Ones2Watch Home

Dillon Jo is the collaborative project of Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara) artists Betty Smith and Georgie Levien. Formed at Massey University, the project began as an acoustic songwriting partnership between Betty and Georgia, who first started writing together in late 2024. Together, along with multi‑instrumentalist Kahu Sanson‑Burnett (formerly of Parallel Park) and drummer Ruadh Munro (formerly of Scarlett Crush), they are a queer, female‑fronted four‑piece band.

Coining the term ‘dreamy droopy rock pop’ to describe their sound, the group shares that they take inspiration from artists like Slow Pulp, Paramore and Coast Arcade. Combining pop, folk and alt-rock genres, Dillon Jo also utilises heavy elements like crashing drums and basslines to deepen the emotions they are trying to convey.

“There’s not as many female fronted bands doing the kind of music that we wanna do. Having that representation in the industry is important to us, but I also feel like for the industry as well. Giving us a voice” Betty explains.

Already having opened for artists like The Rions, Foley, Wet Denim, Hemi Hemingway, Borderline and Coast Arcade, the group is growing an impressive reputation in New Zealand’s music scene. At just 20 years old, Betty and Georgie have cultivated a sound that feels wise beyond their years. Georgie shares:

“Me and Betty are quite sensitive people, and if you’re a sensitive person or you just love to feel angry and sad and get it all out when you're listening to music, that’s how we want you to feel”

Although Betty and Georgie first heard of each other through the 2022 music reality series Take The Mic, where they were both contestants, Dillon Jo officially formed in early 2025. They released their debut acoustic single It Was You (She’s Been Waiting For) in April 2025, followed by two more singles later in the year, Shiver and Jo. Jo, a heartfelt, upbeat love ballad that feels like a time capsule of first‑love emotions: wanting time to stand still, clinging to a moment so it doesn’t slip away. Their delicate yet powerful vocals layered over crashing drums, piano and steady guitar showcase the breadth of these emotions and create an unforgettable live experience for audiences.

They’ve also recently released their new track Good person, a reflective piece exploring youthful decisions that linger with age, the question “do you think I’m a bad person?” echoing through its narrative. It’s an emotional, hard‑hitting ballad that drops listeners into a storm of swirling guilt, clarity and catharsis. With just five songs released as a group, Dillon Jo already demonstrates a strong sense of identity and an instinctive ability to explore the full spectrum of emotions tied to adolescence and coming of age. On this Georgie shares:

“I think we have a message as well at the end of the day, that we want to be - kind of, starting a future for all females and queer people. A representation that I wanted to see as a young girl seeing, kind of females in rock is like the coolest feeling, so”.