For as long as sisters and singers Britt and Carly McKillip can remember they knew they were destined for a career in music.
“I don’t think there was ever any question either as to what we were going to do,” Carly, 25, told the News Bulletin. “This was what we were going to do and we were going to do it together.”
Since they were in their early teens, the sisters have been taking the stage together as award-winning country duo, One More Girl.
On Friday (Aug. 15), One More Girl will be taking the stage at the Vancouver Island Exhibition.
“We are super excited,” Carly said about their upcoming performance in the Harbour City. “Summer festival season is always a really fun time and we love on the Island so it is going to be a really fun show and a really fun experience.”
The McKillips grew up surrounded by musical talent. Their mother, Lynda is a singer/songwriter and their father, Tom, is a musician and producer, who has worked with artists such as Lisa Brokop, Ian Tyson, Aaron Pritchett and Jason Blaine.
Despite their parents being involved in the music industry, the duo felt no pressure to become musicians.
“Carly and I both chose this from a very young age,” Britt said.
In 2008, One More Girl was signed to EMI Music Canada and have since released multiple records, including their most recent record, The Hard Way.
“We have poured so much blood, sweat and tears, time, energy, late nights into this album and we have been very involved with the process from the writing to the song selection, to the recording,” Carly said about the five-track EP.
The Hard Way was co-produced by both girls and features Britt playing the acoustic guitar and Carly playing piano.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had so much involvement in anything production wise ever in our career,” Britt said. “So this was awesome for us to able to be able to give our opinion and our input and it was pretty awesome to have so much creative control.”
The country duo explained that they enjoyed having more creative control with their music.
“I think we like that process a lot more,” Brit said. “Just having that much creative control, I think it is important to both of us. We’re both pretty musical, we’re not just artists. Carly is an amazing pianist and musician. So I think that kind of makes us a little bit different than the average artist.”
Following their performance at VIEX, the duo will be opening for country legend Alan Jackson, on select dates of his upcoming Canadian tour.
“We are really excited,” Carly said.
In addition to One More Girl’s headlining performance on Friday, rock band Chilliwack will headline the main stage on Saturday at 9:30 p.m., while Sunday’s headliner is none other than Nanaimo’s own David Gogo, who takes the stage at 3:20 p.m.
For more information, please visit www.viex.ca.
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