Anita Ruth Prime is a singer-songwriter from New Zealand. At the 2011
Los Angeles Music Awards The LA Music Awards is a fee-based awards program originally held in the city of Los Angeles, California to celebrate new artists around the world. In 2015 the Awards held their 25th anniversary with a program in located at the Avalon Theater in L ...
she won the Best Music Video for ''La La La,'' becoming the first New Zealander to win a Los Angeles Music Award.
Biography
Prime was raised in
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; , colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatū Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manaw ...
in a musical family with family members playing the piano, trumpet and ukulele. She began singing at a very early age, began learning piano from the age of 5 and went on to learn the flute, guitar and drums. Prime entered her first talent contest at 13 as part of a group called Three 'n One. As an adult she worked the New Zealand club circuit and performed in community and charity events.
In 2010 she met grammy drummer and producer Ron Thaler at a conference. At the time Thaler stated: "…I listened to her music and I was like 'well you've got an absolutely killer voice' but I don't think the music is at the place that it needs to be". As he was concerned about production values Thaler re-recorded and re-worked Prime's album ''Destiny''. In 2011 Prime began an international tour performing in Paris, London, Vancouver and Los Angeles. Whilst in France Prime performed a solo concert at the
Carlton Cannes Hotel on the
French Riviera
The French Riviera, known in French as the (; , ; ), is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is considered to be the coastal area of the Alpes-Maritimes department, extending fr ...
during the
MIDEM Music Festival.
The ''Destiny'' single "Complicated" entered ''Billboard'' Dance Club chart in October 2011 and peaked at number 33 in November.
Between US tours Prime continued to work the club circuit in New Zealand and local festivals such as the Flava
Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day (, the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing—on 6 February 1840—of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement towards British sovereignty by representatives of the The Cr ...
Festival in
Auckland
Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
, and the
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
Motown Festival in Napier.
In March 2011 Prime was nominated for two LA Music Awards, Best International Artist, and Best Music Video for ''La La La''. She performed at the Nomination Awards ceremony and again toured the US including other venues in Los Angeles and venues in New York. In November of the same year, Prime won the LA Music Awards Best Music Video category.
In May 2011 Prime joined the 2011 All Star Rock Tour alongside
Orleans,
Robbie Dupree
Robert Dupuis (born December 23, 1946), known professionally as Robbie Dupree, is an American singer best known for his hit songs " Steal Away" (No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100) and " Hot Rod Hearts" (No. 15).
Early life
Robbie Dupree was ...
,
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner (born Joseph Arthur Mark Linquito, August 2, 1951) is an American singer best known for his work with Rainbow (rock band), Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Yngwie Malmsteen.
Turner joined Rainbow (rock band), Rainbow in the early 1980 ...
(
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...
, &
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
),
Joe Bouchard
Joe or JOE may refer to:
Arts
Film and television
* ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle
* ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage, based on the novel ''Joe'' (1991) by Larry Brown
* Joe (2023 film), an Indian film
* ''Joe'' (TV se ...
(
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult ( ; sometimes abbreviated BÖC or BOC) is an American rock band formed on Long Island, New York, in the hamlet of Stony Brook, in 1967.
They have sold 25 million records worldwide, including 7 million in the United States. ...
).
Prime has worked with charitable group Team Xtreme, a charity that helps youth with esteem and life skills issues, and appeared in fundraising concerts.
In the
2021 Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours for 2021 are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded ...
Prime was awarded the
Queen's Service Medal
The King's Service Medal (created as the Queen's Service Medal in 1975 and renamed in 2024) is a medal awarded by the government of New Zealand to recognise and reward volunteer service to the community and also public service in elected or app ...
for her services to youth and the community.
Discography
Singles
Albums
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prime, Anita
21st-century New Zealand women singers
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
People from Palmerston North
Recipients of the Queen's Service Medal