It wasn't a given that Deni Hines would pursue a career a music. Despite her mother, Marcia Hines, being one of the most recognisable pop stars in Australia, Deni had other interests and suffered from performance anxiety in her younger years. But her vocal talent soon got her snapped up as a backing singer for artists like Wa Wa Nee, Peter Blakeley and Kylie Minogue. It was her voice that also saw her hired as the latest frontperson for funk/dance band Rockmelons. In a frank and unflinching interview, Deni shares exactly what she thought of their collaboration and the hits that ensued. She also recalls guesting on "Not Enough Time" by INXS and what Michael Hutchence was like to work with in the studio. Then, after a solo deal in the US fell apart for reasons beyond her control, Deni landed at Mushroom Records and scored a top 5 hit with "It's Alright". She describes the process of putting together her debut album, Imagination, in London and follow-up singles like "I'm Not In Love" and "Delicious", a duet with Don-E that was added to the UK version of the album (retitled Pay Attention). When her time at Mushroom came to an end — following early 2000s single "Frenzy" — Deni went independent, and she talks about her various projects over the past couple of decades, including Water For Chocolate, The Soul Sessions and her upcoming album, due in 2024.

Bonus material at chartbeats.com.au/aussie
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