The Native Sibling is composed of you and your brother. Have you been in a band together before?

Our musical pursuits had always been rather separate until now. I(Kaylee) have come from many years of classical and jazz piano training while Ryan has been in many hardcore, alternative and rock bands before. Around four years ago I started writing songs and playing guitar and it was refreshing to start writing on a foreign instrument. We have both been putting song ideas to one another for years, but our styles had never found cohesion until these tunes came about. A few years back we recorded an unreleased cover of  ‘Can the Circle be Unbroken’ and in retrospect I guess that was an unofficial start.

How did you decided to create the band? And where does the name come from?

Last year I spent living in Ireland and amongst many realizations came to the fact that both music and family are of the utmost importance in my life. We constantly had joked about starting a band, but a serious tone was always underlying. Myself coming back to the states and Ryan having a few weeks to spare, we both recognized that now was the time to make an attempt to make music that was ours. The name stems from the fact that we are siblings, however, the Native Sibling draws on the idea of where our roots, family, traditions, and ideology come from and how they shape our view of the world. In many ways we are where we come from, but to be shaped through experience and those who are different than us is also inevitable.

How would you describe your music?

The best general classification is folk, however, we hope our music can be characterized by moving vocal melodies and storytelling lyrics.

What bands did you grow up listening to?

Some of the  ‘favorites’ include Ingrid Michaelson and Brandi Carlile. We both draw a lot of inspiration from newer artists such as Bon Iver, Delta Spirit, and Augustana. The older artists include the likes of Neil Young, Emmylou Harris and Kris Kristofferson.

Where do you get the inspiration to write your songs?

Most often I lend inspiration from conversations that I have or experiences that I have been through. Having a mental image while singing a song draws an evident emotion and truth in the lyrics, which we hope people can relate to.

Your EP will come out soon. Tell me more about it

We recorded most tracks during a week-long session in Santa Monica last summer with our good friend John Zambricki. The EP is a unique mixture of tunes, but centers on the idea of ‘home.’ Home is really not a place, but rather a comfort and peace that we can draw on anywhere or with anyone.

What are your plans for this year?

In this next year I will  graduate with a degree in Hydrology from UC Davis. We then hope to move forward with our music by practicing up and hitting the road. Recording our next batch of songs that are already in the works is in our near future as time allows. We are both excited about that process as this EP has been a great experience up to this point. Besides that there are still many unknowns, but that’s part of the thrill.