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Releases 1905 - 1990 Retrospective
After an eight-month long legal battle with US Label Atlantic Records, Laing released a greatest hits album with Sony NZ. This compilation album opens with her earliest hit "1905" and spans 19 of her critically and commercially successful hits throughout her career up to the year 1990. -
Releases New on Earth
This 11-track soft rock album began with Atlantic Records while Laing was living in London. After the label pulled the plug halfway through production and the subsequent legal battle ended, Laing completed and released the album on the Sony NZ Label Columbia Records. -
"Mercy of Love" New to Earth Wins Big
As Laing's Most commercially successful project, New to Earth peaked at number 4 on the NZ music charts. The album achieved critical acclaim and at the time Laing considered it "the best record [she] ever made". The 8th Track on the album "Mercy of Love" received an APRA Silver Scroll award, making her the first woman to have won two of them. -
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Shona on Tour
This year Laing completed her second tour of the United States, as well as two long tours back home in New Zealand promoting her most recent album. Her continued success in both US and local markets helped break barriers in the New Zealand music industry: an industry where local music and imported music were often thought of as dichotomies, with the latter often seen as more authentic and impressive than the former. -
Releases Shona
After a utilizing a very commercial sound with the album New to Earth, the record Shona represents a return to more folk elements in her musical style. The 13-track album peaked at 35 on the NZ charts and is a triumph of melancholy tone. -
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Shona Unplugged
After Recording Shona, Laing spent alot of time traveling around New Zealand doing shows and performing live acoustic versions of many songs from throughout her career. -
Releases Roadworks
This live album, recording during her time traveling and performing around New Zealand, featured previously unreleased tracks and older songs performed in new ways, including an acoustic version of the popular track "Mercy of Love". -
And the Award Goes to ....
Laing wins the New Zealand Music Cultural Award for contribution to New Zealand Music. -
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Rest and Reset
In an interview from 2013, Laing Reflects on the quiet period of her career following the release of Roadworks and preceding musical collabs:
"I've been trying to figure it all out lately. I think I went to sleep for a while. I went away for a wee rest and sort of nodded off for 10 or 15 years. And I think it was post-traumatic stress in some ways, from the whole Atlantic experience. So once that was done, I went and lived the quiet life for a while." -
Shona Laing on the National Playlist
This year APRA celebrated its 75 year anniversary, and created a list of the Top 100 New Zealand Songs of all time. Laing's 1986 track "(Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy" was voted into 24th place on this list. -
Releases The Essential Shona Laing
This new double album was another compilation record with tracks spanning her entire legendary career. -
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Musical Collaboration
New Zealand artist Mahinarangi Tocker invited Laing to join a band of fellow musicians for her show entitled "The Mongrel in Me". In the show, Laing performed the Te Reo and English Ballad "My Love Be Still" written by Tocker. Performing in this show and playing for Tocker ultimately inspired Laing to begin recording music of her own again. -
Releases Pass the Whisper
Laing met many musicians and producers while performing at festivals for Tocker's show. Following the end of her time with the band, she went on to work with some of these artists to produce this Acoustic Album. Considered a full return to her folk roots, this 11 Track pop-folk record was released independently. The album includes "My Love Be Still", acoustic reworks of 2 previous hits, and new original music. -
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Giving Back
Laing started working for the New Zealand Music Commission with their mentoring program, providing high school students with feedback on their songwriting and preparing bands for Rockquest. She also worked with Duffy Books on their "Books in Home" program with a mission of fostering a love of reading in children through book ownership. -
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Getting Back on the Road
This year Shona Laing completed a New Zealand National Tour with singer-songwriter Monique Rhodes. The set dips into music from throughout her discography and focused on smaller, more intimate venues for the tour. -
Give it a Girl
A spin on the tv series "Give it a Whirl", Musician Debbie Harwood produced this "classic hits" radio series. The focus of the program was on profiling prominent kiwi female artists, who were oft ignored on the original program. Laing was profiled for this show during its run, and in 2012 performed a gig of the same name at Ascension Wine Estate in Matakana alongside Sharon O'Neill, Debbie Harwood and Annie Crummer. -
National Recogniton
In 2013 Shona Laing was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. -
Paving the Way
Laing received the 2013 NZ Music Awards' Legacy Award. An honor that recognizes artists who have carved a path for future generations.