Listen: Bic Runga - Close Your Eyes

Bic Runga has shared her beautiful single 'Close Your Eyes' online as she unveils details of her upcoming album of the same name. Having had a fair bit of radio play over the last few weeks, the dreamy tune opens the 12-track record which is Bic's first full-length offering since 2011's Belle. The forthcoming album sees the award-winning musician cover 10 of her favourite songs from the likes of The Meters, Kanye West, The Beach Boys and The Mint Chicks and also includes two of her own original tracks. In a press release, Runga spoke about her choice to cover other artist's work: 

"There are so many songs I've always wanted to cover. I wanted to see if I could not just be a singer-songwriter, but someone who could also interpret songs. In the process, I found there are so many reasons why a cover version wouldn't work, perhaps because the lyrics were not something I could relate to first hand, because technically I wasn't ready or because the original was too iconic. But the songs that all made it on the record specifically say something about where I'm at in my life, better than if I'd written it myself. It was a challenging process, I'm really proud of the singing and the production and the statement”.

Close Your Eyes is slated for release on 18th November, the day after she is inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame. Soak up the lead single below....

Close Your Eyes tracklist:

1. Close Your Eyes (Bic Runga)
2. What’cha Say (The Meters)
3. Wolves (Kanye West)
4. Things Behind The Sun (Nick Drake)
5. Tinseltown In The Rain (The Blue Nile)
6. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
7. Andmoreagain (Love)
8. Viens (Francoise Hardy)
9. Dream a Dream (Bic Runga)
10. The Lonely Sea (The Beach Boys)
11. Life Will Get Better Some Day (The Mint Chicks)
12. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Neil Young)