They were born and raised in America, and the stories of their childhood have something of a magical quality for fans. They recorded both a never-released hip-hop record, Word to the Crow, and their first album, La maison de mon rêve over the course of 2 months in the bathroom of Sierra's Paris apartment in 2003, after meeting for the first time in years. Since this time, the two sisters have been inseparable.
They are considered largely part of the freak-folk/new weird America movement, and their style varies with touches of blues, opera, pop, hip-hop, folk, electronica, and anything else you can think of. Sierra is classically trained in operatic vocal techniques, and sings while playing guitar, harp, and flute. Bianca is a percussionist, and also beatboxes as well as manipulating various children's toys which they use to create their unique sound.
Releases include:
Albums- La maison de mon rêve (2004)
- Noah's Ark (2005)
- The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn (2007)
- Grey Oceans (2010)
- Tales of a Grass Widow (2013)
- Heartache City (2015)
- Put the Shine On (2020)
- Beautiful Boyz (2004)
- God Has a Voice, She Speaks Through Me (2008)
- Coconuts, Plenty of Junk Food (2009)
- We Are On Fire / Tearz for Animals (2012)
The sisters and their music contains examples of:
- Arranged Marriage / Old Man Marrying a Child: In Child Bride.
- Bifauxnen: Besides the Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn album cover, Bianca has the habit of crossdressing during shows. She doesn't look bad.
- Central Theme: Their childhood.
- Driven to Suicide: In the music video of Gallows.
- Everything Is an Instrument: At their early years they used to do their music with a lot of musical toys.
- Genre Mashup: Their music is officially classified as "Freak Folk", but it's really hard to exactly define it, as it ranges from hip hop to opera to blues to electronica...
- Gratuitous French: Bisounours and The Sea Is Calm.
- Lyrical Dissonance: All of the songs, really. Childlike tunes, lyrics about aborted fetuses, drugs, abandonment, abuse, racism, LGBT issues, death...
- Obsession Song: Honey Or Tar.
- Stylistic Suck: The album covers. Somewhat averted by Tales of a Grass Widow.
- Surreal Music Video: Most of them, with a special mention to Lemonade and We Are On Fire.
- Uncanny Valley Makeup: In the Lemonade video, and some album covers and performances.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: While most of their songs have bits from their childhood memories, Werewolf and Lemonade are way more direct about this, but still heavily romanticized.
- Xtreme Kool Letterz: Beautiful Boyz, Tearz for Animals.