The extremely wonderful Bic Runga introduces herself to Irish audiences with a December 5 acoustic show in Whelan's.

She'll be plugging Beautiful Collision, which recently broke the record for the most weeks spent at number 1 for any New Zealand album…ever!

A native of Christchurch, Runga cites Neil Young, Ella Fitzgerald, David Bowie and The Mamas & The Papas as her key influences.

"Most of the musicians who really blow me away are either dead or over 50," she confesses. "The first time music really spoke to me was when I first heard The Smiths when I was 12."