The beginning…
JENNI: I began singing at the ripe age of 3 with my identical twin sister Amanda Jo, the guys in the band, Aaron and Josh, also got started very early. We were raised very religiously and sang our first time on stage in church. I feel like I was born to sing. Since I can remember, I have begged my mother to let me sing. My twin and I participated in many musical groups growing up and started with greater gresham kids choir from 3-12 years old. Then, choirs ensemble groups and eventually, our first band, a punk skaw mashup with live horns called “Lucky Pond”. We would endeavour in a barber shop quartet in our late teens and “Acoustic Minds” came to fruition in 2001. It was just a trio of voices and acoustic guitars. Many years later, in 2010, is when we linked with Aaron and Josh and it was not until 2012 that we started pushing for a more eclectic sound. We wanted big bass, synths and a more EDM dance vibe, but still wanted to incorporate our songwriting and soulful vocals into these new eclectic songs.

My personal definition of success is…
AMANDA: Booking a 10 week tour across the U.S. and completing it without wanting to come home. We toured through 36 states and played 80 shows in 10 weeks. It was hard and the music we performed touched so many, it was incredible to play a different city every night and it was exhausting as well. It is a huge country and traveling it by truck you realize you need some days in between to make it to each city with enough time to get to the gig. It took 6 months to book it, but in the end, we made connections for life with the artists and fans we met along the way. Also, we are really proud of us for changing our genre and not giving up on each other in the process. There are so many vultures out there that want a piece of you, of your music and of your spirit. To be able to create music with people that want the best for the overall is priceless.

My overall professional and personal goal is…
JENNI: To be heard and to get our music out there and see how it affects the world and to be relevant. It would also be to strive to surpass my dreams and passions, and at the end of the day,  to be able to pay the bills while doing so. It is such a pay off to move other people with our music, that is really what we do this for.

AMANDA: To be happy!

We challenge ourselves to move forward towards my goal by…
JOSH:
1) Continuing to learn about our music and try to stand out as something different and unique.
2) Keeping good attitude while going through the ups and downs of the industry.
3) Absorbing as much inspiration from everything possible. Paying attention in life and thinking deeply about feelings, relationships, politics, the world, the environment and what it means to be human.

I am most afraid of…
JOSH: Putting all my eggs into the basket of music and having them all break. I am afraid of being left without anymore eggs. But at this point, it is all worth it and I will continue to push on.

JENNI: not being heard. That all this music and hard work will not pay off. I know in my heart of hearts, this music deserves a larger platform, but that does not mean doors automatically open for anyone. It is a fine line of pumping yourself up and hoping in the end the music speaks for itself.

We live in Portland…
JENNI: Well, three of us were born and raised in Portland since Joshy is a transplant, although we do not hold it against him! The music scene in Portland is very eclectic. On any given night, you can hear rock, country, folk, bluegrass, metal and what are calling our sound as soul/womp or soul-tronic. On any giver night, you can cruise downtown, whether that is for a dance party in Chinatown, a rock show in SW, or some yummy food in SE. Portland has so much to offer, there are fun themed parties all around. Plus, if you are into nature or outdoors events, we have several park concerts and larger music events, like MusicfestNW, the Blues Festival, Rose Festival, The Brewfest, The Bite of Oregon. The Band likes to have dinner parties, like a lot!! Which includes good food, company and music. We tend to lay low when we are not performing so these get togethers are a nice way to unwind, catch up with pals and most fo the time get pretty rowdy.

I would love to have 5 minutes alone with…
JENNI: Beyonce! That is easy! She is a huge inspiration and I admire her tenacity as a woman in the industry, taking care of her own and being relevant and demanding her voice to be heard. She steps out of the norm every single record and brings something new and hyphy to her songs. If it was not her, it would be Sia. I have been inspired by Sia since 2001, when she first started. I heard her perform in Portland at the Roseland with Zero 7. She was young and so powerful, but we instantly knew she was a star. Fast forward 15 years later and she is taking over the industry with her badass songs. I feel like she pushes the envelop and brings the unique vocal changes that the world needs and loves to hear!

“QUICKSAND” is…
JENNI: This song was inspired by a young man named Devonte Hart. He was photographed at a protest rally in Portland after the Ferguson incident occurred. Having known the Hart family for years in the tight family music community in Portland, we were very touched by this family, especially Devonte. Here was this 12 year old with the biggest heart and hopes for the world. Understanding from a young age his role in this big world, wanting nothing, but to share love and spread hope and light to all who crossed his path. He oozed positivity and love for mankind. He was the direct inspiration for this song and music video idea.

JENNI: The band was rehearsing at Aaron’s for a TV performance coming up later that month in December of last year. We were feeling good about the rehearsal and decided to write something near the end. The song came very quickly, Aaron on piano, humming some melodies, and me hearing the hook and writing furiously on my iphone lyrics that were jumping onto the page. We knew after about 20 minutes we had something very special. I remember saying to Aaron and my sis Amanda : “Let’s write something darker like Sia would, with a sprinkle of light and hope.” We all laughed, but in the end, it really does sound like something Sia would sing, and that is something we are very proud of.