2 Jul 2016

Sonny Southon - singer with the stars

From RNZ Music, 4:00 pm on 2 July 2016
Sonny Southon at home

Sonny Southon at home Photo: Kirsten Johnstone

Sonny Southon with Bob Geldof

Sonny Southon with Bob Geldof Photo: supplied

The daughter of a Samoan musician and a woman from the Shetland Isles, Upper Hutt’s Sonny - or Sonja - Southon is virtually unknown here in New Zealand. But through the 80s and 90s she was in demand as a backing vocalist in the UK and US, working with acts such as Bob Geldof, Matt Bianco and Duran Duran, and she released two solo albums.  

She returned home six years ago for family reasons, and her career has veered towards her other love, yoga. Kirsten Johnstone headed to Sonny’s home in Eastbourne to find out more.

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