It's no secret that women can rock just as hard, if not harder, than men. But there seems to be a disparity when it comes to their representation in the music industry. They are topping the charts but barely getting any slots at big name festivals (this years Coachella lineup is 90 percent male). To do what we can to celebrate these women and give them the positive recognition they deserve, each week Music Times will introduce you to a female in the music industry whom we love.
Singer-songwriters, rappers, DJs, producers, filmmakers, and any woman who is part of the music industry is fair game for this segment. So read on, and get to know the women who continue to wow us. This week we'd like to show off ...
Name: Johanna Soderberg, Klara Soderberg
Age: 23 (Johanna), 20 (Klara)
Profession: Indie folk rock duo
From: Enskede, Sweden
Why We Love Her: There's just something about a beautifully rich folk rock harmony, and that's something that sisterly duo First Aid Kit do perfectly time and time again. First Aid Kit has been going hard at it since 2007, when Johanna and Klara were discovered as one of the rising acts of Sweden, their home country. Since then, First Aid Kit has become an easy staple of the indie rock world, winning over audiences, musicians and critics alike.
Creating a unique blend of folk, rock, indie and pop, the Soderberg sisters are able to stand out in an otherwise crowded folk rock market.
Background: Johanna Soderberg was born on Halloween, 1990, and her sister Klara followed her into the world on January 8, 1993. In 2007, the two began a career in music by sending out a demo tape to their local radio station with the single "Tangerine," which got radio play and helped them build an audience. First Aid Kit's first major breakthrough came in 2008 when they posted a sparkling, forested cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Pleasant Song" on YouTube. The clip quickly went viral, giving them attention in North America and promoting the band's first studio album The Big Black and Blue.
First Aid Kit first made it big in January 2012, after the release of its second studio album The Lion's Roar. Featuring strong folk-influenced singles such as "Emmylou" and "The Lion's Roar," the album was both critically and fan acclaimed, leading to major spots on Conan and in the Lollapalooza lineup.
Fun Fact: First Aid Kit are well known for folky covers of popular indie and country songs. Johanna and Klara teamed up with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes in 2012 for a new spin on The White Stripes' classic track "We Are Gonna Be Friends."
What Now: They're prepping a third studio album and getting ready for an extensive US tour. According to First Aid Kit's Facebook and Twitter, the Soderberg sisters are currently in the studio. And, as a Christmas present, they released a cover of Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again" to help pump fans up for a 2014 tour.
Listen: Listen to First Aid Kit's cover of "On The Road Again," wherein Johanna and Klara Soderberg add beautiful vocals to the country classic:
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