Photography by Madelynn Elyse
How long have you been in entertainment?
We have been in entertainment for a little over 13 years. We have always been singing and entertaining since we came out of the womb, but we started our career in the acting industry before really getting into the music industry. -KTJ
After five years of being signed with a commercial agent, we got into the music industry around the age of 12, booking small little gigs here and there, figuring out what kind of music we were attracted to, songwriting, and what values we wished to spread. -Carly
We worked very hard trying to find a way to slip our foot in the door of the music biz until finally, we met Sera Roadnight, our manager. She has been such a blessing to us and has been a tremendous help while navigating us along our musical journey. - Carly
Did you study music or how did you love your music blossom?
Our love of music blossomed when we were very little. Since we are twin sisters, we grew up experiencing everything together. Our love of music was only stronger since we had someone to share it with. We bounced back and forth off of each other, learning new things, and sharing our passions. It all started with our dad and our grandad, who ingrained music in us at a young age. They were both in bands in their younger days, so music has always been a huge part of our lives. - Carly
Music is such a huge part of our family, if someone were to visit our house, they’d think our life is a musical or a reality TV show. -Carly
I have done piano lessons since I was in preschool, I studied percussion for 4 years through my high-school, and we’ve both done singing lessons since we were about 8 years old. We grew up performing in musicals which led us to songwriting. By the time I was 14 or 15, I discovered how much love I have for music production and knew that it was going to be a big part of my life. By the time I was seventeen, I wanted to know more about music production, so I attended NYU’s Music Technology and Production pre-college program during the summer.
I worked with my peers and many industry professionals on what it takes to write a hit song, learned stuff I would have never imagined about production, and ever since then my sister and I have been writing and producing as much music as we can. I’m learning something new every day about production software and we’ve only been improving our sound since then so I can’t wait to see where the road will take us in years to come. -KTJ
I started off learning how to play the piano when I was five, but around age 10, I became fascinated with string instruments. I started violin lessons, and then I taught myself the guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and viola. I then started taking guitar lessons with Eric Keys recently. Katie and I both love learning new things about music theory and we constantly are trying to grow. We both started voice lessons at a very young age. We first learned classical music: musical theater, opera, etc. Oscar Seung, a Dallas voice teacher helped us develop our voice for over 10 years. He is a great teacher and made learning more about music so much fun for us. - Carly
What is your favorite genre of music?
My favorite genre has changed a lot growing up learning about music, and between RnB, hip-hop, rap, EDM, indie, I will say that (EDM) is my favorite genre and will always be my favorite because it ignites a fire in people and makes them feel liberated and free. - KTJ
My favorite genres of music are pop, rock, r&b, Jazz, and mainly alternative. I love all kinds of music and find inspiration from many genres ranging from opera to rock to jazz. All music is beautiful and each is impactful to different people. - Carly
How do you describe your own music and who is your fanbase?
Our production style is EDM and our vocal style is very R&B pop-influenced. That’s the great thing about music; each song in the world has influences of all different genres. Of course, there is the main genre, but On Your Mind, for example, is influenced by Ariana Grande & Billie Eilish in the pop genre, H.E.R. and Jorja Smith in R&B, even EDM artists such a Louis the Child, Elohim, and Zara Larsson. It creates a very strong feeling while listening to it. Our fan base ranges from ages 13-30 but we hope for all ages to hear our music. - Carly
Do you have a name for the fans that follow you?
Since we are just now starting out & we are at such early stages in our career, we haven’t found the need to give fans a name. However, we are always up for suggestions hahaha.
Do you write your own songs?
We write all of our own material. Since we are very young, and we are still experiencing life, we take a lot of inspiration from stories around us through our friends and family and incorporate it into our songwriting. It’s not always personal experiences, but our imagination or true stories from others. That’s what we really are, storytellers. When we write songs, we write stories. And when we perform live, we tell a story and it comes to life. It’s like magic. We believe that all songwriters are storytellers. - Carly
As far as musicality, the approach we use to songwriting is always changing and getting better, especially after we write songs with other artists. Sometimes we write songs straight into production software, but most of the time we write our songs on the piano first and then transfer them over into production. A lot of the time I will get random melodies in my head throughout the day, right before I go to bed, or the middle of the night, and I immediately will record it on my voice memos, go straight to the piano and begin writing lyrics and make a song out of that. - KTJ
Do you have any concerts or appearances lined up for 2020?
As of now, there is nothing set in stone for 2020. However, we do have several shows lined up for the fall, as well as some possible single releases. Since we are moving to LA around September/October we are going to be doing a bunch of shows around the area. We have performances scheduled this upcoming fall at Madame Siam in October, as well as a show at The Hotel Cafe on November 8th. We are looking forward to 2020. It will be a great year of new music and new opportunities. -Carly
How can fans follow up on social media?
Follow, like, subscribe, engage, share, and repost! Always check out any of our socials for updates on upcoming shows, music releases, and more. Sounds cliche, but with the age of technology, it’s the best way to get out there and be heard.
Twitter: @ktjcarlymusic
Instagram: @ktjcarly
Facebook: @ktjcarly KTJ & CARLY
Youtube: KTJ & CARLY
What can we expect from you this year and the years to come?
This year we will continue to release singles and continue to perform as much as possible. In the future, we will release an album or EP and continue to branch out our sound. -KTJ