Getting ‘closer’ with indie duo
TEGAN and Sara collect all their fan art.
For the past 13 years, the Canadian twin duo Tegan and Sara has carved its own niche in the indie rock and mainstream scenes.
Their seventh studio album, “Heartthrob,” showcases how their sound has evolved into a delicious pop-infused sound with raw indie sensibilities. In previous interviews, they often mentioned their conscious effort to make a record that didn’t sound like any of their older albums.
When I met them in Makati recently, they greeted me with smiles that lit up the room.
What’s your favorite song from “Heartthrob”?
Tegan: It changes all the time. We’re really proud of each song.
Sara: I really like “Shock to Your System.”
T: “Shock to Your System” is amazing. People, on the other hand, have a very intense response to “How Come You Don’t Want Me” [when we play it] live. It’s an emotional song. We’re especially proud of “Closer” and “I Was a Fool.” We love the whole record.
You both love Bruce Springsteen. If you could sing a duet with him, which song would you choose?
S: Maybe “Atlantic City.” I’m a big fan of the “Nebraska” album.
T: I think “Human Touch” is really good. That’s what’s really great about Bruce Springsteen … every record is different [from] the one before. He challenges himself as a writer. That’s what Sara and I are trying to do as well.
Just for fun, who would you choose to be your “baby daddies” among Hollywood celebrities ?
T: Oh my God, Brad Pitt would be great. I mean, he has had so many cute children already. [Or] Daniel Craig. Imagine if James Bond was my baby’s father? That would be amazing.
S: Maybe Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s pretty. He hasn’t had any kids. Is that too old school? George Clooney would make a great baby daddy, too.
How do you manage to store all your fans’ gifts?
T: We could probably hire someone to figure [that] out. [Meanwhile,] we’re [pretty] insatiable so we do eat a lot of the food that people give us.
S: After [the] Kuala Lumpur [leg of our current tour], I packed everything that was nonperishable. I’ll just bring the gifts home to my friends and family.
T: We try to collect all the fan art. It’s funny … we went to Elvis Presley’s house, in Graceland, Memphis. A huge part of the tour is the fan art. We have some really talented fans.
As your music evolves, so do your hairstyles. If you could resurrect one of those, what would it be?
S: Wow, this is really scary because I was just looking at old photos when we had mullets. I regretted it for a long time. Hair is such a funny thing. We had long hair most of our life growing up and as soon as we cut it, there was some [sense] of liberation.
T: Like today, I’m wearing it this way. It’s because it’s so humid here, my hair gets curly and bunched up.
How does it feel that “Closer” is considered one of the year’s best songs?
S: We’re honored. This song has given us an amazing opportunity to travel to totally new places: Southeast Asia, Mexico, parts of Europe. Past records didn’t give us the fan base that could bring us to those countries. “Closer” really gets a visceral reaction and, for that, I’m really grateful.
