Ruban Nielson

Coming from a fertile musical background in New Zealand, Ruban Nielson has been known since the early 2000s for wide-ranging alternative rock, from the barely controlled post-hardcore mania of the Mint Chicks to the neo-psychedelic Unknown Mortal Orchestra. After more than a quarter-century in bands, Nielson put out the first work under his own name -- a collaborative effort with Jared Mattson of the Mattson 2 -- in 2026.