Meet Citruss, Newcastle’s rising all-girl band

When new students Edie, Frankie, Clodagh and Jemima walked into Year 11 at St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton earlier this year, they quickly found common ground in their love of music. Within weeks, Citruss was born – an all-girls band with a sound as smooth as their friendship.

Aged just 16 and 17, the Newcastle group is already making waves. With a thriving following on Instagram and TikTok, they’ve moved from casual jam sessions to playing gigs across town, with family and friends cheering them on every step of the way.

Citruss wasn’t always Citruss. The band’s name formed from a joke between the girls about their hair colours – three blondes and one redhead.

“Originally, we called ourselves ‘three lemons and an orange’, which became ‘Citrus Heads’,” Frankie explained. “Eventually we landed on Citruss.”

Most days, you’ll find Citruss rehearsing in the music rooms at school. Their teachers have opened the doors – and their expertise – to help the girls refine their skills, polish their stage presence and even navigate the music industry.

“If we have a gig coming up, they’ll give us advice on what’s normal for the industry,”

Their first big moment came from an impulsive decision to upload a video online.

“We were just having a bit of fun,” said Edie. “We were already playing and filming, so we thought why not.”

The video – a cover of Murder on the Dancefloor, inspired by Royal Otis’ Triple J Like a Version – blew up.

“We even forgot we were still in school uniform,” Frankie laughed.

It didn’t go unnoticed at school either.

“We were pulled into the principal’s office and thought we were in trouble for filming in our school uniform,” Frankie said. “But Mr Ptolemy was really supportive and told us he loved what we were doing.”

Soon after, Citruss played their first gig at Caves Beach surf club and it’s a night they won’t forget.

“All of our friends and family came. It was a really good first gig,” Clodagh said.

“We practiced a lot in my garage,” added Jemima.

Since then, the gigs have only grown bigger.

“We’ve recently played at The Vanguard in Sydney for a crowd of 150 people.”

“They’re definitely getting more important and more frequent,” Clodagh said. “We’ve recently played at The Vanguard in Sydney for a crowd of 150 people.”

Influenced by indie rock and Australian artists played on Triple J, Citruss plans on carving out their own space in Australia’s music scene. Their first original track, Years From Now, was written by Jemima and then workshopped by the group, with more tracks now on the way.

“We’re all getting into our poetry,” Jemima explained.

Years From Now is already streaming on Triple J Unearthed.

For Citruss, their motivation is about connection as much as success.

“We would really love to see people singing our lyrics,” Clodagh said. “It’s not about booking the biggest venue or how many people come; it’s about people singing our songs and enjoying our music.”

With ambitions to release an album and play more gigs, the band is excited for what’s ahead. And while they’ve grown musically, the girls say the experience has changed them individually.

“All the practice at school has helped us to be so confident in what we do,” said Jemima. “We’ve all grown personally too.”

Their growing profile has already brought unexpected opportunities. Recently, they launched a merch collaboration with local label Sunchaser Clothing – a milestone for any established artists.

For now, the girls are soaking it all in – grateful for supportive teachers, parents and a fan base that keeps expanding. With their drive, talent and unmistakable love for music, Citruss is a name you’re likely to hear a lot more of.