Since May, Ruva Ngwenya has been pulling on iconic wigs and shimmying into tasselled and leather minidresses to transform into the late, great pop/rock icon Tina Turner on stage.
“She is so inspiring, and telling her story is truly rewarding,” Ruva tells New Idea. But being the lead of TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is not without its challenges.
“It has been a long and hard road,” she tells us. “But I have been managing thanks to hard work, determination and a lot of mental strength and discipline. I’m very proud.”
WATCH: RUVA NGWENYA SINGS ‘RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH’ IN FRONT OF A-LIST CROWD
Thankfully, Ruva’s next gig isn’t as demanding. Hot on the heels of performing at the NRL Grand Final and being named Rising Star at marie claire Australia’s Woman of the Year awards last week, Ruva will be belting out festive favourites as part of the anticipated Woolworths Carols in the Domain.
The special airs on Channel Seven on December 23, with Ruva and the TINA cast joining a star-studded line-up that includes The Wiggles, Paulini, Rhonda Burchmore and Casey Donovan.
“I’m so excited to meet Paulini – she is such a wonderful artist and performer,” Ruva gushes. “I admire her so much.”
Christmas time holds a special place in Ruva’s heart, with the singer realising her own incredible vocal ability thanks to the classic carol Silent Night.
“I remember singing it as a child and discovering my voice while singing it,” she fondly recalls. “I love the peaceful and ethereal feeling it brings.”
The child of Zimbabwean migrants, Ruva, 30, grew up in Melbourne. She remembers the festive season always being a joyous time that brought the community together.
“We lived on a very famous Christmas light street – it was filled with Christmas lights, busking and joy every year,” she says. “I would sing carols with my neighbourhood friends for coins as passers-by watched the Christmas lights.”
With a knack for performing from a young age, Ruva was bound for a career on stage. After studying music, she made her professional musical theatre debut in The Lion King in 2013. Since then, it’s been a steady stream of acting and musical theatre roles. But none have been as intense or exciting as stepping into the shoes of Tina.
The 83-year-old singer passed away in May from a long illness, just one week after TINA opened in Sydney. Ruva credits Tina with making “some of the best music in history!”
“I hope people are inspired and proud of the work Aussie entertainers have been doing on that stage and motivated by Tina’s incredible story,” Ruva says.
Next year, Ruva will take TINA to Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne. It’s a hard slog, but Ruva is all in.
“I hope by the end of the run I have saved a pile of money!” she says with a laugh. “It’s hard work doing TINA but I’m definitely in it for the long haul.”
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