The Monday Q&A: Singer, vocal coach and keen tennis player Elaine Holden

Whanganui singer Elaine Holden. Photo / Supplied

Each Monday the Chronicle fires 10 questions at a Whanganui local revealing what lies behind their passions and the things you didn't know about people in our community.

Today Mike Tweed talks to Elaine Holden who moved to Whanganui from Australia in 2005 and started building company Allnu Construction with husband Tony. Holden is a singer and vocal coach and her recent cover of Crowded House's Better Be Home Soon was viewed more than 50,000 times on Facebook over Queen's Birthday weekend. She is also a keen golfer and tennis player.

Which musicians from history would you have in your backing band?

Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, and Billy Joel. The drummer can be Ringo Starr. I've always been fascinated by Elton and Billy, because they could have been famous in the classical scene, but chose rock'n'roll instead. I'd be the singer, but I'd let them have a duet here and there. Ringo wouldn't be doing any singing though, that's for sure. I always wanted to call a band 'Midlife Crisis', so that's what we'd go with.

If you had an album on repeat for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Celine Dion's The Colour of My Love, or Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. Celine is an amazing singer, and all of Fleetwood Mac are all great musicians individually. Some bands might only be known for their lead singer, but they're all good in their own right.

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

Don't be shy, just get out there and do it.

What is another country you would like to live in?

I'd have to say France. I love the language, and the countryside is just beautiful.

What are the best things about living in Whanganui?

The friendliness of everyone here, and all the arty people as well. It's not overcrowded, and there are lots of musicians.

How do you think Whanganui has changed since you've been here?

It's more modern, with a lot more cafes and events happening. There seem to be a lot more people coming to Whanganui from out of town, and I think that's changed a lot of attitudes. People from outside the area are starting to appreciate what Whanganui is, and that's rolling over into the general public.

What's your favourite home-cooked meal?

Lamb chops with mashed potatoes. Cheesecake for dessert.

Which event from history would you have most liked to attend?

Woodstock 1969. People are still talking about it now, so it must have been good. All the artists that were there in one place would have been amazing to see.

If you could choose three people from history to come to dinner, who would they be?

Winston Churchill, Martina Navratilova, and Annika Sörenstam. I hope we'd be able to talk about politics and sport, but I'm sure Winston would feel pretty out of place. He'd probably be wondering who they were, and I'm not sure they'd share his love of cigars.

Would you rather have a number one album in New Zealand or win the NZ woman's golf open?

That's a close one. I'm going to go with the number one album. I think I'd call it Dreams, even though I've probably nicked that one.