Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 22, 2026

The Beths

The Beths are a New Zealand indie rock band, formed in Auckland in 2014. The group principally consists of lead vocalist Elizabeth Stokes, guitarist Jonathan Pearce, bassist Benjamin Sinclair, and drummer Tristan Deck. Meeting at the University of Auckland, the band signed to Carpark Records in 2018, where they have released the albums Future Me Hates Me (2018), Jump Rope Gazers (2020), Expert in a Dying Field (2022), and Straight Line Was a Lie (2025). They have toured internationally with Death Cab for Cutie, the National, and Spoon.

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The Beths
The Beths performing at the Capitol Hill Block Party in 2022
The Beths performing at the Capitol Hill Block Party in 2022
Background information
OriginAuckland, New Zealand
Genres
Works
Years active2014–present
Labels
Members
  • Elizabeth Stokes
  • Jonathan Pearce
  • Benjamin Sinclair
  • Tristan Deck
Past membersIvan Luketina-Johnston
Websitethebeths.com Edit this at Wikidata

The Beths are a New Zealand indie rock band, formed in Auckland in 2014.12 The group principally consists of lead vocalist Elizabeth Stokes, guitarist Jonathan Pearce, bassist Benjamin Sinclair, and drummer Tristan Deck.3 Meeting at the University of Auckland, the band signed to Carpark Records in 2018, where they have released the albums Future Me Hates Me (2018), Jump Rope Gazers (2020), Expert in a Dying Field (2022), and Straight Line Was a Lie (2025). They have toured internationally with Death Cab for Cutie, the National,4 and Spoon.5

History

2014–2016: Formation and the Warm Blood EP

Elizabeth Stokes and Jonathan Pearce originally met in high school, and they met both Benjamin Sinclair and drummer Ivan Luketina-Johnston when all four attended classes at the University of Auckland, studying jazz. Prior to the Beths, Luketina-Johnston was performing swing under the moniker of Sal Valentine; Stokes, Pearce and Sinclair were all part of his backing band, the Babyshakes, for various tenures.67 The Beths were formed in late 2014 and released their first single "Idea/Intent" via SoundCloud in July 2015.8 Stokes said that she named the band after herself, inspired by how the Gilmore Girls character Lorelai Gilmore named her daughter after herself.1 In March 2016, the band independently released their debut EP, Warm Blood. The EP spawned a single, "Whatever", which was released with an accompanying music video in May 2016.9

The Beths have received financial support from the New Zealand Music Commission and NZ On Air.10 The latter helped fund the group as early as September 2015 for the single and video for "Whatever".11 In May 2016, they also funded the video for "Lying in the Sun".12 Through their Outward Sound program, the New Zealand Music Commission funded three tours as part of their international music market development grants.131415

2017–2019: Future Me Hates Me and Luketina-Johnston's departure

A new single, "Great No One", was released in October 2017.16 The song was the first to be lifted from the band's debut album, Future Me Hates Me. Prior to the album's release in 2018, the band announced their signing to Carpark Records in the U.S. (who also reissued Warm Blood internationally)17 and to Dew Process in Australia.18 The album was released globally on 10 August 2018, followed by an international tour in support of the release.19 The title track was nominated as one of five finalists for the 2018 Silver Scroll award in New Zealand.2021

In November 2018, the band announced the forthcoming release of a new seven-inch single, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". The vinyl features the band's cover of the traditional title track, as well as a demo version of their song "Happy Unhappy".22 "Happy Unhappy" was later named 2018's "song of the summer" by Rolling Stone magazine.23

In 2018, Luketina-Johnston permanently departed from the band. He later became a senior scholar at the University of Auckland.24 The band went through a series of fill-in drummers before settling on Tristan Deck as a permanent member in 2019.25 Early that year, the band undertook a tour of the UK and Europe supporting Death Cab for Cutie.2

2020–2024: Jump Rope Gazers and Expert in a Dying Field

Label art for Jump Rope Gazers source ↗

Their second studio album, Jump Rope Gazers, was released in July 2020.2627 On 13 June 2022, the single "Silence Is Golden" was released with the announcement of their third album, Expert in a Dying Field, which was released on 16 September 2022. One year later, it received a deluxe edition which included two previously released singles: "A Real Thing" from 9 February 2022 and "Watching the Credits" from 28 March 2023.28 The latter was later featured by former U.S. president Barack Obama on his 2023 summer playlist.29

2025–present: Straight Line Was a Lie

On 28 April 2025, the band released the single "Metal", as well as announcing their signing to Anti-. On 24 June 2025, the band released the single "No Joy", alongside the announcement of their next album Straight Line Was a Lie. The album released on 29 August 2025.30

The Beths appeared on the New Zealand panel show 7 Days in February 2026. The next month, they collaborated with Duck Island Ice Cream to produce "Straight Lime Was a Lie", a lime and vanilla flavour.31

Musical style and influences

Musically, the Beths have been frequently described as indie rock,273233 indie pop,3435 and power pop.3637 Additionally, they have been noted for their use of vocal harmony, utilizing the voices of all four band members.26 Members of the band have cited Alvvays, Rilo Kiley, and Bully as inspirations for their work.38

