Tegan and Sara are set to perform tonight at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in support of The Shins.
Tegan took some time to answer questions via email about their current tour, hidden talents and what fans can expect from their upcoming album, “Heartthrob.”
Emerald: What has this tour been like so far and what is the craziest thing that has happened on this tour so far?
Tegan took some time to answer questions via email about their current tour, hidden talents and what fans can expect from their upcoming album, “Heartthrob.”
Emerald: What has this tour been like so far and what is the craziest thing that has happened on this tour so far?
Tegan: The tour has been fantastic! I was really worried about getting the show we wanted to perform up and off the ground so quickly, but it’s been pretty seamless thus far. Nothing too crazy has happened honestly (it’s only been three shows), but I am impressed at how quickly our fans have latched on to the four new songs we are performing live! That’s always a good feeling!
Emerald: You recently announced that you will be touring with The Black Keys and then later with The Killers. How did this come to be?
Tegan: Oh there is a lot happening behind the scenes in the music business that people don’t see. Our agent, their agents, etc. Who knows what they do to get these sorts of deals done! Ha. Kidding. I think both bands just heard our new record and liked it and wanted to tour together! Bam! Just like that we’re going on tour! We love both bands (we’ve actually toured with The Killers before) so it was very exciting to be asked back!
Emerald: You recently released a new single, “Closer.” What was the inspiration behind this song?
Tegan: I was writing a lot of really dark, acoustic, rock stuff and I just was feeling a bit exhausted by it all…and so I sat down to try and write something romantic. I was thinking about my youth. Reminiscing about a time where holding hands and having crushes was as far as we used to go. For whatever reason I find that to be a very nostalgic age right now. I wanted to write something up beat and fun. But with a dark undertone. The song really does have a longing embedded in it even though it’s very dancy and poppy. It’s still very Tegan and Sara to my ear.
Emerald: It’s been a couple of years since your last studio album. What can fans expect from your new album?
Tegan: I think Heartthrob is a classic Tegan and Sara record. It’s MUCH popier and brighter than our past few records but I think we have gone back to our roots (“If It Was You” and “So Jealous”) and are leaning more heavily on our pop influences and using our vocal melodies and keyboard melodies to drive the songs. It’s still a very heavy record in terms of subject matter but I think it feels upbeat.
Emerald: What were some of the greatest challenges you faced while creating this album? What were some of the parts that came easiest?
Tegan: We used three different producers over three months so the biggest challenge was not feeling disconnected from the process or the songs we had already worked on. The part that came easiest was actually working with each producer. They were all so positive and confident about the music and that made going to work each day a true pleasure.
Emerald: Who are some artists that you are listening to right now?
Tegan: Cat Power, Beach House, Stars, Yeasayer, Gaslight Anthem, The XX.
Emerald: What’s a hidden talent you have?
Tegan: I can whistle louder than anyone I know.
