Plunket 'Merry Xmas Baby' Album
Merry Christmas Baby! features songs by a hand-picked lineup of exceptional local talent, including Jordan Luck, Opshop, Hollie Smith, Annie Crummer, Kirsten Morell (Goldenhorse), Nathan King, Whirimako Black, Shona Laing, House Of Shem, Jackie Clarke & Monique Rhodes! After expenses are met, all profits will be steered directly back into the 18 Plunket Areas in NZ
Monique Rhodes is a New Zealand singer/songwriter living in France and working as a professional musician. The story of this album starts in 2008 when she returned home to New Zealand for a holiday and a sold-out tour with Shona Laing.
Monique and Shona were in Rotorua on the day when the sentences were passed down in the high-profile emotive Nia Glassie child abuse case. All over Rotorua were newspaper billboards with a photo of Nia and the word ‘Why?’. Monique takes up the story …
It was as we left Rotorua later that day that we came across a 16 year old girl who had been trying for two hours to hitch a ride to Tauranga. As we gave her a lift she gave us her story. That day was her baby’s second birthday and she was trying to get to Tauranga to spend the day with him. Her family had refused to take her but she was so determined to get there she took to the road to hitchhike the whole way by herself
Despite it being sex with a minor when she conceived the child at 13, the father had been given custody of the child. A decision you would undoubtedly question if you had seen him, as we did, when we pulled up. No child in sight, walking up the street with his two friends, smoking and drinking a bourbon and coke from a bottle and his only greeting to the young woman, the mother of his child, a rude hand gesture. She was young, no one can deny that, but she was determined to be part of her child’s life and prepared to risk hitching so she could spend the day with him. Where was her support? Who was there to help her and her child?
This young woman’s story touched me, touched us both.
And it was at that moment that I made a promise to myself to do whatever I could, if the opportunity arose, to make a positive difference to the lives of families. After all, if we don’t help families who will look after our children?
Co-incidentally while Shona and I were touring we were approached by some friends of mine who are involved in Plunket in Wanganui. We were asked if we would donate some of the proceeds of the gig to the region’s Plunket. We both readily agreed. The gig was financially a great success for Plunket Wanganui.
I could see there were these incredible volunteers, in 500 centres all over New Zealand, who were all trying to fundraise for their communities so they could offer Plunket services to the local families. I could also see that there was already a great infrastructure in place to help and support young families in New Zealand. So I decided that the power of music could help make the change in our mindset that this violence towards our children must stop and that there is something we can all do.
That’s where Forever Strong, a song written and gifted to Plunket, came from. The idea grew from there and I then approached a select group of fellow musicians, a staggering roll-call of New Zealand artists, to create and perform on a fundraising Christmas album to benefit Plunket and New Zealand families.
Titled ‘Merry Christmas Baby’, the album combines original songs with a handful of unique versions of traditional Christmas songs. It is my Christmas wish that with the help of this album our children have the chance of a good life.”
Plunket - Merry Christmas Baby - CD Launch from RNZ Plunket Society Inc. on Vimeo.
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