Band members

Current members

  • Elizabeth Stokes – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, triangle (2014–present)
  • Jonathan Pearce – lead guitar, backing vocals, recorder (2014–present)
  • Benjamin Sinclair – bass, backing vocals, recorder, flute (2014–2018, 2018–present)
  • Tristan Deck – drums, backing vocals, percussion, xylophone (2019–present; touring musician 2018–2019)

Former members

  • Ivan Luketina-Johnston – drums, backing vocals, percussion (2014–2018)

Former touring musicians

  • Katie Everingham – drums, backing vocals (2018)
  • Chris Pearce – bass, backing vocals (2018)
  • Adam Tobeck – drums, backing vocals, percussion (2018)

Discography

Studio albums

References

References

  1. Enis, Eli (7 August 2018). "The Beths on the Sly Humor and Irresistible Hooks of Their Debut Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  2. Kallao, Stephen; Junod, Kimberly (6 May 2018). "With A Big Pop Sound And Sticky Turn Of Phrases, The Beths Are Taking Over" (Includes audio performance). World Cafe. NPR. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  3. "Sal Valentine & the Babyshakes, Dictaphone Blues, Superhero Second Line + The Beths Live at The Kings Arms". Facebook. 27 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  4. Jones, Abby (28 March 2023). "The Beths Share New Single 'Watching the Credits,' Expand 2023 Tour Dates". Consequence. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  5. Corcoran, Nina (26 January 2026). "Spoon and the Beths Are Co-Headlining a Summer Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  6. Hollywood, Michael. "The Beths: Warm Blood EP". NZ Musician. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  7. "Sal Valentine and the Babyshakes". Sal Valentine. 17 October 2013. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2018 – via Bandcamp.
  8. "Idea/Intent by The Beths". The Beths. July 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2018 – via SoundCloud.
  9. "The Beths – "Whatever"". The Beths. May 2016. Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2018 – via YouTube.
  10. McMahan, Tim (11 July 2019). "Ten Questions with The Beths". The Reader. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  11. "September 2015 Making Tracks Funding decisions". NZ on Air. September 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  12. "May 2016 Making Tracks funding decisions". NZ on Air. May 2016. Archived from the original on 23 January 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  13. "Outward Sound Recipients Round 2 2018". NZ Music Commission. 21 June 2018. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  14. "Outward Sound Recipients Round 3 2018". NZ Music Commission. 27 August 2018. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  15. "Outward Sound Recipients Round 4 2018". NZ Music Commission. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  16. "Premiere: The Beths Share New Single 'Great No One'". Under the Radar (NZ). 16 October 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  17. Bakerstein, D.L. (10 April 2018). "Kiwi pop-punkers (punk-poppers?) The Beths sign to Carpark Records, re-release debut EP on cassette, announce gnarly world tour dates". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  18. "Introducing The Beths, your new favourite Middle Earth-based band". Pile Rats. November 2018. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  19. Fitzmaurice, Larry (18 August 2018). "The Beths: Future Hates Me". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  20. Belfield, James (30 August 2018). "Simply the Beths: Why this new Auckland band is a Silver Scroll contender". New Zealand Listener. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  21. "Winners Announced for the APRA Silver Scroll Awards". APRA AMCOS. 4 October 2018. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  22. Gray, Julia (30 November 2018). "The Beths – "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  23. Dolan, Jon (23 June 2018). "The Beths' 'Happy Unhappy' Is the Song of the Summer". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  24. "IVAN LUKETINA-JOHNSTON". Songbroker.
  25. Freer, Alex. "A conversation with Tristan from The Beths". Melodics.
  26. Linnell, Amanda (23 December 2018). "Why The Beths Are The Next Big Thing In Music". Viva Magazine. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  27. "The Beths: Jump Rope Gazers". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  28. "The Beths Announce New Album 'Expert In a Dying Field', Share Video for New Single". Our Culture. 13 June 2022. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  29. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  30. Kelly, Tyler. "The Beths announce debut full-length for ANTI-, Straight Line Was A Lie". The Line of Best Fit.
  31. Duck Island Ice Cream [@duckislandicecream]; (12 March 2026). "Straight Lime Was A Lie 🍋‍🟩🥛". Retrieved 30 June 2026 – via Instagram.
  32. Donelson, Marcy. The Beths Biography at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  33. Crump, Andy (9 July 2020). "The Beths Are Unapologetically Emotional on Jump Rope Gazers". Paste. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  34. Press, Jack (5 September 2025). "The Beths - Straight Line Was A Lie (Album Review)". Stereoboard. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  35. Heaton, Dave (3 December 2018). "The Best Indie Pop of 2018". PopMatters. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  36. Dolan, Jon (17 August 2018). "Review: The Beths' 'Future Me Hates Me' Is a Power-Pop Monument". PopMatters. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  37. Drever, Ryan (12 September 2022). "The Beths – Expert In a Dying Field". The Skinny. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  38. Cudby, Chris (21 August 2022). "Interview: The Beths Talk About Their Debut Album 'Future Me Hates Me'". UnderTheRadarNZ. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
External links