THERE is clearly no stopping Marcia Hines.
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Since finishing Australian Idol in 2009, the beloved singer has been enjoying life spending time with her godchildren, getting up at 5.30am to attend some of Sydney's floral markets at least once a week, has recently become the face of Foxtel's Smooth TV Channel, has got back into song writing, and even got back into the recording studio.
And now, for the first time in 20 years, Hines is about to release her own original album.
The album called Amazing will be released on April 4 and be followed by a national tour.
Hines said Tasmanian concerts could well be on that tour seeing as she once lived here.
"We lived in Hobart at the casino and then when we lived in Launceston we lived in an art museum curator's house," Hines said.
It was during the national tour of Hair when Hines was about 20 that she stayed in the state.
In Launceston, it was the house of the late Bob Green, who was the museum's curator of zoology, that she stayed in.
"Launceston is one of the most stunning cities I've ever seen," Hines said.
Amazing features 14 new hits, many about love, which Hines co-wrote with Ron E Jones and the album's producer Tom Diesel.
"We'd start talking about love and I'd say no, no, no that's not how a girl sees it," Hines said.
"So then I'd tell them about how a women or a girl would see it and then I'd start talking about something else and they'd say, oh no, that's not how a man would see it.
"So it's a bit of an insight into women and men and I used to sit in cafes and listen in to people talking about their relationships."
The album also features two collaboration, one with Diesel and one with long-time friend Russell Crowe, who Hines had previously recorded Testify with.
Hines said it was interesting releasing an original album after so many years.
"It's always interesting because I'm butt-naked, but the vulnerability of a performer is a beautiful thing," she said.
Following the national tour, Hines will start work on one of Australia's newest productions Velvet.
The show is still being written but is a burlesque, discotheque musical based on a boy who leaves the country for city life.
"I guide him through his journey of awareness and try to keep things tidy," Hines said.
It has been some time since Hines graced the theatre stage after making her debut at 16, as Hairs youngest ever performer and as the first ever black Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar.
"Theatre is one of my biggest loves," Hines said.
"And it's not for lack of try- outs that I don't do it all the time, there just aren't many parts in Australia for me.
"If I was in New York, I'd be sweet, but you'd have to call for a black person or you'd have to be an incredible guy like Harry Miller was with Jesus Christ Superstar and realise that Mary Magdalene didn't have to be white."
Hines said one day she would love to head to New York.
"I would love to do half my work there and half my work here and that's very much on the cards especially if we do well with Velvet."
However, becoming a judge of a television reality show again isn't something Hines is sure about. "Australian Idol was such a great show to be a part of," she said.
"We uncovered some really amazing talent and we were coming from a good place.
"But watching those (reality singing) shows now is a bit too much like homework for me. And I always think, why are you treating those kids like that?"