Stellar*

Stellar* are a New Zealand based pop/rock band headed by vocalist Boh Runga, sister of acclaimed singer-songwriter Bic Runga. Currently in their career, they have attained four RIANZ top 10 singles (the highest being Every Girl at #3) and two #1 albums. The band's signature song is Violent, which at the 2000 New Zealand "Tui" music awards won the Single of the Year award, as well as winning Runga an award for best Songwriter. The band won seven awards at the Tuis, among them the Best Album award for their debut, Mix. Currently, the band have just released their third studio album, Something Like Strangers in 2006. 1992, musicians Boh Runga and Andrew Maclaren moved to Auckland from Christchurch. Eventually with other musicians, initially guitarist Joel Haines they formed stellar* in 1994. Originally a three piece they wrote their fist single Ride. This featured in a short film Headlong by Simon Raby. The band in its initial form didn't last. Later Runga and Maclaren came across bass player Kurt Shanks and reformed the band as a four piece. In 1998 the band signed on with Sony music NZ, later that year they released their first commecial single What you do (bastard). 1999 saw their first album release Mix, then the second-highest selling NZ album ever