Kimbra Johnson
Kimbra Johnson rose to prominence after competing three years running in the high school Rockquest competition, while a student at Hillcrest High School. This included making the national finals twice, and taking second place at the 2004 national competition. From these winnings (and with two rounds of New Zealand on Air funding) she has recorded two songs, Deep for You and Simply on my Lips, both with videos that have recieved airplay on the C4, Alt TV and Juice TV music channels. She also had the song Thoughtful Escape included on the Smokefree Rockquest 2005 compilation. Her Simply on my Lips video ultimately won the "Breakthrough Video Award" at the 2007 Juice TV Awards.
Kimbra entered the first Play it Strange National Secondary Schools Songwriting Competition in 2004, making the top 10 of over 300 entrants, and from this had the song It Takes Time included on the Play It Strange Top 20 Volume 1 compilation. In 2005 she placed in the 31st to 50th place bracket of the same competition with the song Reminisce.
Early public performances by Kimbra included singing at the Waikato Times Gold Cup race meeting in 2000 as a ten year old , and at twelve singing the national anthem before 27000 people at the Auckland vs Waikato NPC rugby final. In June 2006 Kimbra sang in front of 30 thousand people at an All Blacks vs. Ireland rubgy test match at Waikato Stadium.
In 2007, she duetted with Gian Perrone on the Dynamo Go song Sad Again, which was released on the Affordable Pop Music EP.
In 2008, Kimbra signed a contract with Australian company Freemantle Media, leaving Hamilton for Melbourne immediately following a performance at the Hamilton Gardens summer festival. She describes her music as a fusion of jazz, funk and soul.
Releases
- It Takes Time included on the 2004 compilation Play It Strange Top 20 Volume 1
- Thoughtful Escape appears on the 2005 compilation Smokefree Rockquest 2005
- Deep For You appears on the 2006 promo only compilation Kiwi Hit Disc 80
- Simply on my Lips appears on the 2007 compilation TheSet.co.nz New Zealand Music Sampler Vol.1
- Simply on my Lips appears on the 2007 promo only compilation Kiwi Hit Disc 90
Published Articles
- Young Singer Hits Right Notes, Waikato Times, 8 February 2001, p3
- Kimbra, Emily Rock to the Top, Waikato Times, 19 June 2004, pA2
- Judges Wax Lyrical about Johnson's Polish, Waikato Times, 14 October 2004, p12
- Broken Arm no Barrier to Win, Waikato Times, 4 July 2005, p3
- NZ Anthem Nothing Irish for City Teen, Waikato Times, 10 June 2006, pA3
- Kimbra interview, Nexus, 21 May 2007, p34
- Last Chance to see Kimbra Live, Hamilton Press, 20 February 2008, p20
