Candian Pop-Folk Duo Was Indie Before Indie Was Indie

When the term “indie” was first used in the music industry, it meant something very specific—a band or artist who was unsigned or signed to a small, little-known record label. With the lo-fi aesthetic that came with independent production, an attitude arose that in a very significant way undermined the nature of the music industry. Today, “indie” refers more to a genre than to a production practice or an attitude, and with this genre growing in popularity, it is increasingly difficult for indie bands to maintain their independent outlook and pave their own way in the industry. But after over 10 years of making music together, Tegan and Sara Quin have held onto their roots, and fight to remain close to their fans, even as their popularity surges.

The sisters started playing as PLUNK in high school in their hometown of Calgary, Alberta. They started to gain momentum when they won small songwriting competitions, and ever since releasing their lo-fi first album at the age of 17, they have shown no signs of slowing down. The sisters have toured as supporting acts with other indie favorites such as Hot Hot Heat and Ryan Adams.

Eleven years since winning their first battle of the bands in Calgary, the two have released five full-length albums, and have been nominated twice for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys. Tegan and Sara have completed several sold-out international tours and their most recent album, The Con, premiered at #34 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Even with their success, “It’s always about the music for us,” said Tegan. “We find it quite increasingly addictive over the years, even though it’s hard and exhausting.”

A decade into their flourishing careers, Tegan and Sara certainly feel the pressure to conform, but have no trouble holding their own. “When it comes to writing or playing or picking shows or finding record deals or whatever, I just do what I feel comfortable doing.... The key is definitely to keep your head in the game and the game is music for us,” Tegan said. Explaining how they avoid succumbing to the pressures of the industry, she continued, “And if you’re worrying about the music industry or record deals or the record companies or what other people think or awards or reviewers—any of that shit, then you’re not in the game anymore.”

While most of the group’s fans consider Tegan and Sara “indie” in the sense that their music falls into the same genre as most other independently produced artists, the sisters, unlike many of their contemporaries, have held onto the indie spirit that used to define the word. For example, on their last tour, which spanned nine countries throughout Europe, the band tried to get to know its audience by interviewing one random native fan before every show and publishing the interviews as a Web series entitled “backstage bilingual”—Tegan and Sara wanted to learn about each culture before they performed in a country.

Their latest tour launched on April 6, starting on the West Coast. While this tour will have no “backstage bilingual,” Tegan excitedly described her enthusiasm connecting with fans differently—through People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “I was thinking it might be cool to do something with them because we’ve gotten kind of involved with them over the years, and we’ve started to feel that it’s an important cause,” she said. “I think that a lot of ideas are coming out of talking to them. It would be really fun to find a way to create a new fun show.”

And this free-spirited activism that can be linked to Tegan and Sara’s indie roots doesn’t stop at PETA. Regarding their next tour, Tegan said, “We’re so excited ... because we’re going to team up with Rock the Vote and get some voting terminals out there that will encourage people to vote because it will be very close to election at that point.”

Obviously, the 27-year-old sisters have no problem keeping their music and the attitude of the band inventive and fresh after 10 years. Even as they break through internationally, Tegan and Sara are still very much an indie band. “We’re defined enough and established enough and strong enough that I think that we can handle pretty much anything at this point,” Tegan said. She explained that in the changing industry, “We’re young enough and we’re eager enough and we’re progressive enough so that we’ll adapt.” But one thing is for sure: while their music may change as they grow, their attitude, the “indie mentality” they’ve held onto for so long, is here for good.