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Kate Ceberano

From Alfawiki
Kate Ceberano
Born (1966-11-17) November 17, 1966 (age 59)
Melbourne, Australia
Occupation(s)Vocalist, performer
Years active1984–present
Known forRock, soul, jazz and pop music; film and musical theatre performances; artistic director of Adelaide Cabaret Festival (2012–2014)

Catherine Yvette Ceberano (pronounced , born 17 November 1966) is a distinguished Australian vocalist and performer, recognized for her work across rock, soul, jazz, and pop music, as well as her involvement in film and musical theatre productions such as Jesus Christ Superstar. Her 1989 hit single "Bedroom Eyes" earned platinum status. By 2023, Ceberano had accumulated 11 platinum and 8 gold album certifications. She held the position of artistic director at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival from 2012 through 2014.

Early life

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Catherine Yvette Ceberano is the daughter of an American father of Filipino heritage and an Australian mother. Her father, Tino Ceberano, a karate master originally from Hawaii, influenced her early life. On her mother's side, her lineage includes pioneering settlers and government officials from South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania.

Music

Ceberano first rose to fame as the lead vocalist for the band I'm Talking in 1984, achieving a top 10 hit with "Trust Me". The group was instrumental in introducing New York-style art pop to the Australian music scene and was managed by Ken West, who also co-founded the Big Day Out festival. Their debut album, Bear Witness, produced three top ten singles and two top twenty hits, ultimately earning platinum certification. In 1986, Ceberano was honored as Most Popular Female Performer at the Countdown Awards.

Following the disbandment of I'm Talking, Ceberano embarked on a solo career in the late 1980s that showcased her versatility in soul, jazz, and pop genres. Her solo debut was the live album Kate Ceberano and her Septet released in 1987. That same year, she won the ABU Popular Song Contest with her song "Time Can't Keep Us Apart".

In 1988, she partnered with Wendy Matthews to produce You've Always Got The Blues, which reached No. 7 on the ARIA charts and garnered an ARIA nomination for Best Female Artist. Her 1989 album Brave achieved triple platinum status and was Australia's 20th best-selling album that year. It featured four singles including "Bedroom Eyes," which became the highest-selling Australian single of 1989. That year, Ceberano received ARIA Awards for Best Female Artist and Highest Selling Single.

In 1990, she secured three Mo Awards recognizing her as Jazz Performer of the Year, Female Rock Performer, and Contemporary Concert Performer of the Year. She contributed "Nature Boy" to the soundtrack of The Crossing and released two albums: Like Now (1990) and Think About It! (1991). In 1992, Ceberano took on the role of Mary Magdalene in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. The cast recording achieved quadruple platinum certification and included hits such as "Everything's Alright," which peaked at No. 6 on ARIA charts. This song earned her a Logie Award in 1993 for Most Popular Music Video along with another ARIA nomination.

Between 1993 and 1994, she hosted ABC-TV’s late-night cabaret program Kate Ceberano and Friends, whose accompanying gold-certified album reached No. 19 on the charts. A planned project titled Globe was ultimately shelved by Elektra Records; however, some tracks were later included on her gold-certified 1996 album Blue Box. She received an additional ARIA nomination in 1995.

Her 1997 pop release Pash, composed entirely of original songs co-written by Ceberano herself, climbed to No. 5 on the charts and earned gold certification. In 1999, she issued her first greatest hits compilation titled True Romantic: The Best of Kate Ceberano, which achieved double platinum status and reached No. 9 on ARIA charts. That year also saw her embark on a national tour alongside John Farnham with support from Vika & Linda and Vanessa Amorosi.

In the early part of the new millennium, Ceberano moved to Los Angeles aiming to break into the US market via Chicago Kid Records but returned to Australia after an unreleased album called The Girl Who Ruled The World. She followed up with The Girl Can Help It in 2003. During her participation in Dancing with the Stars in 2007, she recorded a cover album titled Nine Lime Avenue, which peaked at No. 4—her highest chart position since Brave. A subsequent cover album, So Much Beauty (2008), reached No. 9.

