Interview – Mystic & Miranda

Kitchener-Ontario based sister duo Mystic & Miranda may or may not be a name you’ve heard of before, but they have been in the Canadian music scene since the late 90’s. Their award winning sound combines pop, soul, reggae and hip-hop, doing justice to their influences along the lines of music legends Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey.

The sisters released their newest single “Speed of Love on January 13th. We had the chance to ask the sisters a few questions about their single, new music plans, and what they’ve been doing in the industry for almost twenty years.

First of all, would you like to introduce yourselves to our readers who may not be familiar with your work?

Most people know us as the featured artists on 2Rude’s Juno and Much Music Video Award winning single “Thinkin’ About You” in 1999. We’ve also worked with other great Canadian acts like Maestro (“416/905 T.O. Party Anthem”), Snow (Mind on the Moon) and Parachute Club. For those that don’t know us, we are sisters (but not twins) that have grown up in the industry. We write, produce and record our own music. We challenge and support each other in our craft. Our music is full of melodies, harmonies and emotion.

You two have been in the music industry for quite some time. What are some of the biggest changes you’ve noticed?

We love that Canadian artists are seeing global success and that more artists are writing their own songs and recording the masters in home studios. Anything that empowers artists and gives them more freedom is a good thing. Also, technology has simplified distribution and made it easier for artists to connect with their fanbase through social media.

Your newest single was released on the first Friday the 13th of the year. Do you have any superstitions when it comes to the date? In general?

Absolutely none. In fact that date was suggested to us by the digital retailers as an ideal date to be considered for feature placements. We just followed the recommendation.

What has kept you going in the industry for so long?

We were raised in a musical family. Our dad was a founding member of Canada’s first reggae band – Messenjah. He is now living in Los Angeles and still performs his original music. Our brother is a tour manager/sound tech that has worked with Shad, Classified and Coleman Hell. Our youngest brother is a rapper/producer based out of LA and our younger sister is a DJ in Toronto. It’s a family affair! It’s how we live..

Can fans expect any more new music soon?

More music – YES! We have so many great songs that we can’t wait to share with fans. Soon? As soon as possible. Because we’re independent we have to share new music at the time that will get us the maximum impact. We also have to decide – single, EP or album?

How about a tour?

We have no immediate tour plans but we are performing at select showcases.

What are some of the inspirations behind “Speed of Love”?

Speed of Love was inspired by the concept of armouring, specifically having been in a bad relationship in the past and letting that experience affect you so much that you put on emotional armour to protect yourself from getting hurt again. You think you’re protecting yourself but you’re really underestimating how powerful love can be because love can and will break through that armour easily, in fact quickly.

What was the writing and recording process like?

For us, often the title and concept comes first when writing. We pick a title and concept we feel strongly about then we develop the theme when something inspires us. We first decided on the title “Speed of Love” in 2013 and developed it over the years. We recorded the song several times until the production was right. We have concepts that we decided on when we were teenagers that we’re developing now.

Here at Canadian Beats, we like to throw in a few fun questions as well so your fans and our readers can get to know you a bit better:

Who is your favourite duo?

Venus and Serena Williams hands down! We love their hustle and drive and how they constantly support each other. They are true power siblings.

Are there any Canadian bands/artists that you would recommend to our readers?

We think the Top 40 artists all bring something unique and worth checking out i.e. Justin Bieber makes great smooth pop, Shawn Mendes brings more raw soul, Drake has swagger, Alessia Cara has velvety vocals and a positive message. We also love great Canadian songwriters like Neil Young and Ron Sexsmith as well as Canadian soul acts like Ray Robinson and Natasha Waterman.

What are your most realistic New Year resolutions?

We don’t have New Year’s resolutions per se. The new year ends up becoming more of a deadline for us. In December we pick something that we don’t want to carry over into the new year and get it done before Jan 1st. For example, we set a goal to finalize the video for our new single, and we did.

What do you think the most played song on your phone is right now?

Mystic: Any song from Late Registration (Clean Version) by Kanye West.

Miranda: JLo “I’m Into You”

Who was your favourite musical group/artist in the 90s?

Mystic: Janet Jackson

Miranda: Do we have to pick one? I am a huge Aaliyah fan – I just watched my Romeo Must Die DVD a few weeks ago but Mariah Carey is legend. I have Music Box on cassette, CD, in sheet music and bought it again on iTunes.

And finally, is there anything you would like to say to your fans?

Thank you for your patience and support! We’re confident you’ll love what we have in store.

Connect with Mystic & Miranda Online:
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