18 January 2024 - 0 Comments

The New Blue is a unique performance showcasing the remarkable story and songbook of Aotearoa's first recording pop star, Pixie Williams. Created by Williams' daughter Amelia Costello, it's the musical story of her life, crafted by people who knew and loved her. It's also a much wider story, exploring life in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington at the time, and the music industry machinations of the 1940's and 1950's.

As part of New Zealand Fringe, Te Kōhanga o Auaha / The Birthplace of Brilliance, The New Blue runs for two days only, Saturday March 2nd and Sunday March 3rd. You can find tickets here.

No-one could have foreseen that Williams' move as a shy young country girl from her beloved Mōhaka (Hawke's Bay) to the YWCA Hostel in Oriental Bay, Wellington would set her on the path to sing on the first all-New Zealand-made recording. In the hostel she befriended Joan Chettleburgh, the girlfriend of Blue Smoke songwriter Ruru Karaitiana. Coincidentally, Williams and Karaitiana both hailed from the same iwi, Ngāti Kahungunu.
Blue Smoke had been written by Karaitiana in 1940. A member of the 28th Māori Battalion, he was aboard the troopship Aquitania, which was taking New Zealand soldiers to the Middle East during World War II.

Chris Bourke shares the story of the song's origin in his AudioCulture profile of Karaitiana. "One day during the voyage, Karaitiana was sunbathing on the deck “halfway across the Indian Ocean”, when a sergeant came along, stopped beside him and looked up. “Look at that bloody smoke,” he said, pointing to the smoke trailing from the funnels. “It’s going the right way – back to New Zealand – and we’re steaming farther from home!”"

Karaitiana approached Williams a number of times to ask her to sing the song, but she declined. When she eventually agreed, Blue Smoke became a triple platinum hit, making Williams a household name overnight. It was a hit overseas too, with covers by a host of international stars including 'The King of Cool' Dean Martin.
Blue Smoke also kickstarted New Zealand's recording industry, and is a classic David and Goliath tale. British-owned record company HMV had a monopoly on record sales in New Zealand, but weren't keen to release local music. Fighting back, Radio Corp established the TANZA label (“To Assist New Zealand Artists”), and set up their own studio in Wellington's Wakefield Street.

Blue Smoke put TANZA on the map, and was also just the beginning for Williams. Following the song's success she became a highly sought-after vocalist, going on to record a second number one hit by Ruru Karaitiana called Let's Talk It Over, which sold over 20,000 copies.

However, shockingly, Williams never received any money from sales of Blue Smoke, or any of her recordings.

All this and more will be revealed in The New Blue. The show has previously been staged in Ngāmotu New Plymouth, Ōtepoti Dunedin, and Wanaka, but this is the production's first hometown season, and the story has been updated to include new facets.

Sir Ian Taylor, a cousin of Pixie Williams, will be introducing The New Blue at each session.

The New Blue
Hannah Playhouse
12 Cambridge Terrace
Te Aro, Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Saturday March 2nd,4pm and 8pm

Sunday March 3rd, 7pm

Part of NZ Fringe 

The New Blue: tickets and show information

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