The Twinz “Make Weekends Fun”
Words: Dave Orr, Writer | Photos Courtesy of Ann Klienhenz
The IDEAL Magazine www.idealpr.com
There is a new band on the scene named Heroine December. They have a hot new single and video “Weekend,” and the lead singers are none other than twin sisters Mandy and Nandy Mclean. Prince fans know them as ‘The Twinz’ after their frequent appearances dancing and singing on his tours and in his video “Fury.”
Speaking to The Twinz about their background, a picture of a diversely cultured world becomes vividly clear. Raised in Australia, they described their childhood with memories of exploring mountains and forests, searching for natural crystals, as well as bush-walking, and the physical challenges of “rockhopping” in creeks.
The Twinz’s father, Bruce Mclean, of Trinidadian descent, was also a musician who played acoustic guitar (Jazz/Trini), in a similar style to George Benson, and gave them their first guitars at the age of five. They fondly recall dressing up like Michael Jackson and putting on shows. This was a habit that has carried on through this day, as they have continued to perform as a duo in shows such as “Moulin Rouge,” “The Lion King,” and the films “Son of the Mask” and “Surfer Dude.” In addition, they have toured with artists Rihanna, Chris Brown, Letoya Luckett and most notably Prince.
When asked about how they overcome the challenges of a highly competitive industry, The Twinz emphasize self-belief and surrounding themselves with the right people. Discussing their creative interactions with Prince, while choreographing stage shows for the recent “Welcome 2 America Tour,” they described keeping it “organic” and explained that “Prince knows what he wants, visually and musically.” They were observant of his vision, created ideas, and he worked with them to bring their vision to fruition on stage.
The intensity, night after night, of the “Welcome 2 America” shows was high, and the schedule was grueling. The Twinz, however, were not faded by this and said that “... the cycle of the reward of giving...” resulted in “... more energy generated,” which kept them charged and inspired each night.
The Twinz co-write the band’s songs, including the acoustic ballad “I Believe,” which displays a depth of soul and caring hearts. They stated that they have to be connected emotionally, connect with the audience, and prefer “organic over contrived” when it comes to creating music. The Twinz mentioned artists such as Pink, whose “giving attitude” they admire, Sting, India Arie and Wyclef as those they would like to collaborate with in the future.
Along with The Twinz, Heroine December’s band is made up of Brad Lindsey (Guitar), Kevin Welsh (Keys), Matt Denis (Bass),and Mike Robins (Drums). Currently, Heroine December is promoting their single and video for “Weekend” and working on a new album project. You can keep up with them on Facebook, Twitter and their website. Their single is available now on itunes.
Web:
http://heroinedecember.com/
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/heroinedecember
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/Heroine-December/
itunes- ‘Weekend’:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/weekend-single/id433219411
‘Weekend’ - Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjncbnDdQB0
We have all said that this is the year that I will start over. This is the year that I do me. For Kirby Lauryen, 2012 is that year. Having always known that music was her gift, she decided to use it. Kirby says, “I couldn’t imagine going another year of my life not doing what I was put on this earth to do.” Since this declaration, she has not looked back.
