1.    Hello Kendra and Kansas, can you two tell me a little bit about yourselves before you became a country female duo?

We grew up in a very rural area of Northern Minnesota. We are so proud to be from that little nook of the country, it instilled some great values in us and really made us who we are today. Although we didn’t start singing together until our high school years, music has always been a huge part of our lives. Almost every night our parents would have the radio on. Those will forever be some of our favorite memories. 

2.    How you two come up with the name “Highway Hippie,” for your latest EP?

Well we wrote the song ‘Highway Hippie’ about a year and a half before we even decided to record the EP. Immediately after we wrote it, we both decided that if we ever got the chance to make our own music that song was going to be the title track. We credit Highway Hippie for igniting a sort of spark between the two of us. That song definitely put us in the mindset to write the rest of the EP. Highway Hippie really did become a way of life for us. 

3.    What are your guys’ favorite songs off “Highway Hippie?”

It’s hard to have favorite, especially when all the tracks off the EP are so different. Every song is its own story that encapsulates what we were feeling at the time we wrote it. 

But with that being said, there is a song off Highway Hippie that really developed while we were recording it and that is ‘Not Ready’. Originally it was this super slow & sad country song and after working on it in the studio it morphed into something completely different, we love that track. 

4.    Is there anything new coming up with your music in 2020?

Yes! We are so excited about the new project we are currently working on. We can’t say too much yet, but this one will be a full length record. 

5.    How would you describe your music in 3 to 5 words?

“New Wave Retro Country”, that’s a phrase we coined about a year ago and really it’s the only way we can describe our sound. The both of us have a true passion for traditional country but we’re also two young girls living in a modern world. I think the mixture of that really shows in our music.

6.    What was the first country album you ever bought?

That’s a great question! We’re not completely sure to be honest, we have a hard time remembering what happened yesterday. Haha! The first Country Artist we remember listening to though was Johnny Cash.

7.    Where are some of your guys’ favorite events or venues to play at?

What makes every show to us is the people listening. Making a true & genuine connection with whoever is in the audience is always our number one priority but one of our favorite venues is The Sanctuary in Fargo, ND. It was originally an old church they turned into a music venue and every time we play there the energy in that room is just explosive. Some venues you can just feel and The Sanctuary is definitely one of them.

8.    What are some of your guys’ favorite quotes?

9.    Is there anything else you two would like to share?

We believe that Dolly Parton has a perfect quote for everything. One of our favorites from her is “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

Yeah sure! Along with our music we also have a couple of other projects we’re really passionate about. The first one is our radio show called ‘Gypsy Outlaw’. It airs every Thursday night at 7pm CST here in Minnesota but you can also tune in live from anywhere online. Doing radio is super fun for us, it’s basically 2 hours of us laughing, talking, and playing music we love. 

Another project we’re really excited about is our clothing collection that just launched with the Simply boutique located in Warren, MN. We went in and designed a line of about 15 pieces that we love. Folks can take a look at that online as well. We have all the information on our social media pages. 

1. Hi Alexis, can you tell me a little bitt about yourself before you became a country musician? I was born in the small town of Huntsville, Ontario to two very musical parents. Growing up, I always remember the house being filled with music. My dad played guitar and sang, and my mom played piano and sang. It was only a matter of time before I started attempting to play guitar and piano myself. But of course I was too stubborn to sit and let them teach me, so a lot of what I know is self taught. Even before I had officially decided that music was what I wanted to pursue, it was such a huge part of my life! 
2. What was the first country concert or show you ever attended? The first country concert I ever attended was a festival called Boots and Hearts. It’s a huge country music festival in Ontario and it was nothing short of amazing. I think I was 18 or 19 when I went. Some friends and I decided we would bring tents and camp out for 4 days while the festival went on. I still remember how much it rained the entire weekend, and completely flooded our campsite including my tent! But I got to see Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, and many more – so it was totally worth it!
3. What made you decide to do a remix to hit song “Just One Look?” I had been thinking about doing a remix for one of my songs for a while now, and when I released “Just One Look”, I knew it was the right song to use. In my opinion, “Just One Look” is the most pop-sounding song I have released as an artist. So putting an electronic dance beat behind it was a no brainer. After trying to remix the song myself (and not getting very far), I decided to try to find someone who could capture exactly what I wanted – WARINER went beyond that!  WARINER has remixed songs for some amazing artists too, such as Dustin Lynch, Chris Lane, Cale Dodds. He is super talented and I look forward to working with him again in the future! 
4. Is there anything else coming up with your music in 2020? Yes!! I have actually been busy in the studio working on some new music. I don’t have an exact date yet, but I will definitely be releasing some new music in the spring if all goes as planned! I can’t wait for everyone to hear it! 
5. When working on new music what is your recording process like? My recording process is somewhat the same every time I have been in the studio. The hardest part is going through my catalogue of songs and picking the right song to release next. After that, it’s all about getting the right sound to match the lyrics. First, we record the drums, then the rest of the main instruments get filled in around that. After that, I record a rough vocal track. Then we layer more instruments around my vocals, then recut the final vocals and add background vocals. Luckily I have been able to work with some of Nashville’s best and my songs have turned out so much better than I could have ever expected. It definitely makes the process fun and exciting! 
6. What are a few of your favorite venues or events to play at? I love playing events where my family is in the crowd. My parents have always been my biggest supporters, and having them come to my shows is always a chance to show them my gratitude for always believing in me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their love and support.
7. How would you describe your music in 3 to 5 words? If I could describe my music in 3 words it would be honest, catchy, and emotional.  
8. What is one of your favorite quotes? One of my favorite quotes will always be “Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart” from The Eli Young Band song “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” written by Eric Paslay and Will Hoge.  Ever since I heard that song, I feel like it relates to my journey as a musician perfectly. If you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly recommend it! 
9. Is there anything else you would like to share? Yes! I would love for everyone to go check out my very first music video for “Just One Look” that is on my youtube channel, and make sure you subscribe!!