BY: David Mills
Hallowell, ME - Our Friday "Musician Spotlight" is on two lovely sisters Katherine and Kristen that makes up The Veayo Twins. These two sisters are wonderful singers that are well on their way to having a successful singing career. We are highlighting Katherine & Kristen of The Veayo Twins as they are wonderful singers and performers.
The Veayo Twins, as the name suggests, are 16 year-old identical twin sisters that have played multiple live gigs at venues such as the Jonas Brothers softball challenge in New Britain Stadium, New York City's historic Webster Hall, Patriots Place at Gillette Stadium, and Boston's Hard Rock Café. Kristen & Katherine recently opened for Nashville’s Grammy award winning country rock band, Emerson Drive. They have been featured on, or have played their music live on local CBS TV, Fox TV, 92Moose, WKIT, and WTOS radio shows.
Katherine and Kristen, known for their sweet vocal harmonies, play keyboard and guitar, respectively, although you can find Katherine on the drum kit at rock gigs! Their easy listening acoustic set heavily emphasizes catchy original melodies that often revolve around relationships, life experiences, and overcoming obstacles. The twins and their maturely written music will be part of a national documentary film called “Bullied To Silence”, to be released in early 2012. The sisters also perform uniquely arranged versions of cover songs, from oldies like John Lennon, Heart, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty to newer artists like Adele, Kelley Clarkson, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift.
Kristen is the main songwriter for the duo and has created songs that span a wide range of genres like heavy rock, indie, pop rock, and country. The rock original “Scream at Walls” and indie song “Don’t Forgive Me” can be purchased on I-Tunes. The duo has plans to record more tunes at Starfight Recording Studios this February. The Veayo Twins are currently booking family friendly shows as an acoustic duo, but are always ready to bring out the band when requested!
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| Kristen Veayo |
Q&A With Katherine & Kristen Veayo (The Veayo Twins):
Kristen: I always liked to sing but at age 11, after becoming inspired by Kelly Clarkson, I became more serious about it.
Katherine: Around the same time as Kristen. I would always sing behind her doing harmonies & we just kept on going from there.
Was being singers one of your goals growing up?
Katherine: It was more about music as a whole not just being singers.
Kristen: Yeah, I agree with Katherine - we both started playing instruments at about age 7.
Do you have the support from your family and friends?
Both: Yes, more so from family. Friends seem to be busy with their own lives.
How does your family and friends help you both with your music?
They support, promote & come to our shows.
Who inspires you both with your music and why?
Kristen: Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Nikki Minaj, & Nancy Wilson. John & Nancy are really awesome at guitar & Kelly is my inspiration. I like Nikki because she is proving that girls can do guys' jobs, too.
Katherine: No one special, everyone who plays really well inspires me.
Do you both write your own songs?
Kristen: I write the lyrics, melody & chord progressions.
Katherine: Kristen usually brings me the melody & lyrics. I like to give her suggestions & usually help with the arrangements, especially keys & drums.
If so, is it hard for you both to come up with lyrics?
Kristen: It just comes to me.
Tell us about your style of music?
Both: Its a mix of everything. We are in the process of releasing a multi-genre EP that includes rock, country, jazz, pop & pop/rock.
Do you both play instruments?
Kristen: Yes, I play guitar since I was 7.
Katherine: I play drums & piano & have done so since I was 7.
Tell us how you came about starting a band called The Veayo Twins and what role you both play?
We used our name so that we could become the main identity of the band. This makes it a lot easier for us as the songwriters, creators & decision makers. Everyone knows whose band it is.
How did you both get noticed to perform for the Jonas brothers softball challenge and your other live gigs like Webster Hall in New York City?
When we were 13, we placed 3rd in a high school teen band competition at Gillette Stadium. The promoters thought we fit the Disney look & booked us for the Jonas gig. In New York City, our original music was featured by the Youth Arts Forum & we were asked to play at Webster Hall to help raise money for the homeless kids.
Along the same line, how was it opening for Emerson Drive at this past summer's Maine Lobster Festival?
Kristen: It was great!
Katherine: I loved it - the guys of Emerson Drive were so nice to us!
How were you both able to open for Emerson Drive?
The Jessica Prouty Band recommended us to Chad Ridge who was also involved in our filming of the Bullied To Silence documentary. Chad was involved with entertainment for the Maine Lobster Festival.
Is it hard being musicians from Maine?
