U-No Juno are undoubtedly one of the most enthralling bands in the current Ōtepoti music scene, pulling from a colourful array of influences to craft their own self-described brand of “post-post-post-post-post-post-post hardcore”. Since 2024, the band have been carving out a name for themselves, playing shows all across Aotearoa. Rolling Stone AU/NZ even called them “one of the best new bands in the country” – and Critic Te Ārohi agrees.
U-No Juno is made up of Stefan (vocals/guitar), Ramona (vocals/bass), and Jack (drums), and this trio has a massive year ahead. Critic Te Ārohi sat with U-No Juno in their living room, recounting the band’s early days, inspiration, and future plans, while Jack was simultaneously locked in on a game of Fortnite.
Stefan and Jack have been playing music together since their high school jazz band, playing saxophone and bass, respectively. The duo began playing some good ol’ rock and roll music, and eventually they met Ramona at one of their gigs near the end of 2023, and Stefan asked Ramona to join them – the duo became a trio. “I didn’t know how to play any instruments, and Stefan lied to Jack and was like, ‘Yeah, she knows how to play bass!” Ramona said. “There were so many times I wanted to back out.” But she pushed through the frustration, and after countless gigs, Ramona became an absolute natural onstage. And so, U-No Juno was born.
The group’s first gig was a lot more daunting than the average band’s debut. Dunedin’s riot grrrl icons Vagina Dry (and friends of U-No Juno) booked their first ever South Island tour and asked if U-No Juno wanted to join them. “We’d been practicing for a wee bit, and we were like ‘yeah, might as well,’” Stefan says. “We’re not gonna pass up an organised tour.” The trio played four gigs around the South Island, starting in Invercargill, which turned out to be Ramona's first ever show. “It was a terrible idea,” Jack muttered, and Stefan agreed that they “weren’t very good”. Terrible or not, the group agreed that it was certainly a fun and interesting way to start their career as a band.
In March of 2025, U-No Juno released their first EP, titled “Sex, Socialism, Science and Something Else”. The three were quick to voice their disapproval of that release. “It’s just so dated,” explains Ramona. “Like, we don't sound like that at all anymore. We don’t play any of those songs. We’ve gotten heaps better, I think. Leave it in the freaking dust.” This EP was recorded by local music scene legend Sam Charlesworth, but was a true DIY effort – mixed by the band “in the back of a van”, and supported by a small run of cassettes. And while they may disagree, the five track EP is a promising showcase of the band’s versatility and finesse, from the luscious harmonies on “All, Everything” to the quick, punky blast of “Sorry Jack”. Stefan was willing to acknowledge that it’s still an authentic record of what U-No Juno was at the time.
2025 saw U-No Juno trying to play as many gigs as they could, gain experience around the country and get their name out there into the scene. So far, the trio has spent the first few months of 2026 cooking up some big plans. They’re in the final stages of recording their debut album, and while they’re more concerned with finishing it than any real timeline, they are hoping to release it by late 2026 or early 2027. Consisting of ten tracks, this currently unnamed album is more shaping up to be more sonically complex and thought out than their first release. “I think there’s a lot of intention, a lot of thought put into the track listing and everything,” explains Stefan. “With an album, you sort of want to think of it as one piece. It’s one work and it’s meant to be listened to in succession.” Hopefully they’ll like it a little more – everyone hates their first child.
The band has been playing most of these unreleased songs for the past year, refining and perfecting each one with every performance. If you’ve seen U-No Juno live recently, you’ll have heard tracks like “Condor 44”, “Tuff Girl”, and “Adolescence”. These new tracks see the band stretch their musical prowess in new directions, with each one taking its own sonic identity through various tempo changes, angular guitarwork, and ridiculously catchy hooks. Keep your eyes on these ones for sure.
