Stellar (New Zealand band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Boh Runga, Andrew Maclaren |
| Headquarters | Auckland , New Zealand |
Key people | Boh Runga (lead singer), Andrew Maclaren, Joel Haines, Simon McCormack, Kurt Shanks, Chris Van de Geer |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Stellar (stylized as stellar*) is a pop rock group from New Zealand, fronted by lead singer Boh Runga. The band secured four singles that reached the top 10 on the RIANZ charts, with their highest-ranking hit "Every Girl" peaking at number 3. They also achieved two albums that topped the charts. Their most notable song, "Violent", earned them Single of the Year and Best Songwriter honors at the 2000 New Zealand Music Awards. That year, Stellar collected seven awards, including Best Album for their debut record, Mix. They followed up with albums Magic Line in 2001 and Something Like Strangers in 2006. After releasing a greatest hits collection, the band disbanded in 2010 but later reunited in 2017.
Formation
In 1992, Boh Runga and Andrew Maclaren moved from Christchurch to Auckland, where they recorded the single "Ride" alongside guitarist Joel Haines. Following Haines’ exit, Runga and Maclaren brought in guitarist Simon McCormack and bassist Kurt Shanks between 1994 and 1995, establishing the original lineup of Stellar. McCormack departed in 1997 and was replaced by several guitarists before Chris Van de Geer joined; Van de Geer had previously worked on some of their demo recordings as an engineer.
The band signed with Sony BMG New Zealand in 1998 and released their first commercial single, "What You Do (Bastard)". Their debut album Mix, produced by former Thompson Twins vocalist Tom Bailey, became the second best-selling album ever in New Zealand. It garnered numerous awards at the 2000 Tui ceremonies and helped them expand into the Australian market, where they supported tours for artists like Alanis Morissette and Garbage. A special edition of the album included a CD-ROM featuring three music videos.
Their sophomore effort, Magic Line (2001), showcased a more pronounced pop-rock sound. After releasing four singles through 2003, the group took a break as members explored solo ventures. Stellar returned in 2006 with Something Like Strangers, which spawned singles such as "Whiplash" and "For a While", the latter featuring Andy Lovegrove from Breaks Co-Op. Following another period of inactivity, they briefly reunited in October 2010 to release The Best of Stellar* compilation.
The band reassembled again in 2017, performing a rendition of Sharon O'Neill’s 1983 hit Maxine at the New Zealand Music Awards. Since then, Stellar has appeared at events including the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival in 2019 and the Peachy Keen festival in 2021.
In 2025, Stellar embarked on a nationwide tour across New Zealand celebrating the 25th anniversary of their album Mix, with sold-out concerts featuring full performances of the album alongside encore renditions of popular tracks like "All it Takes" and "One More Day."
Family
Boh Runga is sibling to fellow musician Bic Runga.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Position | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1999 | Mix | 1 | NZ: 5× Platinum |
| 2001 | Magic Line | 1 | NZ: Platinum |
| 2006 | Something Like Strangers | 9 | – |
Compilations
| Year | Album | Chart Ranking | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 2010 | Stellar* Greatest Hits | 26 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Ranking | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1996 | "Happy Gun" | - | Standalone single |
| 1998 | "What You Do (Bastard)" | 17 | Mix |
| 1999 | "Part of Me" | 4 | |
| "Violent" | 11 | ||
| "Undone" | 13 | ||
| 2000 | "Every Girl" | 3 | |
| 2001 | "All It Takes" | 7 | Magic Line |
| 2002 | "Taken" | 6 | |
| "Star" | 40 | ||
| 2003 | "One More Day" | - | |
| 2006 | "Whiplash" | - | Something Like Strangers |
| "For a While" (featuring Andy Lovegrove) | - | ||
| 2010 | "So Alive" | - | Stellar* Greatest Hits |