Krissie Knap – Why music saved her life

Kaupapa Māori Arts and Culture Lifestyle

Krissie Knap is someone whose presence effortlessly, and at times unintentionally, commands attention.

It doesn’t matter if she’s on the stage performing or if you come across her on the streets of Rotorua, the energy she gives off always makes you feel better.

Some may say that all comes with being an entertainer – but a career in entertainment wasn’t always the path she saw for herself. In fact, it was something she found through trauma – and now attributes to saving her life.

“I actually didn’t want to be a singer, I wanted to join the army, but obviously that didn't happen,” Krissie says.

“1987 my boyfriend, who I call my husband, he passed away. Through that trauma I was like a phoenix in the fire . . . a phoenix has got to rise and somehow music came in and honestly saved my life,” Krissie says.

“I’m still here and I'm actually saying now, ‘Oh yeah, I'm not ready to come up there, I've got too much to do down here with our people,” she says.

Growing up, there were always signs that Krissie was destined for the stage. Her grandmother would tell her stories of when she was little, hands on hips and commanding attention.

“Maybe I was meant to be an entertainer then,” she says.

Krissie says she “started out at Tama doing concerts” before performing at the Rotorua International Hotel with her “haka family”. She then progressed and found her “muso family”.

“I started working at the Tudor Towers when I was underage and of course Cairo was the band, watching them every night I thought maybe that's what I want to do,” she said.

After performing at the Tudor Towers she started singing backup at Fentons before joining her uncle’s band Crossroads.

“I became a lead singer and that was really quite frightening because you're out the front. I liked standing amongst the band. However when I went solo it was really quite scary, there was no one there as a security blanket.”

She decided to go out on her own because it was “time to grow up”.

Today, Krissie is no stranger to commanding the stage, performing in front of crowds of all sizes and she’s had some major highlights over the years.

Among those highlights are being able to sing with her favourite band of all time, Ardijah, MCing the Te Arawa Regional Kapa Haka Competition and performing at the iconic Rotorua Lakeside Concert.

“There are lots of highlights. Lakeside, that’s amazing – just standing on the stage and you've got all the people out there.”

“I’d love to MC [Lakeside] without a script – an aunty Krissie script.”

Another highlight was being part of the 8 Scott Ave musical production, a show she describes as being a lot of fun with a talented group of locals.

“I started out alright trying to learn the dialogue but the sequel, ‘Oh no - I just made up 95 per cent of that’. I just hope Jack [Grace] does bring out another.”

Entertaining is part of who Krissie is and although the crowds get a lot of enjoyment from her performances, she also gains a lot from those watching her.

“If I see one person smile, then I know I've done my job.”

“It’s hard to explain what the feeling's like when the energy is exchanged between you and your audience.

“You give out 10 times, they give you 100 back so your energy builds.”

Krissie started her career in entertainment in Rotorua, and although she has travelled extensively for work and moved across the ditch, she enjoys being close to home as much as possible.

“I went out and did the Australian thing. I went away for about six years but Rotorua is home for me.

“Home is home. You've got to stand on your own whenua.”

She loves Rotorua and never plans to move away again.

One of her favourite places in Rotorua is the Whakarewarewa Village – it’s where she feels at peace and has a connection that draws her there.

“Whaka is such a beautiful magical place, it’s always one of my favourite places.”

The other place you can find her if she’s not booked and busy, is her home. It’s a space she can chill out, be her authentic self and be surrounded by her cats.