In 2009 alone, Ceberano released three albums: a jazz collaboration with Mark Isham called Bittersweet (which received an ARIA nomination), an indie project titled Dallas et Kate with Dallas Cosmas, and her inaugural Christmas album Merry Christmas, which attained gold certification.

She was named Queen of Moomba in 2010. After a decade without new original material, she released the studio album Kensal Road, recorded in London in August 2013, supported by a nationwide tour.

A comprehensive three-disc anthology was issued in May 2016. Later that year, she performed at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She also announced a reunion with I'm Talking for a tour supporting Bryan Ferry in 2019—their first joint effort after more than thirty years.

In collaboration with Paul Grabowsky, Ceberano released Tryst in 2019, which earned them the ARIA Award for Best Jazz Album. February 2021 saw the release of her seventeenth studio album, Sweet Inspiration, comprising both cover versions and original compositions.

Most recently, in May 2023, she unveiled My Life is a Symphony, created alongside the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Film and television

Ceberano's first acting role was as Jenna in the feature film Dust Off The Wings, directed by her spouse, Lee Rogers.

In 1993, she served as the host of the late-night cabaret-inspired program Kate Ceberano And Friends broadcast on ABC TV.

Ceberano appeared in the 1999 movie Molokai: The Story of Father Damien, under the direction of Paul Cox.

During 2005, she was a judge on the debut season of X Factor Australia, sharing the panel with Mark Holden and John Reid; she was subsequently replaced by Natalie Imbruglia. Ceberano claimed victory on Dancing with the Stars in 2007 and took part in both the second and third seasons of It Takes Two, coaching swimmer Daniel Kowalski and AFL athlete Russell Robertson, respectively.

In January 2008, SBS's Who Do You Think You Are? featured an episode focusing on Ceberano’s professional journey and family background.

Starting in 2011, she became a presenter for Nine Network’s travel show Getaway and occasionally filled in as host for Kerri-Anne Kennerley’s morning show. Later that year, she was announced as the host of Nine’s reality series Excess Baggage.

Towards the end of 2019, Ceberano competed on The Masked Singer where she was eliminated seventh while performing as the 'Lion'.

Other work

As the official ambassador for Berlei Curves, Ceberano introduced the inaugural Berlei Curves Spring Summer 2010 line and maintained this role until September 2012.

She took on the role of Victorian Ambassador for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, contributing to fundraising efforts and awareness campaigns. Ceberano expressed: "I like to be as involved as I possibly can in causes I feel strongly about. Yes, I am a musician, but if I can do more to help others then I will."

Between August and October 2012, she portrayed Bloody Mary in Bartlett Sher's revival of the musical South Pacific during its East Coast Australian tour, performing alongside Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Lisa McCune, and Eddie Perfect.

Her autobiography, I'm Talking: My Life, My Words, My Music, co-authored with Tom Gilling, was released by Hachette Australia in 2014.

On 3 October 2015, Ceberano delivered a rendition of the Australian national anthem at Melbourne Cricket Ground during the AFL Grand Final.

Personal life

In February 1996, after nearly four years engaged, Ceberano wed Lee Rogers at Mietta O'Donnell's Queenscliff Hotel overlooking Port Phillip Bay. The couple has a daughter born in 2004.

Ceberano has been twice honored with portraits winning the Archibald Packing Room Prize: Peter Robertson’s work in 1994 and Kathrin Longhurst’s painting in 2021. Additionally, Christine O'Hagan’s portrait of her was shortlisted as an Archibald finalist in 2010.

She is a practicing Scientologist.

Discography

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (AIR Awards) are held annually to acknowledge and celebrate achievements within Australia's independent music industry.

