Kate Ceberano to perform on luxury British ship Cunard

She’s Aussie music royalty and if you’ve been wondering what she’s been up – it’s a lot, with the star’s next gig on what she describes as a “very sexy” ship.

Australian music royalty Kate Ceberano has a lot to brag about.

The 57-year-old is easily one of the country’s most prolific musicians with a career dating back to her very first hit, Trust Me, with the band I’m Talking, debuting exactly 40 years ago, in 1984.

Since then the Melbourne-based artist has won several ARIAs, had the biggest-selling Australian single of 1989 with the smash hit Bedroom Eyes, released dozens of albums and even tapped into other creative areas including painting and writing books.

Kate Ceberano celebrates 40 years in the entertainment industry.

More recently, she’s been touring her favourite tracks with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and in October will kick off her national tour with fellow Aussie legend Jon Stevens.

The duo performed in Jesus Christ Superstar together in 1992.

And if that’s not enough, when she wraps up the tour, she will hop on what she calls a “really sexy” ship – Cunard – to kick off her residency on-board Queen Elizabeth from November 17 to 27.

She’s won several ARIAs, released dozens of albums and even tapped into other creative areas including painting and writing books.

“I’ve done cruises before but this particular line is really sexy,” Ceberano laughed.

“I’m really, really looking forward to this. It’s going up to all of my favourite parts of northern Australia and back to the tippy top.”

She told news.com.au she has curated a very special set-list for guests.

“It’s hand-picked material for just the people on-board,” she said.

When she wraps up her fellow national tour with Aussie legend Jon Stevens, she will jump on-board Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth ship. Picture: Mark Stewart

Given its on-board a luxury British cruise line, Ceberano is keen to get all gleamed up for her performances too.

“[Cunard] is up there with all-things very glamorous and I love glamour. I plan to take all my favourite frocks and I am going to bang the crap out of them,” she said.

It’s very fancy as you would suspect.

Or as Kate likes to describe the luxury British ship – ‘very sexy’.

Ceberano is part of the liner’s Insight and Enrichment Programme that features expert guest speakers from around the world and all walks of life such as historians, adventurers, sports personalities, politicians, and scientists.

Very luxe.

For its upcoming Australian season, apart from Ceberano, guests will include Basketball legend Luc Longley AM, former Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne.

From September 22 to October 18, Queen Elizabeth will sail from San Francisco to Sydney where Longley will join.

Basketball legend Luc Longley will be a guest speaker from September 22 to October 18 during the Aussie season.

He will spill the goss playing with the likes of fellow basketball legends including Michael Jordan.

“I am excited to share my playing experiences across my whole career with everyone on-board; the highs, the players, the emotions and now the pride I have in the new role I play, for the sport of basketball in Australia,” Longley said.

He’s had an impressive professional career including playing with the likes of Michael Jordan and representing Australia at three Olympics.

Julie Bishop will also be on-board as a guest speaker.

As will jockey Michelle Payne.

Meanwhile, Julie Bishop will be on-board for 12 nights from November 5 sailing from Fremantle to Sydney. Last season she received standing ovations for fascinating stories about her impressive political career spanning over 20 years and her incredible academic and charitable achievements.

Both Ceberano and Michelle Payne will take to the seas together from November 17 to 27. Payne is the first and only female jockey to ever win the Melbourne Cup.

Kate with her book Unsung – featuring her inspirational song lyrics, stories, paintings and embroidery. Picture: Michaela Harlow

The adversity that Payne’s faced within her successful career inspired the critically acclaimed film Ride Like a Girl (2019), which she will speak to during an engaging session on the cruise.

“I can’t say how grateful I am to have the chance to tell my story, because it was a dream,” Payne said.

“Inspiring anyone to believe in putting in the hard work, to be patient and just be 100 per cent in, is always an opportunity I’m up for. It is never just about us, it is about supporting the next generation.”

Meanwhile, apart from mingling with guests and of course performing, you may find Ceberano tapping into her other creative side of painting while on-board the fancy ship.

For those who don’t know, the musician is also a successful artist, having picked up painting when pregnant with her daughter 18 years ago. She also designs and embroiders quilts.

“When I [recently] put together Unsung the book, publisher Julie Gibb, who works with artists like Collette Dinnigan, was honouring my art and saying ‘I’m taking you seriously, I hope you’re taking yourself seriously as an artist,” she said.

“And when I put the cover together and I was painting the guitar for it, I just thought this is actually a beautiful piece of art in itself and I am really proud of it.”