She’s best known as the lead singer of iconic Kiwi band Goldenhorse, but Kirsten Morrell has many talents and her life is busier than ever. More than 20 years on from the chart-topping success of the group’s debut album Riverhead, she’s making new music, launching a business and carving out an exciting new future in Auckland after spending several years in London.
“I’m loving being back,” Kirsten tells Woman’s Day.
“New Zealand is so switched-on and relaxed.”
Not that her life in the UK wasn’t fulfilling. Kirsten had a partner and was a member of the acclaimed Crouch End Festival Chorus. Plus she was growing her company, Singing Tree Yoga, teaching the Iyengar practice to both kids and adults.
“My business was really taking off,” she says.
“I was getting called up for all sorts of exciting retreats in exotic places and as a solo entrepreneur, I couldn’t quite handle it.”
A return to Aotearoa
Then the pandemic arrived and Kirsten felt the mood of the country changing. With the outbreak of war in Ukraine, she no longer felt as comfortable in the Northern Hemisphere and found herself longing for the safety of home.
She made a quick decision to pack up and leave Britain in 2022, and now feels settled in Auckland, where she’s establishing a Singing Tree Yoga studio and making plans for retreats. Kirsten has even written a cookbook, OMfullness, filled with nourishing food inspired by family recipes.
“Yoga has been so important to me as a singer,” she says.
“And Iyengar is amazing. It’s healing and restorative, and is absolutely brilliant for people of all ages and abilities. I particularly love teaching children. It’s so much fun – they’re a joy.”
Kirsten has also been hard at work on her second solo album, Morrellium – which will be released later this year – featuring the single Buddha (Forget You). She was encouraged to start writing music again by Alan Gregg of the Muttonbirds while still living in London. The record sees her collaborating again with her two former Goldenhorse guitarists – Ben King, who plays on the album, and LA-based Geoff Maddock, who co-produced Buddha.
Looking back on Goldenhorse
Kirsten looks back at her years of fame with Goldenhorse as a wonderful era.
“It was such an exciting and positive time,” she shares.
“I remember all those vineyard gigs we did, which were huge and also really genuine. We got to talk with our audiences – we mixed, mingled and had fun. Having a band around you is great. We looked after each other.”
In 2007, Goldenhorse’s record company put the band on hiatus and they went their separate ways. While she doesn’t rule out getting back together, Kirsten reckons everyone is so busy now
that it isn’t likely in the foreseeable future.
“We’re all good friends,” she says.
“I feel very fortunate that we’ve had the tenacity to work through any issues and can all collaborate now.”
A musical upbringing
Music has always been a part of Kirsten’s life. When she was growing up in Cornwall, her dad David played in pub bands and she sang in a choir that took part in competitions. Before becoming a popstar, she trained as an opera singer and has performed on stage with the New Zealand Opera. As part of the Crouch End Festival Chorus, she has also sung backing vocals for artists such as Andrea Bocelli and recorded award-winning classical music.
With new challenges ahead, Kirsten says her mum Tricia provides her with the inspiration to give it a go.
“My mother has an incredible energy,” she says.
“In London, she taught at a secondary school and started a programme to take children who had never seen the sea to the seaside. That’s something that has always stuck with me. Then we moved to Cornwall and lived on a self-sufficient organic farm. My mum was growing the vegetables and looking after the animals, plus her day job – which was to bring adult education to Cornwall. It didn’t exist until she initiated it.”
Living by her philosophy
Kirsten herself lives by the philosophy “be the change you want to see”, whether that’s in the way she makes music, supporting causes she believes in or protesting for a more peaceful planet.
Once her new album has been launched, she hopes to do more live performances. In the meantime, she’s working with classical choir Auckland Choral. Life can be a juggling act for multi-talented Kirsten and it isn’t always easy navigating the music scene as an independent artist, but as long as she has a voice, she plans to use it.
“I love singing,” she smiles.
“I can’t ever let that go.”