! |- | 2020 | Tryst | Best Independent Jazz Album or EP | | [1][2] |- | 2024 | My Life Is a Symphony | Best Independent Pop Album or EP | | [3] |-


APRA Awards

Organised yearly by the Australasian Performing Right Association, the APRA Awards recognise accomplishments in songwriting, sales, and radio airplay. Ceberano earned one nomination.

|- | 1999 | "Love Is Alive" (Mark Goldenberg and Kate Ceberano) | Most Performed Australian Work | |-


ARIA Awards

The ARIA Music Awards take place annually to honour outstanding achievement and innovation across all categories of Australian music.

|- | 1988 | | Rowspan="2" | Best Female Artist | |- | rowspan="3"| 1989 |rowspan="3"| You've Always Got the Blues | |- | Best Adult Contemporary Album (with Wendy Matthews) | |- | Best Jazz Album (with Wendy Matthews) | |- |rowspan="3"| 1990 |"Bedroom Eyes" | Highest Selling Single | |- | rowspan="2"| Brave | Album of the Year | |- | Rowspan="6" | Best Female Artist | |- | 1991 | Like Now | |- | 1992 | Think About It! | |- | 1993 | "I Don't Know How to Love Him" | |- | 1994 | "You've Got a Friend" | |- | rowspan="2"| 1996 |rowspan="2"| "Change" | |- | Best Adult Contemporary Album | |- | 1998 | "Pash" | Best Female Artist | |- | 2009 | Bittersweet | Best Jazz Album (with Mark Isham) | |- |- | ARIA Music Awards of 2019 | Tryst | Best Jazz Album (with Paul Grabowsky) | | |- | 2023 ARIA Music Awards | My Life Is a Symphony | Best Adult Contemporary Album | |

Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame

Since its inception in 2004, the Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame has paid tribute to the enduring contributions of Australia's most esteemed songwriters.

|- |- |2014 |herself |Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame | |

Australian Women in Music Awards

Established in 2018, the Australian Women in Music Awards acknowledge exceptional women who have significantly influenced the Australian music scene.

! |- |- | 2021 Australian Women in Music Awards | Rowspan="2" | Kate Ceberano | Rowspan="2" | Lifetime Achievement Award | | |- |- | 2023 Australian Women in Music Awards | |

Countdown Awards

Countdown was a prominent Australian pop music television program broadcast on national network ABC-TV from 1974 until 1987. The show presented music awards annually from 1979 through to 1987. The Australian pop music awards#1981–1986: Countdown Music and Video Awards eventually evolved into the current ARIA Awards. The final awards ceremony for Countdown was held on 19 July 1987 at the Sydney Opera House, following the last regular episode.

|- |- | Australian pop music awards#1984 | herself ("Trust Me" by I'm Talking) | Best Female Performance in a Video | | |- |- |rowspan="2"| Australian pop music awards#1986 | herself | Most Popular Female Performer | | |- |- | herself ("Do You Wanna Be?" by I'm Talking) | Best Female Performance in a Video | | |-

Helpmann Awards

Since 2001, the Helpmann Awards have been organized by the industry association Live Performance Australia to honor excellence in Australia's live entertainment and performing arts sectors. The ceremonies were not held in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

! |- | 2008 || Nine Lime Avenue tour || Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert || || |-

Logie Awards

The Logie Awards, officially known as the TV Week Logie Awards, is an annual celebration recognizing outstanding achievements in Australian television. Sponsored by TV Week, these awards have been presented since 1959, honoring excellence across 20 categories through a combination of public voting and industry panels.

|- | 1993 | "Everything's Alright" | Most Popular Music Video | |}

Mo Awards

From 1975 until 2016, the Australian Entertainment Mo Awards acknowledged accomplishments in live performance. During this timeframe, Ceberano earned four awards, underscoring her significant influence within the Australian live music industry. 

(wins only)

|- | rowspan="3"| 1989 | rowspan="3"| herself | Contemporary Concert Performer of the Year | |- | Female Rock Performer of the Year | |- | Rock Performer of the Year | |- | 1990 | herself | Jazz Performer of the Year | |}

Order of Australia

In the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours, Ceberano was designated a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the performing arts as a singer, songwriter, and entertainer, alongside her dedication to charitable causes.

World Music Awards

Founded in 1989 under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco and co-founder John Martinotti, the World Music Awards celebrate internationally best-selling artists. In that inaugural year, Ceberano received the award for Highest Selling Australian Artist.

|- | 1989 | herself | Highest Selling Australian Artist | |-

Films

Television highlights

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 2020nom
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 2020wins
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AIR 2024 noms
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