwriting, calling music her "emotional outlet". In a 2006 interview she said that her songs were "coming from more of a happier place". While recording her second album she discovered a passion for rock climbing, as a "meditative pursuit" and that, "It's the first and last thing I've had – other than music – that I'm passionate about." From 2004 to 2007, Higgins' sexual orientation was the subject of media speculation based partly on interpretations of her lyrics and her interviews. In an October 2007 interview with Australian lesbian magazine ''Cherrie'', she was asked if she fell under the moniker of "not-so-straight" girls. She replied "Um, yeah, definitely. ... I think sexuality is a fluid thing and it's becoming increasingly more acceptable to admit that you're that way." In November her Myspace page reported, "I've been in relationships with both men and women so I guess I fall most easily under the category 'Bisexual'". In 2013, Higgins began a relationship with Broome playwright and comedian Dan Lee. Higgins gave birth to a son in 2015. Higgins and Lee were married in March 2016, and she gave birth to a daughter in August 2018. In early 2022, Higgins and Lee amicably separated.


Discography

* ''
The Sound of White ''The Sound of White'' is the debut studio album by Australian pop singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released 6 September 2004 by Eleven. It won the 2005 ARIA Music Award for Best Female Artist. Higgins had secured recording contracts with Ele ...
'' (2004) * ''
On a Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, '' The Sound of White''. She spent six ...
'' (2007) * '' The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'' (2012) * '' Oz'' (2014) * ''
Solastalgia Solastalgia () is a neologism, formed by the combination of the Latin words ''sōlācium'' (comfort) and the Greek root ''-algia'' (pain, suffering, grief), that describes a form of emotional or existential distress caused by environmental change ...
'' (2018)


Filmography

*2010: '' Bran Nue Dae'' as Annie *2014: ''
Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a ...
'' – Narrator (Documentary)


Awards and nominations


APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Higgins has won two awards from eight nominations. , - , rowspan="3", 2005 , , "
Scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a ...
" (Missy Higgins, Kevin Griffin) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - , " Ten Days" (Missy Higgins, Jay Clifford) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - , Missy Higgins , , Breakthrough Award , , , - , rowspan="3", 2006 , , rowspan="2", " The Special Two" (Missy Higgins) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - , Most Performed Australian Work , , , - , "Ten Days" (Missy Higgins, Jay Clifford) , , Most Performed Australian Work , , , - , rowspan="2",
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, , "Everyone's Waiting" (Missy Higgins and Daniel Wilson) , , rowspan="2", Song of the Year, , , - , "Set Me On Fire" (Missy Higgins, Butterfly Boucher and Daniel Wilson) , , , - , 2017 , , "Oh Canada" , , Song of the Year, , , - , rowspan="3", 2020 , , " Carry You" ( Tim Minchin) – Missy Higgins , , rowspan="2", Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
, , , - , "Edge of Something" (Higgins,
Antony Partos Antony Michael Partos (born 1 August 1968) is an Australian film and TV composer. He specialises in creating scores that blend both acoustic and electronic elements with a mix of world musical instruments. His feature film credits include '' Ani ...
,
Matteo Zingales Matteo Zingales (born 28 October 1980) is an Australian film music composer who has won the AACTA Award for Best Original Score for a Feature Film for two years running. In 2013, he shared the award with Jono Ma (of rock band Jagwar Ma) for Best ...
) – Missy Higgins , , , - , "Arrows" , , Song of the Year , , , - , 2021 , , " Carry You" (Tim Minchin) – Missy Higgins , , Song of the Year , , , - , 2022 , "Bloody Game" from ''Total Control'' , Best Original Song Composed for the Screen , , -


