Lavendine’s “Waterless Cloud” — “This song was birthed after a long season of heavy emotional turmoil brought on by very difficult relationships for us both.”
Photo Credit: Rick Caballo
Twins, born in Liberal, Kansas, and raised in Oklahoma. Started performing at the age of four in church. Growing up, which gospel artists did your family listen to?
We didn’t spend a lot of time listening to gospel music growing up, but we did listen to artists who sang about God, like Ricky Skaggs and Michael W. Smith.
Ethereal (An ethereal experience is a light, airy, or delicate experience that feels otherworldly or supernatural) pop-rock duo. Your sound is a mix of all the things that have shaped you. “Music has the power to move us — sometimes even to tears. When we scale back our sound, it allows the heart of our music to shine — our harmonies, our intimacy, our soul. Stripping it down creates a deeper, more ethereal experience, bringing you closer to who we are as artists. This is where the magic happens.” How have bands like the Bee Gees and Chicago inspired you as artists?
The Bee Gees inspired us right from the start, when we were very young, probably around 7 years old. We saw them receive a Grammy on our grandparents’ television. It sparked a love for singing and harmonizing in both of us. The band Chicago came later, in our teens. They inspired us to want to write and perform pop rock music. Their songs were so heartfelt and cinematic. You can definitely hear that in our music today. Both bands are all about melody and harmony, which is what we love to create.
Moved to Nashville after two years of college then returned home, having not found the right industry connections. You returned to Music City, connected with producer Danny Duncan who helped you find your place in the industry. What advice would you share with artists just starting out?
If we could encourage or give any advice to younger, eager artists or songwriters, we would tell them to stay true to yourself and your personal vision. You don’t have to know exactly who you are at first, but the more you exercise your gifts, the more it will begin to materialize, and you will also begin to learn your strengths. Your specific audience, the one you are meant to touch, will see you clearly when it’s your time.
Lavendine — Jacy’s vivid dream of balancing on the back of a flying whale, surrounded by rising waters, served as a powerful metaphor for your journey, like the Biblical story of Jonah, a symbol emerging from hardship. You’ve each faced health challenges. Jana, a tumor near the brainstem, resulting in 80% hearing loss in one ear. Jacy, multiple surgeries, including one for an ectopic pregnancy. However, your mission continues to inspire listeners who are facing challenges by showing that no matter the obstacles, it’s possible to achieve the dreams you hold in your heart. How do you each make sure to find balance between the personal and professional demands in your lives?
Jana — “Being creative-minded all day, every day, I can write or record a song at the drop of a hat because my mind is always in creative mode. I have learned to be intentional about carving out time every day for my children and my husband. I truly live to do music, but it will never take the place of my family and loved ones. God has shown me what matters most and how to balance them both.”
Jacy — “I am a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of person, and this is difficult for me because I am all in, no matter what I’m doing — music, or being a mom and wife. I usually start to miss my daughter and husband, and this is what helps me balance it. I truly find great joy in being a mom and wife, but I also get fulfilled as a singer-songwriter in a different way. I lean on God always to help me balance them both, just like Jana.”
“Finding My Way Home,” initially a ballad, the track transformed into a high-energy EDM-inspired jam, stems from a traumatic experience Jacy endured. How difficult is it to put your private experiences into lyrics?
Sharing our private experiences in lyrics is not hard at all. In fact, it feels second nature because, being twins, we have always expressed our deep feelings to each other, and it feels totally normal to bare our souls in songs to the listener. It’s actually liberating to let it out and know we are helping someone else along the way.
Your latest, “Waterless Cloud,” was written from the perspective of someone breaking free from a narcissistic partner, the powerful moment when deception unravels, and the truth is revealed. What is the backstory to the song?
This song was birthed after a long season of heavy emotional turmoil brought on by very difficult relationships for us both. We each had to, unfortunately, face the moment when we realized the person or persons we had let close to our lives were not good for us and, in fact, had evil intentions toward us. With God’s help, we were awakened and set free from those horrible situations. The lyrics speak to both the abusive person and ourselves, saying that it’s finally time to be free from the bondage.
And Jana, I saw you are an avid reader. Can you share some titles on your TBR list?
I go through seasons of wanting to read about different subjects. Right now, I am desiring to read books about life after death and heavenly experiences. The book I just ordered is Secrets for Beyond the Grave by Perry Stone. It’s about true testimonials and experiences beyond the grave.