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Wild times! Musicians on Musicians cover star Luke Steele reflects on his earlier years, smashing guitars, and how that rebellious edge shaped his journey as a musician. Stay tuned for more iconic moments from the cover shoot. And grab the special Rolling Stone AU/NZ MoM issue when it hits newsstands on Thursday, December 12th. #MusiciansOnMusicians #LukeSteele #TonesandI #EmpireoftheSun Credits: Featuring: @lukesteeleofficial @tonesandi Words by : James Jennings @jamesjenningswriter Photographer: Giulia Giannini Mcgauran @g.g.mcg Creative direction: Katie Taylor katie.taylor____ Video Crew: Michelle Grace Hunder @michelleghunder , Jarvis Hunder @jarvis_hunder Production: Got Next productions @gotnext.tv Set Design: Shanahbelle Macdonald @shanahbelle HMUA(Luke Steele): Belle Morganne @bellemorganne HMUA(Tones and I): Tali Poposka @talimakeupartistry Photo assist: Izaac Margin @zachmargin BTS: Krish Miglani @krishmiglaniproductions

The first-ever Rolling Stone AU/NZ Musicians on Musicians series is here! Each year, Rolling Stone’s MoM special invites artists to interview each other about life, music, and everything in between. We went big for our inaugural local edition, uniting some of the biggest artists in Australia and New Zealand for revealing conversations. Leading the way are global stars Empire of the Sun’s @lukesteeleofficial and @tonesandi, who got together for a fascinating discussion about the simplicity of great music, the power of self-acceptance, and much more. The duo grace the cover of our December-February issue, which hits newsstands from Thursday, December 12th. As well as Luke and Tones, Australia and New Zealand’s first Musicians on Musicians edition features intimate and illuminating conversations between INXS’ @andrew_farriss and 5 Seconds of Summer’s @ashtonirwin , New Zealand pop icons @beneemusic and @bicrunga, electronic groups @confidenceman_ and @orbital, Australian singer-songwriters @kaseychambersmusic and @thelmaplum, and close collaborators @stanwalker and @kobiedee47. Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s special Musicians on Musicians issue is out December 12th. Credits: Featuring: @lukesteeleofficial @tonesandi Words by : James Jennings @jamesjenningswriter Photographer: Giulia Giannini Mcgauran @g.g.mcg Creative direction: Katie Taylor katie.taylor____ Video Crew: Michelle Grace Hunder @michelleghunder , Jarvis Hunder @jarvis_hunder Production: Got Next productions @gotnext.tv Set Design: Shanahbelle Macdonald @shanahbelle HMUA(Luke Steele): Belle Morganne @bellemorganne HMUA(Tones and I): Tali Poposka @talimakeupartistry Photo assist: Izaac Margin @zachmargin BTS: Krish Miglani @krishmiglaniproductions

We’ve got a surprise for you! We went big for our December issue, uniting some of the biggest artists in Australia and New Zealand for the Musicians on Musicians series. Leading the way are global stars @lukesteeleofficial and @tonesandi, who got together for a revealing discussion about the simplicity of great music, the power of self-acceptance, and much more. Take a first look at their colourful cover shoot now, and tune back in on December 2nd for the full details! Featuring: @lukesteeleofficial @tonesandi Words by : James Jennings @jamesjenningswriter Photographer: Giulia Giannini Mcgauran @g.g.mcg Creative direction: Katie Taylor katie.taylor____ Video Crew: Michelle Grace Hunder @michelleghunder , Jarvis Hunder @jarvis_hunder Production: Got Next productions @gotnext.tv Set Design: Shanahbelle Macdonald @shanahbelle HMUA(Luke Steele): Belle Morganne @bellemorganne HMUA(Tones and I): Tali Poposka @talimakeupartistry Photo assist: Izaac Margin @zachmargin BTS: Krish Miglani @krishmiglaniproductions

With some rare downtime on his hands before heading to New Zealand for a show in July, Chris Emerson had an idea. The revered music producer known as @whatsonot was keen to throw an epic tour - unlike anything he’d done before. Emerson wanted to create a gateway to the stage for younger artists because “we could have the next Fred again.. in Australia and there’s just this ceiling over the top of them, blocking them from getting there. All we’ve got to do is give them the key.” To activate an untapped community, he organised an impromptu tour, allocating his free time to try to be a part of the solution. He started by asking his online followers to share the names of fresh performers who could benefit from some support. More than 800 people responded to the initial post, tagging lesser-known stars and attracting eager artists who were more than happy to put their hands up to be involved. “I took two weeks of my life to look into all this, go through all the comments to find everybody, map it all out, work out who was cool, reach out to them, go and listen to their music. It just changed everything. I just feel like it’s just given this insane shift,” Emerson now tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ. In a wide-ranging interview, the producer looks back at the year that was with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, reflecting on supporting the next generation, his latest EP, and more. Read the interview at the link in bio!

