Tegan and Sara: Tegan Quin Talks Touring and Why Their Next Album Will Be Intense

Brianne Nemiroff

“All I want to get is a little bit closer” to Tegan and Sara. And so we did. Indie darlings, Tegan and Sara, have been making music since they were 15-years-old and have been releasing music since 1999 via Neil Young’s Vapor Records. Popular on the indie rock scene for over a decade, the Canadian identical twin sisters have toured with some of the most popular artists over the last 20 years, The Black Keys, Neil Young, Ryan Adams, Paramore, and most recently Katy Perry, who gave them extra exposure to mainstream audiences.

After a long tour with Katy Perry in 2014, Tegan and Sara are also doing a small headlining tour throughout November before heading back into the studio to produce their eighth album. But before they leave us until 2016, we found out what to expect on their final tour for “Heartthrob”, why not being “out” was never an option, and why they get hundreds of fan letters at every show.

At the beginning of 2014, you had “Everything is Awesome” featured in “The Lego Movie” that you worked on with The Lonely Island. What was it like to be a part of that film and also working with The Lonely Island?

It was a really awesome opportunity for us. We reached a really huge diverse group of people. We didn’t go into the studio with The Lonely Island, but we know those guys and Andy [Samberg]’s really awesome. We were excited to hear that they were the ones doing the rap. We got to work with Mark Mothersbaugh of DEVO, which was amazing. The movie itself, I thought was great. It’s kind-of the best thing in the world because lots of people know it was us, [but also] a lot of people don’t. It’s nice to be part of something fun and being [somewhat] anonymous, for the people who think that song is really annoying (laughs).

You just finished a tour with Katy Perry. Even though you’ve been touring for over a decade, do you feel that this tour possibly exposed you to a new fan base? What was it like opening and working with her?

We took upon the tour with Katy Perry for that exact reason. We have opened for Neil Young, The Black Keys, Cyndi Lauper, The Killers, [etc]. This was the first mainstream pop artist to share a stage with. We really wanted to get in front of that audience. That [audience] was me as a teenager. I listened to pop music and mainstream music. We want to reach the people who would like Tegan and Sara that exist in that world where we don’t really exist. We made “Heartthrob” to diversify to mainstream, get it onto the radio and [create] some alternative vibe. That was really amazing.

Katy [Perry] was an early supporter. She tweeted us when the album came out saying how much she loved the record. We would never want to open for a band that was not sure how they felt about us. We had a great time. We watched the show every night. Although it’s a stretch and we’re probably never going to dance or fly around an arena, we learned a lot about work ethic, how to run a business and how to work an audience from Katy. After 15 years, Sara and I are still learning. If we weren’t still learning, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing. We’re both sponges. We like to be better every time we tour. L.A, in particular, was a terrifying show as it was such a big show and it was so important. But I’m really excited to play our own show at the Palladium. I feel like there is going to be a lot of new people there, which is really exciting.

You’re back to headlining a short tour this fall. What are you looking forward to the most on this tour and what should the fans expect to hear and experience?

We’re excited to see if the new fans come out and if the tour had an effect on them at all. The show itself, we’re playing a lot of music. It’s the last tour of this record. We won’t be back [touring] until 2016. It’s your last opportunity to see Tegan and Sara for a long time!

It’s our 10th anniversary of “So Jealous,” the record that got us on the map. We’re playing a lot of material from that record.

After this tour, you’ll be heading back into the studio for your 8th album. Do you know which producers you’ll be working with or what you’ll be writing about?

We try to let the music dictate the direction we go. We’re already writing so I think it’s safe to say we’ll stay pretty close to where we’ve been at, heading more in the pop direction. Our intention is to do something even more vulnerable, just as big and bombastic as possible. We’re experiencing a lot of intense, big life decisions right now. I imagine it’s going to be a pretty intense record.

In terms of production, we’re interested in pop music so I wouldn’t be surprised if you see Greg Kurstin producing tracks again. We’ve got some tricks up our sleeve. I think it’s going to be a good record. I think fans are going to love it. I hope it’s out in 2016.

Who are your musical influences, past and current?

When we started, we were reflecting on rock music, indie rock. But we grew up as kids in the 80s, so [we’re influenced by] everything from Bruce Springsteen, to Cyndi Lauper, The Police, The Neville Brothers. The 80s influences are coming out now. I’ve listened to a lot of Kate Bush and Tom Petty lately.

Now, I love pop music. I love Taylor Swift’s new record, Katy Perry’s record. I also love a lot of the stuff that’s coming out in the electronic world. I listen to Adele obsessively, a pretty wide spectrum of music. I love the new Thom Yorke record.

You’ve been professional musicians for around 15 years. How has your songwriting process or your topics changed over the years? What has stayed the same?

I think when people ask that question, I take a moment to reflect that…fuck, it’s 15 years. Everything has changed. We were in high school when we started. Now we’re full-grown adults. The best way to explain it is to think about where you were at 16 and where you’re at now. Our style, our faces, our brains, our relationships have changed. We’ve traveled the world, we’ve experienced highs and low, learned our craft and played thousands of shows. When I sit down to write a song, it’s unrecognizable to the way I used to do it. I can control my vocals and my ability to write. I’ve learned how to create a very intimate space for a listener while still protecting my privacy. It’s [only] my passion for making music that has stayed the same.

You both are openly gay and are advocates for LGBT equality. Have there been any fan letters that have been particularly touching or have stuck with you through the years?

Every day. We have a mailbox on our merch table. We get hundreds of letters. [The letters] are not just from gay people, trans kids or alternative people; it’s also their family and friends. For some people, it’s just letters of how we make them feel like they can be anything they want. But I think a lot of people listen to us because they like music, too. You don’t have to be tortured to listen to Tegan and Sara, although some people are.

Our purpose of making music was more than making money and having a job. Music has been so important to me in times of good and bad. It’s a soundtrack to our lives, literally. There’s a lot of reasons to be who we are and for us the idea of making music, that’s so personal and hiding [our sexuality], who we were, was never an option. We’re not a theatrical band writing songs about fantasy characters. We’re writing songs about our personal experiences. It was the 90s [when we started], and it wasn’t really cool to come out. But no one was going to believe us if we said we’re straight (laughing). No one really cared because we were so obscure. The first couple of years, no one really asked.  I’m sure it was partly homophobia, as they thought it was inappropriate to pry into our social lives. At first, I don’t even know if we understood; we didn’t have the foresight to see if it was going to affect our career. Then [being gay] stopped being uncool and bad, and [we realized] maybe it was hurting us, but oh well, we’re already through it now. I’m proud we stuck through it and we managed to have a career anyway. Now it doesn’t even seem to be a big deal so that’s really cool.

Tegan and Sara will be performing at the Hollywood Palladium on Nov. 18. Tickets are available here.