‘Drive’ is the debut album from a very special New Zealand singer / songwriter – namely, Bic Runga.

It contains beautiful memorable songs such as “Sway”, “Bursting Through” and the very melodic title track. DRIVE is an Enhanced CD containing both a full audio program as well as multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Bic Runga (vocals, guitar, mellotron, xylophone); Matt Wallace (guitar, percussion, background vocals); Andrew Thorne (guitar, background vocals); Gary Verberne (guitar); Kate Walshe (violin); Sally-Anne Brown (cello); Sarah Yates (strings); Duncan Haynes (Rhodes); Malcolm Smith (keyboards, samples); Aaron McDonald, Davey Fargher (bass); Wayne Bell (drums, percussion); Josh Freese (drums); Jay Foulkes (percussion); Paul Casserly (samples); Peter Asher, Boh Runga (background vocals).

Engineers: Simon Sheridan, Chris Van De Geer, Matt Wallace.

Recorded at Revolver Studios and York Street Studios, Auckland, New Zealand; Brooklyn Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California.

What the critics say…

Entertainment Weekly (8/7/98, p.78) – “…DRIVE veers, often beguilingly, between delicately sung acoustic dreaminess and edgy-but-not-angry guitar pop…” – Rating: B

Born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand, of Chinese and Maori descent, Bic, had a natural talent for music from a young age and started writing her own original material.

She recorded ‘Drive’ in early 1997, over a two month period with one engineer and a handful of musicians. She produced the record herself and the album was released later that year..

In 1998 ‘Drive’ won several ‘Tui’ Awards including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Vocal Performance and Best Songwriter. She also took home the coveted Silver Scroll Award for her songwriting.

Over the course of the next two years, Drive was released to great success around the world with Bic touring relentlessly, promoting and performing, sometimes alone with an acoustic guitar and sometimes with a band. Often unable to return to her home on the other end of the world, Bic was based for long periods in New York City.

‘Drive’ went on to sell an unprecedented 7 x Platinum copies, making Bic the biggest selling local artist in New Zealand history.