For our final Musicians on Musicians pairing, @5sos’s @ashtonirwin and INXS legend @andrew_farriss came together to explore what it’s like to be part of iconic Aussie bands and then go solo. Read their full MoM interview at the link in bio now! And read all of our MoM pairings in our December issue, which is on newsstands across Australia and New Zealand. #AndrewFarriss #AshtonIrwin #5SOS 📸 Ryan Fleming, supplied

@fazerdaze is ready to tell her story - on her own terms. Back in 2017, the indie-pop artist was primed to be New Zealand’s next breakout star when her debut album, ‘Morningside’, became a global success. Then she disappeared from the spotlight. Now, she’s finally ready to tell the world where she’s been. Fazerdaze sat down with Rolling Stone AU/NZ for a heartfelt conversation about what’s happened to her in the past seven years, revealing why she had to step back from music for a while. She also opened up about the making of her stunning comeback album, ‘Soft Power’, a transformative record that begins an exciting new chapter in her life and career. “It’s so triumphant to me that I’m still here,” as she said. “I’m still doing what I love.” You can now read Fazerdaze’s full interview on the Rolling Stone AU/NZ website via the link in bio. The interview features in our special Musicians on Musicians issue, which is available on newsstands across New Zealand and Australia! #Fazerdaze ✍️: @conornoconnor 📸 Frances Carter

Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s inaugural Musicians on Musicians series was cause for celebration, so @confidenceman_ and @orbital were the perfect party-starting pairing. They discussed their creative journeys, mutual respect, the live music circuit, and more. Read ConMan and Orbital’s full interview at the link in bio now, and grab a copy of our special MoM issue at newsstands across Australia and New Zealand! #MusiciansOnMusicians #ConfidenceMan #Orbital #RollingStoneAU 📸 Julian Buchan; Martyn Goodacre

With a new album on the way and a string of anniversary shows in the pipeline @deltagoodrem finds herself with a foot planted firmly in two eras. The superstar Australian pop singer is making headway with her forthcoming LP, the followup to 2021’s "Bridge Over Troubled Dreams", which opened at #1 on the ARIA Chart for her fifth leader. Goodrem is now based in Los Angeles and the chief of her own independent label, ATLED Records, which she launched in 2023 following a decades-long association with Sony Music. “I've been so grateful with getting to jump from project to project. Live shows are my real passion and I'm enjoying just being on the road," she tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ. From each performance, she’s drawing “inspiration from the crowds” and “taking it into the studio.” Then, in April 2025, a special 20th anniversary live series celebrating her ARIA Chart-leading second album, "Mistaken Identity." Goodrem will play the record “top to bottom with some songs we've never sung before,” she confirms. Read the full story at Rolling Stone AU/NZ.

It’s time to meet our final Musicians on Musicians pairing, and it’s a special one. 5 Seconds of Summer’s @ashtonirwin sat down with INXS legend @andrew_farriss to discuss being in famous Australian bands, transitioning to solo work, and much more. Read their full interview at the link in bio now, or pick up a copy of our special MoM issue at newsstands across Australia and New Zealand! #MoM #musiciansonmusicians #ashtonirwin #andrewfarris #5secondsofsummer

This MoM pairing is one for the ages! Australian party starters @confidenceman_ sit down with the iconic English electronic music duo @orbital! In this candid chat, both acts explore the evolution of their sound, late-night sessions, mischief and so much more in this Rolling Stone AU exclusive! Read more at the link in our bio and grab the first-ever Rolling Stone AU/NZ Musicians on Musicians issue, available now on newsstands across Australia and New Zealand. #ConfidenceMan #Orbital #MusiciansOnMusicians #RollingStoneAU #ElectronicMusic

Twenty years ago, Wellington music was at the height of a breakthrough moment. Buoyed by grassroots support, a community of jazz and rock-influenced roots, reggae, soul, and hip-hop musicians made their way from the capital’s dive bars and cocktail lounges onto the biggest festival stages in the country. Today, Wellington music feels less like a unified community and more like a multiverse of collectives and sub-scenes that either regularly cross paths or slip past each other unbeknownst, like ships in the night. Regardless, they’re all contending with the same economic and infrastructural challenges that underscore how much the city has changed over the last two decades. It’s a tough context to be operating in, but as Rolling Stone AU/NZ discovered over a series of conversations, there’s still plenty to be excited about. Read our latest Scene Report feature at the link in bio! ✍️: @martynpepperell 📸: @maeve.oconnelll #wellington #newzealand

In a bold and uniquely personal move, Brisbane’s beloved alternative rock band @thebutterflyeffectband are setting out on their ‘21 Years of Begins Here’ regional tour - a celebration of fan loyalty, nostalgia, and their enduring debut album, ‘Begins Here’. Twenty-one years since the album launched them into Australia’s rock scene, The Butterfly Effect are letting their fans decide where they’ll perform on their next regional tour. The concept for this tour came straight from the fans, who were invited to vote on the destinations where the band would play. “It was excellent,” drummer Ben Hall says about the overwhelming response. “We had a lot of responses, so we had to piece together which ones were realistic. You can’t just go to Alice Springs because one person wants to come,” he laughs, adding, “I wouldn’t mind - we’d literally play anywhere if we’re not losing money.” This fan-driven approach aligns perfectly with The Butterfly Effect’s ethos: stay connected, stay authentic, and stay accessible. Read our interview with Hall on touring over 20 years after the release of their debut album and more at the link in bio. ✍️: @girlatarockshowofficial 📸: @kane_hibberd