Though they’re only 27, twin sisters Tegan and Sara have been making music and exploring indie-folk, indie-rock and everything in between for nearly a decade. And while they’ve never had a chart-topping smash in the U.S. or won a Grammy, the Canadian siblings sold out American venues on their ongoing world tour so quickly that they had to squeeze in extra dates.
Their harmony-laced, acoustic-guitar-driven catalog has been acclaimed by the likes of Neil Young (yes that Neil Young) — who signed them to his Vapor Records label — as well as Ryan Adams, Rufus Wainwright and Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, who produced their fifth and most recent studio album, The Con, which saw the sisters move into more mature songwriting territory, testing New Wave waters with esteemed Weezer bassist Matt Sharp and Hunter Burgan of AFI.
But their predisposition to prolific songwriting, while impressive, is hardly even half of the allure. Aside from pitch-perfect harmonies and their intense, honest lyrics, what also really stands out about Tegan and Sara Quin is their keep-it-real appeal. Their down-to-earth, approachable nature lends itself to their immediate fan connection. For The Con, the duo released an entire making-of DVD, giving fans an up-close, in-their-own-words look at the process of writing and record the album. There are even entire websites devoted to their celebrated stage banter.
And speaking of celebrating, we’re doing just that all week. You can catch Tegan and Sara on MTV all week! Watch all of their on-air clips of footage they shot in Toronto exclusively for their Artist Of The Week run (the photos above were taken on the set) -- including their lawn chair acoustic sessions and driving lessons -- plus concert clips and more.
Check out their version of "Back In Your Head" now and tell us why you love the sisters Quin.
Photos: Lyndsay Siegel