Kate Miller-Heidke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kate Miller-Heidke
Miller-Heidke in 2015
Born	Kate Melina Miller-Heidke (1981-11-16) 16 November 1981 (age 43) Gladstone, Queensland, Australia
Alma mater	Queensland Conservatorium of Music, BMus Queensland University of Technology (MMus), Griffith University (honorary doctorate)
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	1998–present
Spouse(s)	Keir Nuttall ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	1
Musical career
Origin	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Genres	Folk pop rock alternative opera
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Waterbear/Sony BMG Epic US RCA UK Cooking Vinyl Australia
Associated acts	Elsewhere Transport Fatty Gets a Stylist

Kate Melina Miller-Heidke (born 16 November 1981) is an Australian singer and songwriter. She is known for her unique blend of pop, folk, rock, and even opera music. Even though she trained in classical music, she mostly chose a career in alternative pop.

She signed with big music labels like Sony Australia and Epic Records. Since 2014, she has been an independent artist, meaning she manages her own music. Four of her albums have reached the top 10 in Australia. Her song "The Last Day on Earth" was very popular, reaching No. 3 on the charts. Kate Miller-Heidke has been nominated for many ARIA Music Awards, which are like the Grammys in Australia.

In 2019, she represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel with her song "Zero Gravity". She is the only artist to have performed at Coachella (a huge music festival), the New York Metropolitan Opera (a famous opera house), and Eurovision. She has also won five Helpmann Awards, which celebrate live performances in Australia.

Kate's Early Life and Education

Kate Melina Miller-Heidke was born on 16 November 1981 in Gladstone, Queensland, Australia. Her mother, Jenny Miller, was a ballet dancer and dance teacher. Her father, Greg Heidke, was a high school principal. After her parents separated, Kate grew up in different parts of Queensland. She has two siblings. Her cousin, Annie Lee, is part of the comedy group, the Kransky Sisters.

Kate went to several high schools before finishing in 1998. She then studied classical singing at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree and later a Master of Music degree from Queensland University of Technology.

Kate's Music Journey

Starting Her Career (2000–2005)

As a classical singer, Kate won several awards in the early 2000s. She performed in operas like Orpheus in the Underworld. She also worked with Opera Queensland, performing in shows like The Turn of the Screw.

At the Woodford Folk Festival, December 2008. She had been named Queen of the Festival back in 2002–2003.

While studying, Kate also played in alternative pop bands in Brisbane. She was the lead singer and songwriter for a band called Elsewhere. They released an album of their own songs before breaking up in 2003. She also played keyboards for a short time in Pete Murray's band. Kate started her solo music career in 2003.

She became well-known in Brisbane by performing at an event called Women in Voice. Her performance in 2005 won her a Helpmann Award. A reviewer from The Sydney Morning Herald said she was very witty and unique.

In 2004, Kate released her first collection of songs, called Telegram. Five of the songs were written by her or with her then-boyfriend, Keir Nuttall. Keir Nuttall is a guitarist and singer in the band Transport. He and his bandmates have often played as Kate's backing band since 2004. In 2005, she released another short album called Comikaze, but she later said it was a mistake and stopped selling it.

Kate was planning to sing in an opera in late 2005. However, a song from her Telegram album, "Space They Cannot Touch", became very popular on a national radio station, Triple J. This led to her signing with EMI Music Australia and touring all over Australia with her band.

She also performed at many music festivals, including the Woodford Folk Festival, where she was named "Queen of the Festival" in 2002–2003. Kate also appeared on popular TV shows like RocKwiz and Spicks and Specks.

First Albums and Success (2006–2010)

Miller-Heidke (centre) singing alongside Deborah Conway (on acoustic guitar at left) and Mia Dyson, Australia Day Live, January 2007. All three had performed as part of the Broad Festival in August 2006.

In 2006, Kate released her third collection of songs, Circular Breathing. A reviewer said it was "very boppy and very light and carefree." The album included the single "Apartment."

Her first full album, Little Eve, came out in May 2007. It reached No. 11 on the Australian charts and sold over 35,000 copies. Critics compared her voice to famous singers like Kate Bush and Tori Amos. The lead single from the album, "Words", reached the top 50. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2007, she received five nominations for her work on Little Eve and "Words."

Performing at the Brunswick Music Festival, March 2009

Kate's second album, Curiouser, was released in October 2008. She worked with her husband, Keir Nuttall, on this album. The first song from the album, "Can't Shake It", was her first top 40 hit. Curiouser became her first top 10 album, reaching No. 2 on the charts.

Kate and Keir Nuttall wrote "Caught in the Crowd" together. This song won a big prize in the 2008 International Songwriting Competition. It was even used in Australian schools for anti-bullying programs.

Her next song, "The Last Day on Earth" (July 2008), became a huge hit, reaching No. 3 in Australia. It was used in TV ads for the soap opera Neighbours. Because of this song's popularity, Curiouser became popular again and reached No. 1 on iTunes. Both the song and the album sold over 70,000 copies. An American critic from The New Yorker praised Curiouser, calling it a "gem."