Kristen: No, we seem to be doing fine.
Katherine: The only thing that's probably difficult is there are less people here, but we do play out in Boston sometimes.
On recording your music. How does it feel recording your songs in a studio?
Good because we get to hear the final product.
Was it hard at first to record in a studio?
Not really - our instructors seemed to prepare us well when we were young.
What do you both hope to accomplish with your music in the future?
Have fun first & if it goes further then great!
Katherine tell us somethings our readers should know about Kristen, do you both get along?
Yes we do - we fight sometimes but get along really well with music. Kristen surprises me every time she writes a song - she's really good at it.
Kristen tell us somethings our readers should know about Katherine, do you get along with her?
She is amazing at drums & piano. It frustrates me - I wish I could play that good. I am really proud of her.
If you both could perform with anyone in the music industry, who would it be and why?
Kristen: Kelly Clarkson or John Mayer. Kelly because she's my inspiration & John Mayer because he's amazing - I'd love to do a duet with him.
Katherine: A duet with Rob Thomas, he's so awesome & unique.
If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Kristen: Madison Square Garden
Katherine: The Super Bowl
What would you both say to someone wanting to get into music, but just don't know where to start?
Kristen: Educate yourself, practice, take criticism & if you're knocked down, make sure you get up.
Katherine: Make it your passion - have to have the willingness to work hard.
On schooling, is it hard being musicians still in school?
At our old school, it was very hard because there was a lot of pressures there. At Hall-Dale, our new school this year, its much easier for us to have fun & do everything we like to do. Our schedules can be a challenge but it’s worth it.
Do you both get involved with plays?
Yes, our last one was Once Upon a Mattress
Finally, is there anything else you both want to say to our readers?
Kristen: Follow your dreams - life is too short to do any different.
Katherine: Whatever you're passionate about, keep doing it & if someone tries to stop you, keep going anyway. Please tell the readers to find us on Facebook.
We hope this Q&A gives you a better idea and to learned more about The Veayo Twins. It was great the Katherine & Kristen Veayo took time to answer our questions. Thank you Katherine & Kristen Veayo. Now, we will share some of their upcoming performances and photographs. Also, The Veayo Twins official sites will be listed for you all further along.
Upcoming Performances:
Mar 15, 2012
8:00 PM
Irish Twins Pub
Lewiston,, ME
A great evening at Lewiston / Auburn's premier place for live entertainment, and great food !-NO COVER-Hope to see you there! http://www.irishtwinspub.com
Mar 24, 2012
6:30 PM
School Of Rock, Hall-Dale High School
97 Maple St, Farmingdale, ME
All ages and this will be our 3rd WTOS School of Rock !!! We'll be joined by PROSPECT HILL, The Resistance, Vadim Albert and more! $7 in advance $10 at the door. Online Tix available here http://theveayotwins.com/T-Shirts___Merchandise.html
Mar 25, 2012
TBA
The Big Easy
Portland, ME
Details SOON:)
Mar 31, 2012
7:00 PM
Hoxter's Pub
Hallowell, ME
Come relax with great people, nice selection of beer on tap, specialty drinks, wine and a bistro style menu to round out a memorable evening with us! NO COVER!!
The Veayo Twins performing at Rock City Cafe back in January. We had a great time listening to these beautiful, talented sisters perform.
Please take a minute to visit one of their official sites below to learn more about Katherine & Kristen that make up The Veayo Twins.
Official Website: http://theveayotwins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TheVeayoTwins
ReverbNation: https://www.reverbnation.com/VeayoTwins
Our next "Musician Spotlight" will be featuring Emma Webb, a talented Singer/Songwriter from Tennessee on Monday, the 5th of March.
Our next "Musician Spotlight" will be featuring Emma Webb, a talented Singer/Songwriter from Tennessee on Monday, the 5th of March.
Rocky Coast News is pleased to have The Veayo Twins as our latest "Musician Spotlight", where we highlight, promote up and coming musicians that have amazing vocals, sound, style and/or who are able to play an instrument well singing.
Rocky Coast News
Reporter David Mills
Rockland, ME 04841
rockycoastnews@live.com
Rocky Coast News is a division of Rocky Coast Media delivering Nautical, Community & Entertainment News
Rockland, ME 04841
rockycoastnews@live.com
Rocky Coast News is a division of Rocky Coast Media delivering Nautical, Community & Entertainment News
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