Mentors

Having first come to the fore as the sassy and beguiling front woman for Fur Patrol at the turn of the century, the past decade has seen Julia Deans transition from iconic rock chick to glorious songbird.

Deans’ critically acclaimed solo albums Modern Fables (2010) and We Light Fire (2018) both earned her a swag of nominations for coveted musical accolades the Taite Music Prize, the APRA Silver Scroll, and the NZ Music Awards, and this year marks the 20th anniversary of Fur Patrol’s much-loved album Pet, which brought us the now classic kiwi number one ‘Lydia’.

Never shy to add another string to her bow, Deans has delved into a long list of other musical projects over the years. She’s worked with acts like The Adults, SJD, and Neil Finn; performed in an impressive array of arts festival shows paying tribute to the likes of Jacques Brel, Joni Mitchell, and David Bowie; stretched her dramatic chops in musical theatre; worked with the Auckland Philharmonia and Christchurch Symphony Orchestras; unveiled the true diva within in her debut operatic performance with Hawke’s Bay’s Festival Opera; and in 2020 was invited to be the Musical Director of the prestigious Silver Scroll Awards show.