Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers aren't content with becoming one of Australia's biggest acts; they're just happy playing music with their mates.
For 15-year-old bandmates Scarlett McKahey, Anna Ryan, Jaida Stephenson, and Neve van Boxsel, forming a rock band wasn't about stardom or fame – it was simply about having fun. A sleepover in Canberra watching School of Rock inspired them to form the band, with a joke name that stuck: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.
The four teenagers' punk spirit soon landed them gigs at venues they weren't even allowed to enter unchaperoned. Adults assumed they were in their mid-twenties when they were actually just 16 or 17.
"It was pretty cool," Ryan says, "but we thought we were really cool back then." McKahey chuckles, saying it was strange having school backpacks and lemonade on the rider for pub shows.
As the band's popularity grew, so did their impostor syndrome. When huge crowds lined up to see them play at Brisbane's Bigsound in 2018, Ryan wondered what they were waiting for. "I was like, what are they lining up for? Who is playing after us?"
Their 2022 EP Pretty Good for a Girl Band tackled the backhanded praise they often received as a girl band. The title was ironic, but people would say, "You guys ARE pretty good for a girl band!" – only to realize it was meant to be ironic.
The band's breakthrough album, I Love You, was more polished, with singles like Salt and Ahhhh! winning them best breakthrough artist at the Aria awards. They even opened for the Foo Fighters on their Australian tour, playing alongside Dave Grohl.
To prepare for opening gigs with the Foo Fighters, the band had to disconnect from the star's presence. "I had to completely disconnect," Ryan says. "I had to treat him as a regular person, because otherwise I'd throw up."
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers have navigated the music industry, which they found wasn't as scary as they thought. "We didn't do this because we want to become the biggest band in the world or we want to become famous," McKahey says. "It's just fun playing shows with our besties."
Their new album, Glory, showcases a darker, synthy sound, and includes songs like Balcony and Unscarred. The latter is a confident anthem about embracing vulnerability.
The band has found success without losing their individuality, thanks to five weeks of collaborative living with producer Catherine Marks at the studio. "It changed so much because of her," McKahey says. "She really made it exactly what we wanted."
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers' journey from schoolmates to professional musicians is still unfolding. As they continue to make music, they're grateful for the journey – and each other.
The band's bond is palpable, even in interviews. When asked about a song they wish they wrote, Reptilia by the Strokes is the answer. "It has one of the best guitar x bass solos of all time," McKahey says, forever jealous they didn't write it themselves.
As for songs to live by, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers have shared their favorites, from The Secret Life of… by the Veronicas (McKahey's first album) to Moonlight Lady by Julio Inglesias – a song that deserves classic status, according to Ryan.
For 15-year-old bandmates Scarlett McKahey, Anna Ryan, Jaida Stephenson, and Neve van Boxsel, forming a rock band wasn't about stardom or fame – it was simply about having fun. A sleepover in Canberra watching School of Rock inspired them to form the band, with a joke name that stuck: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.
The four teenagers' punk spirit soon landed them gigs at venues they weren't even allowed to enter unchaperoned. Adults assumed they were in their mid-twenties when they were actually just 16 or 17.
"It was pretty cool," Ryan says, "but we thought we were really cool back then." McKahey chuckles, saying it was strange having school backpacks and lemonade on the rider for pub shows.
As the band's popularity grew, so did their impostor syndrome. When huge crowds lined up to see them play at Brisbane's Bigsound in 2018, Ryan wondered what they were waiting for. "I was like, what are they lining up for? Who is playing after us?"
Their 2022 EP Pretty Good for a Girl Band tackled the backhanded praise they often received as a girl band. The title was ironic, but people would say, "You guys ARE pretty good for a girl band!" – only to realize it was meant to be ironic.
The band's breakthrough album, I Love You, was more polished, with singles like Salt and Ahhhh! winning them best breakthrough artist at the Aria awards. They even opened for the Foo Fighters on their Australian tour, playing alongside Dave Grohl.
To prepare for opening gigs with the Foo Fighters, the band had to disconnect from the star's presence. "I had to completely disconnect," Ryan says. "I had to treat him as a regular person, because otherwise I'd throw up."
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers have navigated the music industry, which they found wasn't as scary as they thought. "We didn't do this because we want to become the biggest band in the world or we want to become famous," McKahey says. "It's just fun playing shows with our besties."
Their new album, Glory, showcases a darker, synthy sound, and includes songs like Balcony and Unscarred. The latter is a confident anthem about embracing vulnerability.
The band has found success without losing their individuality, thanks to five weeks of collaborative living with producer Catherine Marks at the studio. "It changed so much because of her," McKahey says. "She really made it exactly what we wanted."
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers' journey from schoolmates to professional musicians is still unfolding. As they continue to make music, they're grateful for the journey – and each other.
The band's bond is palpable, even in interviews. When asked about a song they wish they wrote, Reptilia by the Strokes is the answer. "It has one of the best guitar x bass solos of all time," McKahey says, forever jealous they didn't write it themselves.
As for songs to live by, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers have shared their favorites, from The Secret Life of… by the Veronicas (McKahey's first album) to Moonlight Lady by Julio Inglesias – a song that deserves classic status, according to Ryan.
they're just like us, having fun making music with their mates and not caring about what others think 
they're so humble too, talking about how they just want to play shows together and not become famous or anything 
it's so inspiring to see them embracing their individuality and staying true to themselves 
i'm loving the new album glory, especially balony and unscarred - the synthy sound is everything 
can't wait for more music from these talented ladies 
And it shows in their new album, Glory - that darker, synthy sound is 
And I'm loving their collaborative approach to making music - Catherine Marks must be a genius producer! 
McKahey and Ryan's banter in interviews is also giving me life 
. These girls are going to do big things and I'm here for it 
.
its not like they're tryin 2 fake it 4ever. like i get it, school mates turn into band mates & stuff but c'mon. they played shows @ venues thats only for adults lol they didnt even have their own section or anything lololol. i love how they rnt tryna hide the fact they r just 15/17 yrs old tho
and I love how they've stayed true to themselves despite getting praised or criticized by others 
the fact that they wrote their new album in just 5 weeks with Catherine Marks sounds like a dream come true 
can't wait to listen to Glory! 
they're not trying 2 be all about the fame & fortune like some other bands, its all about havin fun & makin music w/ their mates 
and u can def tell cuz of how authentic it sounds on there new album Glory 
and it's actually kinda inspiring. They didn't become famous for the sake of it, they just loved playing music with their mates and it happened. Their new album Glory sounds fire 
! It's pretty impressive that they didn't get caught up in the whole fame thing and lost their sense of fun. The fact that they can still vibe with each other after being on tour together is amazing 
. also, i'm dying over how funny their rider used to be - school backpacks and lemonade on a pub show? what 
. i mean can you imagine having impostor syndrome when you're already performing in front of huge crowds? 
but seriously their latest album glory sounds kinda dark and synthy which is cool i guess its not all about being famous or stardom they just wanna have fun playing music with their mates that's pretty chill 
Their punk spirit is so infectious, and I love how they've navigated the industry without losing themselves in the process.
and it's super refreshing. I mean, can you blame them tho? It's not like they asked for this life 
. They didn't become a band 'cause they wanted to be famous (although, I mean, who wouldn't wanna be? 
. Don't be afraid to take risks and try new things – you never know what might happen! 
So I'm thinking about this band Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, right? And they're like, super chill about their success, which is kinda refreshing in today's music industry 
.
. And what about the message they're sending with their new album Glory – embracing vulnerability and individuality? Is that a revolutionary idea or just another band trying to stay relevant 
