Bic Runga Returns After 15 Years With New Album

After 15 years of uncertainty and self-doubt, Bic Runga finally released an album she once thought would never exist.

The New Zealand Music Hall of Fame inductee dropped Red Sunset in February, her first collection of original songs since 2011's Belle. For Runga, best known for her 1997 mega-hit "Sway," the wait was agonizing.

"There were definitely times where I thought I was never going to make anything again," she told ABC's Double J radio. The creative block wasn't from lack of talent but from something deeper: she didn't want to repeat herself.

So Runga did something bold. She packed up her partner Kody Nielson, their kids, and recording equipment, then headed to Paris for the ultimate working holiday.

"I took my whole family over and we rented a house," she explained. Twenty-five years earlier, she'd lived in the city as a young artist. This time, she wanted to see it through her children's eyes.

The city delivered inspiration in unexpected ways. Fresh flooding had left Paris feeling "spooky and a little bit more urgent," a vibe that seeped into tracks like "Paris In The Rain," which channels Giorgio Moroder's glamorous disco sound.

Another standout, "Ghost In Your Bed," marries a driving rhythm with 60s beat music influences. The ghost isn't paranormal but psychological: those middle-of-the-night thoughts that haunt us all. Runga recorded the bass line on a 200-year-old piano sitting in their Paris apartment.

Why This Inspires

Runga's story matters because creative blocks can feel permanent, especially when you're known for past success. She spent 15 years wrestling with self-doubt, wondering if she'd ever make music again. By changing her environment and letting herself experiment, she rediscovered the joy in creating.

Now on an Australian tour, Runga is thrilled to have fresh material for her setlist. "It's actually really exciting," she says about performing new songs alongside "Sway," the hit she still calls "my little mate."

The best part? She's already planning the next album. Once you get over the hump, she explains, creating becomes addictive again.

After 15 years of silence, Bic Runga proved that inspiration doesn't have an expiration date.