Angus & Julia Stone are keeping their karaoke spirit alive, announcing a new covers project and sharing their take on one of OneRepublic’s biggest hits.
Following the chart-topping success of their ARIA No. 1 album Karaoke Bar, the Australian siblings have unveiled The Highway Karaoke Roadhouse, a collection of familiar favourites reimagined in their signature style.
Leading the project is a new rendition of OneRepublic’s 2006 hit “Apologize”, with further covers set to arrive over coming months. The announcement also comes alongside a fresh run of North American dates for the duo’s 2027 ‘Karaoke Bar World Tour’.
While Karaoke Bar explored the connections people make through music, the new project takes that idea a step further, with Angus and Julia turning their attention to the songs that have shaped their own lives.
As it turns out, interpreting other people’s music is something that has been part of the siblings’ lives since childhood.
“Our dad plays in a covers band, so we grew up listening to his interpretations of other people’s songs,” they explained. “We were around a lot of live music, and I think that instilled in us a real joy in taking a song and making it your own. As we got older and started singing and playing ourselves, we naturally started doing the same.”
The idea for The Highway Karaoke Roadhouse developed during the promotional campaign for Karaoke Bar, when the pair connected with fans around the world over their favourite songs to sing.
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“We’ve been lucky enough to hear people all around the world doing their versions of our songs, too,” they said. “And while doing press for Karaoke Bar, we held some really fun karaoke events with fans and got talking about everyone’s favourite songs to sing. The Highway Karaoke Roadhouse felt like a fun way to share some of our own favourites.”
It’s a natural extension of the creative spirit behind Karaoke Bar, which emerged unexpectedly during a break from touring their 2024 album, Cape Forestier.
In a September interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Julia Stone revealed how a holiday on the Greek island of Hydra turned into an unplanned recording session, with the siblings reconnecting over their shared love of music and the experience of performing together.
That sense of musical connection carries through to the new project, although its first offering takes a decidedly more heartbreaking turn.
Originally released by OneRepublic in 2006, “Apologize” became an international hit, particularly following its appearance on Timbaland’s Shock Value album the following year.
For Angus and Julia, the song’s enduring appeal lies in the sadness beneath its instantly recognisable melody.
“‘Apologize’ is such a sad and beautiful song, lyrically and melodically,” they explained. “It’s one of those pop songs that gets stuck in your head, but when you really listen to the lyrics, it’s deeply tragic.
“That feeling of knowing you’ve reached the point where you can’t go back. There’s no apology big enough, no words left to say. Just that awful knowing that it’s over.”
The release arrives as the duo prepare to take Karaoke Bar on the road next year.
As previously announced, the Australian leg begins in Adelaide on February 13th, with shows in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth through to March 5th. Among the highlights is a hometown performance at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on February 28th. Tickets for the Australian shows are on sale now via angusandjuliastone.com or Frontier Touring.
The newly-announced North American leg will follow in May, beginning in Boston before taking in New York, Toronto, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and more. Tickets for the North American shows go on sale Friday, November 13th at 10am local time, with fans able to register for early access.
The Highway Karaoke Roadhouse begins with “Apologize”, available now, with further covers to be unveiled in coming months.
