Moa homeward bound

One thing you may not know about songstress Anika Moa is she played flanker in the Canterbury women's rugby team.

The other thing you may not know is she and rapper Scribe used to face off in the Cashel Mall every night.

"He and his mates were like a four-piece Boys II Men and I would be there belting out Cranberries every night - then after busking we would hit the pubs," said Moa.

Moa has quirky memories of the city "back in the day" before the earthquakes devastated her home town, but she is determined not to remain misty-eyed.

"I have been through the stress, the pain and the sadness with my family, but you just can't stop - you have to keep moving forward," she said.

Moa has a surprisingly broad knowledge of the central city recovery plans and in typical Moa style she is unhesitant at offering her opinion.

"I am really looking forward to all the green spaces in the plan but especially the sports stadium. I know that some people are pretty wound up about it but I can't think of anything better than going to a restaurant and then walking to a rugby or cricket game," she said.

Now based in Auckland with her wife, burlesque artist Azaria Universe, and her twin boys, 1, Anika is returning to the region along with two of her best mates; powerhouse vocalists Boh Runga and Hollie Smith, for the Classic Hits Winery Tour.

The trio have formed a new "girl band" aptly named Anika Boh & Hollie. Their album Peace of Mind will be released a day before the winery tour kicks off in Matakana, near Warkworth, north of Auckland, on February 2.

It is a well known fact the trio formed after sharing a bottle of wine, or as Moa says "more like six or seven."

"We are really good friends and we got to talking about how we are all constantly on tour and how expensive it is, except Boh who is busy with her jewellery and fashion. So Hollie and I thought what if we put all our resources into one group?"

Trying out the concept on audiences, the trio went on tour around churches up and down country.

"We did the church tour to sound out audiences and it was a really good indication because we intermingled some of our own songs along with some of the new group ones," said Moa.

Well know for slipping in the odd "F" bomb into on stage chatter, Moa said she was very aware to be on her best behaviour in the churches.

"I was like, I cannot swear in church so before I went on I would say to Hollie right I'm getting it all out now and just let rip," she laughs.

Moa knows her quirky banter is popular with audiences - but for her it is simply a sympton of nerves.

"I just get so nervous when I am up on stage and I just end up saying silly things, all kinds of s***. Sometimes it does get me in trouble though," she said.

Audiences at the winery tour are in for a night of soaring harmonies as the trio blend their unique voices to perform some of the old favourites, from Moa's Dreams in my Head, Smith's Bathe in the River and Runga's Part of Me, to a host of new songs crafted by the trio last year.

Peace of Mind will be available to pre-order on iTunes tomorrow and available everywhere from February 1. Anika Boh & Hollie will appear along with Fat Freddy's Drop and The Adults featuring Jon Toogood, Julia Deans and Shayne Carter at the Classic Hits Winery Tour February 16, The Mud House Winery & Cafe, Waipara.