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, Kate performed and received four more nominations. She toured in the US, UK, and Europe, opening for singer Ben Folds. Ben Folds said she was a "unique talent." In 2010, she released her first music DVD, Live in San Francisco. She also performed at many international festivals like Coachella and Lilith Fair.

New Projects and Albums (2011–2019)

Kate Miller-Heidke in 2011

In 2011, Kate formed a side project with Keir Nuttall called Fatty Gets a Stylist. They released a self-titled album, which reached No. 90 on the Australian charts. One of their songs, "Are You Ready?", was used in TV ads in the US and Australia. Outside Australia, this album was released as Kate's third solo album, Liberty Bell.

In 2012, Kate performed in an opera called The Death of Klinghoffer in London. She performed this role again in New York in 2014.

Her third Australian studio album, Nightflight, was released in April 2012. It reached No. 2 on the charts, just like Curiouser. The album included songs like "I'll Change Your Mind" and "Ride This Feeling". "Ride this Feeling" was used in a TV ad campaign to promote visiting Brisbane.

Kate Miller-Heidke in 2013

In 2013, Kate left Sony Records to become an independent artist. She used a method called crowd-funding through PledgeMusic to record her fourth album, O Vertigo! (released March 2014). She broke a record by reaching her funding goal in just three days! O Vertigo! reached No. 4 on the Australian charts.

In 2015, Kate was asked to write an opera called The Rabbits, based on a children's book. It premiered in February 2015 and was very successful. She won two Helpmann Awards for her work on The Rabbits.

In November 2015, she released a fun song called "I'm Growing a Beard Downstairs for Christmas" with the comedy rock group the Beards. This song helped raise money for bowel cancer research. She also acted in a TV comedy opera miniseries called The Divorce.

In 2017, Kate released a live album with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She and Keir Nuttall also wrote new music for the musical version of Muriel's Wedding, which opened in Sydney in November 2017. They won a Helpmann Award for Best Original Score for this musical.

Eurovision and Recent Work (2019–Present)

Miller-Heidke (centre) performing "Zero Gravity" during the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel. She won the semi-final and finished ninth in the final.

In early 2019, Kate was chosen to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with her song "Zero Gravity". She co-wrote the song with Keir Nuttall and Julian Hamilton. She won the first semi-final and finished ninth in the grand final. She also won an award for being the best artist, as voted by the contest commentators.

In October 2020, Kate released her fifth studio album, Child in Reverse, which reached No. 9 on the charts. Critics described the songs as "soft, dreamy and impossibly silky smooth." In the same year, she appeared on The Masked Singer Australia as the "Queen" and was the runner-up.

In 2021, Kate appeared in the TV comedy show Preppers. She and Keir Nuttall continued to write music for theatre, including Shakespeare's As You Like It for the Melbourne Theatre Company. They also wrote a musical comedy called Bananaland for the 2023 Brisbane Festival. Kate sang the national anthem at the 2023 AFL Grand Final and performed in the half-time show.

In 2024, Kate Miller-Heidke joined the singing competition show The Voice Australia as a coach. She is coaching alongside Guy Sebastian, Adam Lambert, and LeAnn Rimes. She will return as a coach in 2025. Kate also performed with other opera singers at the 2024 Festival of Outback Opera.

Kate's Band Members

Kate Miller-Heidke has been backed by members of the rock band Transport since 2003. These members include her husband, Keir Nuttall, on lead guitar and backing vocals. Scott Saunders plays bass guitar, and Steve Pope plays drums.

Other musicians have also joined her band over the years. Emma Dean was a multi-instrumentalist and singer until 2006. Sallie Campbell and Nicole Brophy have played keyboard and guitar. Nathan Moore, Madeleine Page, and James O'Brien have played bass guitar. Dan Parsons has also toured with her.

Kate's Personal Life

Miller-Heidke (right) singing alongside her husband, Keir Nuttall on guitar and vocals, Blue Mountain Music Festival, Katoomba, March 2018

Kate Miller-Heidke met her husband, Keir Nuttall, in the early 2000s. They were both studying at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Keir and his band, Transport, became part of Kate's backing band. Keir has also worked with Kate on writing songs and producing her music. They got married in November 2007. In 2016, they welcomed their first child.

Kate's Albums

• Little Eve (2007)
• Curiouser (2008)
• Nightflight (2012)
• O Vertigo! (2014)
• Child in Reverse (2020)

Kate's Film and TV Appearances

Movies

Television Shows

Kate's Stage Performances

Awards and Nominations

Kate Miller-Heidke has won and been nominated for many awards throughout her career. Here are some of them:

APRA Music Awards

These awards celebrate songwriting skills in Australia and New Zealand.

ARIA Music Awards

These are Australia's biggest music awards. Kate has been nominated 18 times!

Helpmann Awards

These awards celebrate live entertainment and performing arts in Australia.

Queensland Music Awards

These awards celebrate music from Queensland, Australia.

Other Awards

See also

In Spanish: Kate Miller-Heidke para niños