How do you like Croatia?
We are very much looking forward to returning to Croatia. We have only ever been to Croatia once and had some of the most amazing fish we have ever tasted. We feel very lucky to be able to experience all these wonderful cultures while we tour :)
How did you get started in the music business?
We started very early on. We have been playing the piano since we were 7 years old and wrote and recorded our first ever "pop" song when we were 15 years old. From then onwards we always knew we wanted to do music as a career. After a few years we found our feet in pop but after working a few years in pop music we craved for something a bit tougher. We discovered Ibiza and became super inspired by club music/culture so started experimenting a bit more with our sonic’s and structures, and eventually stepped out from behind the scenes and started NERVO.
When did you start writing songs, and how did you land your first music publishing deal?
We recorded our first ever song (that we wrote) when we were 15 years old. We met a producer in Melbourne and worked from his studio. One of those songs was picked up via a manager of an artist in The UK so, at 18 we moved to London and that was also when we signed our first ever publishing deal to Sony ATV.
What originally got you involved with electronic music?
We discovered Ibiza, and club music and culture. We were out a lot, and back then, we would write for anyone so we ended up writing for a few DJs. Coming from the pop world, we were very inspired by the freedom in their creativity. We then learnt how to record ourselves and also how to use Logic. From there, we became more and more involved in producing which enabled us to experiment a bit more with sounds and structures and here we are now - as NERVO.
Your songwriting, do you mainly write melody & lyrics, or do you also create and produce the tracks?
We do both.
How did you become internationally successful writers? When did you start traveling frequently to the U.S. and Europe?Back in the days when we were only writing for others, we used to take many meetings with managers, publishers, record labels - anyone we could pitch our songs to. That is how we met Kesha, David Guetta, Kylie Minogue, Kelly Rowland, Avicii, The Pussycat Dolls, Armin Van Buuren, Sophie Ellis Bextor etc. We would save all our money and take writing trips to the USA so we could take more meetings which would hopefully eventually end up in our songs being cut. We enjoyed the creativity of London so always based ourselves there.
What’s the dance music scene like in Australia?
Aussie's love to dance and let loose, and in the summer months especially there are so many festivals, many of which are largely 'electronic' based but many also that support local acts. Perhaps this inspires people to make music and has something to do with the great music that is coming out of Australia - Empire Of The Sun is an example of an Australian electronic / pop act that do very well at festivals.
So, what is it like working so closely with your sister?It's great. We constantly have a best friend with us. We have each other's back and are similar when it comes to work ethic so, so far it works a treat :)
You definitely think you wouldn’t be as strong creatively without one another?
We are each other's best and worst critic. We can be super blunt with each other but at the end of the day always want what is best for each other so it's a good balance.
What about your inspirations? How do you translate your inspirations into your music?
We are constantly inspired by the music we hear on the road, at clubs, on the radio… Lyrics often come from real life scenarios but sonic's are more about what we like at that particular time.
In terms of your productions, you guys have worked with some very big names in the industry. What has that experience been like?
We are constantly learning from the people we work with and can get super inspired when we collaborate.
What is it like being girls in a male-dominated industry?
We try not to focus on our gender, as there's not much we can do about it. We are lucky to have a lot of support from the boys around us, many of whom we have collaborated with so they have known us for many years.
Being female, do you feel pressure to portray a certain image in this industry?
It's important that we let the music speak first and let our image / gender come later.
What advice would you give to young writers & artists who are trying to break into the music business?
Keep going - practice makes perfect. Don't let people say you can't and always listen to your instinct. Music is subjective so no one is ever right or wrong - if it feels good to you then chances are it will connect with someone out there.
Fotografije: Story press
