Aotearoa folk music has a new, ambitious star.
Growing up in Central Otago, Janie Shaw, aka Just Janie, was raised to love the blissful sounds of the ’60s and ’70s.
Her musical upbringing has indelibly imprinted on her own music today. “If you find yourself… daydreaming about Laurel Canyon, it might be the perfect time for Just Janie,” as The Spinoff wrote about the fledgling singer-songwriter.
After impressing on several early singles between 2024 and 2025, particularly “Muse and Musician” (over 1 million Spotify streams and counting), Just Janie poured her heart into her beautiful debut album, Mythology of the Girls, which arrived into Aotearoa and the world last month.
Influenced by icons of her favourite musical decades like Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills & Nash, Shaw used her debut album to look at the ’60s and ’70s — when the music was great but plenty of other things were decidedly not — through a modern lens.
“I was interested in deconstructing my own rose-tinted goggles for the era that stigmatised mental health and oppressed women, an era when women faced a myriad of societal limitations,” she says.
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It’s a praiseworthy attitude that many other modern singer-songwriters haven’t shared, choosing instead to sink into nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
“Many of the songs formed around my curiosity for women’s stories that I had been learning about and consuming,” the indie-folk artist continues. “I was really fascinated with considering my own nostalgia for that era, and actually trying to envision what it would have been like as a young woman.
“A real catalyst for me and this project was my own experience with OCD and what that might have looked like in the seventies.”
Listen to the touching album, whose stories are told in chronological order, stretching from her hero Joni’s early writing to more personal anecdotes from today, below.
Shaw took her Just Janie project on the road throughout May, playing in Ōtautahi Christchurch (twice), Ōtepoti Dunedin, the capital, and more towns and regions.
Feeling left out, North Islanders? As you should. Lucky for you, then, that Shaw is bringing her tender indie-folk songs to Cupid Bar in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, where she’ll play with her band.
Catch her at the venue tonight (June 5th), with general admission tickets still available here.
Just Janie’s Mythology of the Girls is out now.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How much did music influence you in your early life?
Just Janie: My mum used to quote ABBA: “I began to sing long before I could talk.” I don’t remember a time when music wasn’t everything to me. Music was always encouraged in our house. I grew up on a farm in Central Otago and while our peers played rugby and entered hunting competitions, we asked for guitar lessons and classical singing. We watched Annie Get Your Gun and Oliver! and danced around the living room to a well-loved Burt Bacharach compilation CD.
Since a young age, I saw creativity as a tool for wellbeing. My Grandma Suey used to say that you should write your worries on a piece of paper and throw that piece of paper in the bin. I’ve carried this idea with me throughout my life, and bring this approach into my songwriting. I can release emotions and experiences into my music and heal through that. It’s little surprise that music became a way of working through questions and complexities about the world around me.
What artists influenced you growing up?
Bic Runga and Brooke Fraser were well loved in our house in the early 2000s. During high school my brother and I began performing as a duo (Janie and Tim Shaw), and our first performance in front of the entire school was “Heart Beats Slow” by Angus & Julia Stone. I’m actually listening to their new track “Karaoke Bar” this morning and it’s beautiful (with a touch of nostalgia).
My nostalgia for the ’60s and ’70s folk-rock scene began in my early twenties, with a book. I stumbled upon Morning Glory on the Vines: Early Songs and Drawings, a collection of Joni Mitchell’s lyrics and artworks. I devoured it in one evening. I fell in love with Joni as a lyricist, then as a visual artist and finally as a musician.
While I’d heard these musicians before, I delved deeper into their discographies and fell in love with Neil Young, Carole King, Stevie Nicks. Their music unlocked something within me and the songs began to flow out.
@justjaniemusic ‘Mirror Rain’ performed LIVE TO AIR on Radio One! Special thanks to @nzonairmusic , @radioone91fm and @tekorokorootetui for having us. #live #livemusic #radio #newmusicalert #newmusic
What are some career highlights so far?
Most recently I have been touring with my band. Touring is tough and some incredibly talented musicians passed on their own struggles to sell tickets and break even in recent years. We had realistic or even low expectations, but I’ve been absolutely blown away by the support. We sold out our show at Maggies in Dunedin and had a completely packed show at Rhyme x Reason in Wānaka. Christchurch also had a wonderful turnout (we ran out of seats)!
The atmosphere at the shows has been electric and meeting people afterwards is what it’s all about. A lot of warmth and connection and support of local art. We’ve still got a few shows so we can’t wait to meet more people and share these new songs.
Another recent highlight was performing live on RNZ. Watching my curly boys (aka the band) and their excitement when Jesse Mulligan came on air was so cool. We performed “The Chain” as our cover, which we knew was a bold choice and Jesse read out a text afterwards saying, “How can it be possible to improve on Fleetwood Mac? Well obviously it is! Wow” — I don’t think there is higher praise!
In 2024 my debut EP garnered international success, gaining over 1 million streams, and I was selected as a 2024 Ōtautahi OMAP artist (Saltbox Studios / RDU 98.5FM).
Tell us about your latest release.
The album was recorded in the transformed 1927 woolshed at Sublime Studios. Using vintage recording processes, [we] tracked the album via an analogue pathway to tape.
I knew I wanted this record to be tracked to tape. I’d researched vintage recording processes, desiring to sonically capture the essence of the era that inspired this body of work. I also wanted to capture the magic I could feel on stage and not risk losing that in something overly produced and perfect. Tracking the entire project live through an all-analog pathway to tape felt like the answer.
Inevitably, tape means imperfections. You can listen to old recordings of Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills & Nash and hear little human moments. That’s the magic. You can almost hear me grinning in those songs, looking through the window of my sound booth at my drummer, guitarist, and bass player. On the third day, I walked out of the studio and looked over the vineyards towards the mountains feeling that I finally knew what I was doing. This was what it should feel like.
What kind of personality traits and values do you believe it takes to succeed in the music industry?
Courage and bravery. It takes guts to try. And it’s cool to care.
The first show I did as Just Janie had maybe 10 folks in a tiny Nasby theatre in Central Otago. Instead of seeing that as a failure, I saw that as 10 people who would connect with the music and hopefully come back. Next time they might bring friends, tell their neighbours. Next time there might be 20.
I know, for myself, it was a matter of pushing myself and hustling to work hard and be brave. You have to be prepared to advocate for yourself because no one else will, and to break through the noise you have to be bold. It’s a huge hustle, but it’s so worth it!
How would you describe your music to a potential fan?
For lovers of Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, and Carole King.
Where’s your favourite place to play in Aotearoa?
I have so many favourite spots! From this tour, the two highlights have been Maggies in Dunedin and Rhyme x Reason Wānaka! Warm reception and lovely people! I also love Wunderbar in Lyttelton because the sound is always phenomenal (thanks Sam). Lastly — The Grainstore Gallery in Ōamaru. It’s truly gorgeous and felt like the perfect space to perform this new album! All of these venues have low to no fees which allows artists to tour and bring their music to the stage.
Are you looking forward to your Cupid Bar show?
It’ll be really wonderful to perform in Auckland. I haven’t had a show in Auckland since my ‘Love Letter’ tour in 2024, so this is exciting. After the RNZ Live / interview we had lots of people reach out to ask if we’d be coming to Tāmaki Makaurau, so we’re coming!
What are your goals for 2026 and beyond?
Continue to perform the album live. I want to tour internationally, so there are some phone calls in the making! We’ll possibly jump the ditch to Australia in spring for some shows and maybe even head to Canada and the USA at the end of the year. And there are always more songs in the catalogue, so I suppose onto the next album!
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