You, Me, Everybody is redefining the boundaries of bluegrass in Aotearoa. Rooted in tradition yet drawing boldly from a wide range of genres, the band blends virtuosic musicianship with innovative arrangements to craft a progressive acoustic sound that pushes well beyond the boundaries of typical bluegrass. While their live shows deliver plenty of toe-tapping moments, this is a collective of New Zealand’s finest acoustic instrumentalists, carving out a unique space where bluegrass meets rhythmic interplay and heartfelt storytelling.
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A new chapter is on the way for the band, with their upcoming album Midnight set for release 30 January 2026. Recorded in Wellington under the direction of Nashville-based producer Rachel Baiman, Midnight explores the space between endings and beginnings — where change, uncertainty, and possibility all meet. Mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Sean Sullivan (Molly Tuttle, Golden Highway), the record blends emotional depth with dynamic acoustic arrangements. With singles rolled out across 2025, the band will support the album with a tour across Aotearoa from March 2026
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Hailed as New Zealand’s first Bluegrass Supergroup, their formation generated immediate buzz. Their debut performance—opening for The Felice Brothers at Auckland’s Tuning Fork during the Americana Fest—was quickly followed by a studio session for their self-titled debut EP in early 2020. The EP reached number 13 on the NZ Album Charts and earned them a nomination for Best NZ Folk Artist at the 2021 Aotearoa Music Awards. Their debut full-length album, Southern Sky, followed in January 2021 and also broke into the Top 20 NZ Albums Chart.
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“Exhibiting more talent and emotional depth than the Instagram-influencing kids with laptops that dominate the charts... this is a golden release. 5 stars.”
— Peter-James Dries, Muzic.net.nz
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International recognition soon followed. In 2021, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) invited You, Me, Everybody to perform as one of just four international acts featured during their online leadership summit, following a presentation by none other than Grammy-winning folk artist, Sarah Jarosz. Their music reached global audiences again in 2023, when their song Stranger was featured twice in the hit Netflix series Sweet Tooth. The exposure sparked renewed interest at home, fuelling a national tour and a nine date run across Australia.
You, Me, Everybody was founded by brothers Laurence and Sam Frangos-Rhodes, who grew up immersed in acoustic music. A chance encounter with a bluegrass fiddle inspired Sam to dive into traditional string instruments, starting on fiddle before becoming one of New Zealand’s most skilled mandolin players. Laurence, inspired by flat-picking legend Tony Rice, took up guitar and now handcrafts the instruments he plays.
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They recruited a who’s who of the local Americana scene: James Geluk originally joined on bass, later replaced by Rob Henderson (The Shake ‘Em On Downers) in 2023. Nat Torkington, a respected five-string banjo player from The Pipi Pickers, and powerhouse vocalist Kim Bonnington, known for her work across the Wellington folk circuit, round out the group’s sound.
With their genre-bending take on bluegrass, You, Me, Everybody brings listeners into a shared musical space—one where tradition and innovation meet, and where collective creativity shapes a sound that stands alone in Aotearoa.