Tami Neilson Kingmaker (CD)

(Outside) 10 tracks - digisleeve

Being cradled in the arms of Roy Orbison as a baby and singing a duet with Willie Nelson - you'd think Tami Neilson was living a country music fantasy life. But in between those monumental events, the Neilson Family Band had to work as buskers to put food on the table, perform gospel concerts for prisoners and roar down the road in an exploding RV to play for Johnny Cash, which Tami managed to do in her pajamas at age 18.

Then Tami moved out to raise a family of her own on the other side of the world in New Zealand, where she lives today. As a busker, she roamed the streets of Auckland looking for her big break. From open mic nights to clubs to headlining gigs at theaters and major festivals, Tami has now won almost every possible New Zealand music award. 2022 now sees the release of Tami's 5th album, Kingmaker.

It was recorded at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios and was made during the pandemic. A time when women were struggling. They were disproportionately affected by unemployment: a she-cession, as analysts called it. Women put their dreams and careers on hold to take care of their families. Kingmaker's songs question gender roles and expectations of women in society. She takes aim at the misogyny that permeates the music industry. She sings about the underestimation of women, their strength, power and resilience in the face of structural and cultural obstacles to their full participation in society.

Tami's story is at the center of this feminist tapestry: from singing with Kitty Wells at age 10, putting demo tapes in celebrity laundry bags, to singing with Willie Nelson on "Kingmaker" - from humble beginnings to success, on her own terms. Tami Neilson is a game changer, a cage shaker, a Kingmaker.