Angus and Julia Stone — siblings, not a couple — have been making quiet, beautiful folk-indie music since 2006. After a seven-year break, they returned with Cape Forestier in 2024. Here's the full story of one of Australia's most distinctive musical partnerships.
Angus and Julia Stone — siblings, not a couple — have been making quiet, beautiful folk-indie music since 2006. After a seven-year break, they returned with Cape Forestier in 2024. Here’s the full story of one of Australia’s most distinctive musical partnerships.
Musical duos have been around for as long as music has existed. But only a few of them were able to get the perfect sound and harmony. One duo that has been around for quite a while and was able to achieve a beautiful and clean sound is Angus and Julia Stone — a brother and sister from Australia who formed a folk and indie pop group in 2006.
But besides their music, there’s something mysterious about the siblings. The first question that usually pops up when listening to their music and viewing their videos — are they a couple? Siblings? What are they? Where are they from? And are they still together? So, let’s see.
Background
Julia Stone was born on April 13, 1984, while Angus Stone was born two years later on April 27, 1986. The siblings were born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, along with their older sister Catherine, to parents Kim and John. The Stone siblings were gently pushed into playing music from an early age by their parents, who had a huge impact on their later decision to become musicians. Ironically, father John and mother Kim played together as a duo until the birth of their first daughter. Their father John still plays in a band called Backbeat.
Angus and Julia both attended Newport Primary School and Barrenjoey High School. During this time, Angus started writing music, and by the time he graduated, he was working as a labourer and learning to play guitar. At the age of 19, Julia first learned to play guitar while the Stone family was on holiday in the Amazon Forest, when Angus gave her some lessons. Later on, Julia also learned to play the trumpet. The Australian siblings did not originally plan to play music together — the two were performing separately. It was their aunt Cathy Oates who suggested they collaborate after seeing them in an early informal show. In 2006, Angus and Julia started working as a duo and released their first single, “Paper Aeroplane”.
Their debut album Heart Full of Wine — a compilation of both Angus’ and Julia’s separate writing — was released in 2006. Between 2007 and 2009, the siblings spent time in London writing and recording, during which they released A Book Like This.
And, just like many siblings, they have had a turbulent relationship full of ups and downs. In 2014, the siblings were secretive about a temporary separation after finishing the touring cycle for Down The Way. “I think we were just ready for this change and were really enjoying ourselves with our own bands, having total control, and not having to answer each other,” Julia said in a 2014 interview.
“It kinda comes down to a solid game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.” — Angus Stone, on how they decide which songs make the album
Personal Life and Musical Style
The duo has a relaxed musical style that combines folk and indie mellow rock. Each sibling has a distinct vocal style, but the harmony between the two works beautifully. Their music is ideal for a romantic mood and for those looking for lyrical, chill listening — comparable to artists like Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, and Paolo Nutini.
When it comes to their personal lives, the Australian siblings keep their privacy carefully guarded. Angus and Julia Stone are not a mainstream act, and their music reflects that — they keep things simple, clean, and private. Neither rushes to explain themselves or their relationship, which is part of what gives the duo their quiet mystique.
Each sibling also maintains a solo career alongside the duo. Angus records under the name Dope Lemon — a sun-drenched, psychedelic project that has become a significant act in its own right. Julia has released three solo albums, the most recent being Sixty Summers (2021), produced with St. Vincent and Doveman, which received strong critical acclaim.
Here’s one of their most iconic songs — a good entry point if you’re hearing them for the first time:
Cape Forestier — Their 2024 Return
After a seven-year gap following Snow (2017), Angus and Julia Stone returned as a duo with Cape Forestier, released on May 10, 2024. The album — named after a cape in Tasmania — was their fifth studio album and marked a significant homecoming to their Australian roots after years of solo projects on different continents.
The lead single “The Wedding Song” was announced in February 2024, followed by “Cape Forestier,” “Losing You,” and “No Boat, No Aeroplane” before the album’s release. The duo supported the record with a world tour running from April to September 2024.
In April 2024, they appeared on Triple J’s Like a Version — one of Australian music’s most beloved segments — covering Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved.” They also performed a live version of “Cape Forestier.” The session showcased exactly why their combination of voices remains so distinctive more than 18 years after they first collaborated.
Earlier, in 2023, Angus Stone was invited onstage during a Post Malone concert in Melbourne — Malone had been publicly discussing how much he loved “Big Jet Plane” and had been in talks about sampling it. The two performed the song together in front of a stadium crowd, a moment that introduced Angus and Julia Stone to a whole new generation of listeners.
Discography
Angus and Julia Stone — Studio Albums
| Year | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Heart Full of Wine | Debut — compilation of solo writing from both siblings |
| 2007 | A Book Like This | First major label release; written and recorded in London |
| 2010 | Down the Way | ARIA Album of the Year; “Big Jet Plane” becomes a global hit |
| 2014 | Angus & Julia Stone | Self-titled; produced by Rick Rubin |
| 2017 | Snow | Their most introspective record; strong streaming performance |
| 2021 | Life Is Strange: True Colors (OST) | Soundtrack album for the video game |
| 2024 | Cape Forestier New | Fifth studio album; world tour April–September 2024 |
Solo Projects
| Year | Album | Artist / Project |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Bloodlines | Angus Stone (solo) |
| 2017 | Honey I’m Home | Dope Lemon (Angus Stone) |
| 2019 | Smooth Big Cat | Dope Lemon (Angus Stone) |
| 2021 | Sixty Summers New | Julia Stone — produced with St. Vincent |
| 2022 | Rose Pink Cadillac New | Dope Lemon — won Best Independent Blues & Roots Album |
| 2025 | Golden Wolf New | Dope Lemon (Angus Stone) |
Final Thoughts
Angus and Julia Stone do not follow industry guidelines and do things their own way — they always have. The seven-year gap between Snow and Cape Forestier would have ended most bands. For them, it was just a period of growing separately before coming back together, which seems to be their pattern and perhaps part of what keeps the collaboration vital.
Their music — gentle, intimate, built around two complementary voices and unhurried melodies — has found a permanent place in the streaming era. “Big Jet Plane” continues to accumulate listeners who discover it for the first time and feel like they’ve known it forever. That is a rare quality. Not many songs do that.
You can follow Angus on his YouTube channel and Julia on her YouTube channel for solo content. And check their tour dates on Setlist.fm if you want to see them live.