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Celine Dion music ‘battles’ keep New Zealand town up at night: ‘it’s a headache’
- Drivers cruise around Porirua competing in ‘siren battles’ blaring Celine Dion songs at high volume as late as 2am, much to the chagrin of local residents
- Nearly 300 disgruntled residents have so far signed a petition demanding Porirua City Council put a stop to it
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Car drivers armed with a playlist of Celine Dion songs have been plaguing residents of a small New Zealand city for months on end with loud, late-night “siren battles”.
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The beloved Canadian singer’s melodies lose their charm when blared at high volume as late as 2am, say the sleepless residents of Porirua, north of Wellington and home to 60,000 people.
“It’s a headache,” Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said.
Siren battles have erupted in parts of New Zealand for at least seven years.
Local media have reported on contestants – often people with family links to Pacific Island nations – using large siren-type speakers on cars and even bicycles to drown each other out with their powerful systems.
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They “love Celine Dion”, the mayor said.
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