ARIA Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are presented annually from 1987 by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Higgins has won nine awards from twenty-five nominations.ARIA Music Awards for Missy Higgins: * Search Results 'Missy Higgins' * 2004 winners and nominees: * 2005 winners and nominees: * 2006 winners and nominees: * 2007 winners and nominees: * 2008 winners and nominees: * 2012 winners and nominees: * 2013 winners and nominees: , - , rowspan="5", 2004 , , rowspan="4", "
Scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a ...
" , , Single of the Year , , , - , Best Female Artist , , , - , Breakthrough Artist – Single , , , - , Best Pop Release , , , - , "Scar" – Squareyed Films , , Best Video , , , - , rowspan="8", 2005 , , rowspan="5", ''
The Sound of White ''The Sound of White'' is the debut studio album by Australian pop singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released 6 September 2004 by Eleven. It won the 2005 ARIA Music Award for Best Female Artist. Higgins had secured recording contracts with Ele ...
'' , ,
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
, , , - , Best Female Artist , , , - , Highest Selling Album , , , - , Breakthrough Artist – Album , , , - , Best Pop Release , , , - , ''The Sound of White'' – Cathie Glassby , , Best Cover Art , , , - , rowspan="2", " The Special Two" , , Single of the Year , , , - , Highest Selling Single , , , - , 2006 , , ''If You Tell Me Yours, I'll Tell You Mine'' , , Best Music DVD , , , - , rowspan="4", 2007 , , rowspan="3", ''
On a Clear Night ''On a Clear Night'' is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, released by Eleven on 28 April 2007. Higgins started work on the album straight after finishing her 2004 debut, '' The Sound of White''. She spent six ...
'' , , Best Female Artist, , , - , Best Pop Release , , , - , Highest Selling Album , , , - , " Steer" , , Highest Selling Single , , , - ,
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, , " Peachy" , , Best Female Artist , , , - , rowspan="4", 2012 , , rowspan="3", '' The Ol' Razzle Dazzle'' , , Best Female Artist , , , - , Album of the Year , , , - , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , "
Everyone's Waiting "Everyone's Waiting" is the 12th episode of the fifth season of the HBO television series '' Six Feet Under'', the series's 63rd episode overall and the series finale. The episode was written and directed by Alan Ball and originally aired in t ...
" – Natasha Pincus , , Best Video , , , - ,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, , "Set Me on Fire" , , Best Female Artist , , , - ,
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, , ''
Solastalgia Solastalgia () is a neologism, formed by the combination of the Latin words ''sōlācium'' (comfort) and the Greek root ''-algia'' (pain, suffering, grief), that describes a form of emotional or existential distress caused by environmental change ...
'' , , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , , - , 2022 , ''Total Control '' , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , -


EG Awards / Music Victoria Awards

The EG Awards (known as ''Music Victoria Awards'' since 2013) are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006. , - , 2007 , Missy Higgins , Best Female , , - ,
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
, Missy Higgins , Best Female , , -


Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group ''Live Performance Australia'' since 2001. Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. ! , - , rowspan="2", 2005 , ''Missy Higgins'' - ''Missy Higgins'' ,
Helpmann Award for Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert The Helpmann Award for Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert was an award, presented by Live Performance Australia (LPA) at the annual Helpmann Awards from 2005-2008. In the following list winners are listed first and marked in go ...
, , rowspan="2", , - , ''Missy Higgins'' , Helpmann Award for Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , - , 2017 , ''Missy Higgins Orchestral Concert Series 2016 '' , Helpmann Award for Best Australian Contemporary Concert , , , -


MTV Australia Video Music Award

The MTV Australia Video Music Award were presented annually from 2005 to 2009 by MTV Australia.FasterLouder.com.a
Nominees Announced For The MTV Australia Video Music Awards
''FasterLouder.com.au''. Accessed 17 June 2008.
, - , rowspan="3", 2005 , , rowspan="3", Missy Higgins , , Best Female , , , - , Best Breakthrough , , , - , Supernova Award , , , - , 2006 , , "The Special Two" Missy Higgins , , Best Female Artist , , , -


References

;General * * * Note: n-lineversion established a
White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd
in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition. ;Specific


External links

*

at MusicBrainz {{DEFAULTSORT:Higgins, Missy 1983 births Living people 21st-century Australian singers 21st-century guitarists 21st-century pianists APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Australian women guitarists Australian women singer-songwriters Australian multi-instrumentalists Australian pianists Australian women pianists Bisexual musicians Bisexual women LGBT singers from Australia LGBT songwriters People educated at Geelong Grammar School Singers from Melbourne Australian people of English descent 21st-century Australian women singers 21st-century Australian women musicians 21st-century Australian musicians 20th-century Australian women musicians 20th-century Australian musicians 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people 21st-century women guitarists 20th-century women pianists 21st-century women pianists