The identical twins behind Taxi Taxi! Photo: Julien Bourgeois

Despite their tender age — the sisters were born in 1990 — Taxi Taxi! have already made an impact on the Swedish music scene and beyond. The successful release on the web set in motion a journey of melancholic music making, international touring and collaborations with other Swedish musicians.

A significant choice

Shortly after their breakthrough on the web, they released their self-titled debut EP, Taxi Taxi! It received recognition worldwide, not only for its charming melodies; Björn Yttling, of world-touring Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John, produced it.

At 14, the Eriksson Berhans moved from Luleå, in the north of Sweden, to Stockholm; a relocation that proved pivotal. After their first taste of fame, Johanna and Miriam took a few steps back. After all, they were still in high school, but the prime motivation was to progress in their music.

“It was a little bit frightening with all the attention we received after submitting two songs to MySpace,” Miriam says. “So it was important for us to find our own sound.”

Sharing the Swedish success

In Stockholm the twins met up with fellow musicians: Johan Berthling from Swedish label Häpna and Joachim Ekerman (who has also worked with other Swedish musicians: Jenny Wilson, Frida Hyvönen and First Floor Power) shared their expertise in production of Still Standing at Your Back Door, Taxi Taxi!’s first full-length album, released in September 2009.

Tell us more about your collaborations so far. Do you have any dream projects in mind at this point?

“We did back-up singing for Swedish band Park Hotell and for British DJ Damian Lazarus,” Miriam says. “I can’t really think of any dream collaborations; our dream and goal right now is to work on our own music and tour with it.”

Tuning in to a treasure

Taxi Taxi!’s music is delicate, sophisticated and vulnerable. The melancholic feeling makes one wonder how such poignant tunes can spring from these vigorous souls.

The stories that enfold through the album deal with heartbreak and teenage dreams. But a few moments into listening one is able to recognize more mature expressions, mostly because of the sparse arrangements, melancholic melodies and unique vocal interplay between the sisters — not to mention that they play all the instruments, including piano, drums, harmonica and strings.

Most of your songs are in English but in “The Same Side of the Moon,” there are a few phrases in Swedish. What’s your relation to your native language when it comes to creating music?

“You can be more direct with Swedish, because you know the exact meaning of the words,” Miriam says. “With English it’s more limited. When we perform the song abroad, it adds an interesting effect; people sometimes get confused and start wondering what language we’re singing in,” she laughs.

Taxi Taxi! en route

Taxi Taxi! are currently on an extensive European tour, including shows in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Milan.

Is it different to perform abroad from in Sweden?

“As a matter of fact it is. We love performing in Stockholm — our friends are there,” Miriam says. “But performing abroad feels more real; it’s real fans and a real audience — you get very honest reactions, which makes performing interesting.”

One of your stops on the European tour is all-female festival Les Femmes S'en Mêlent in Paris. Do you feel that you get special treatment for being female musicians?

“Yes. I’m not sure exactly what makes us feel like that, but people talk a lot about us as a young female act,” Miriam says. “It’s easy for people to treat us like cute kittens or puppies, and somewhat look down on us. At least that’s how it feels sometimes. On the other hand, that also gives us the strength to prove them wrong!”

Taxi Taxi! is ready to embark on a musical odyssey. Judging by the first stops on their way, the journey looks very promising.

Written by Lydia Kellam

Juggling jobs, projects, parties, connections — not to mention all the yellow taxis — New York City resident Lydia Kellam works in the music industry and runs The Swede Beat Magazine, a publication dedicated to Swedish contemporary pop culture. 
 

Interview by Elena Tillman Sperandio

Elena Tillman Sperandio devotes her time to media and communication studies as well as freelance writing. She dreams about forming a band and keeps a list of awesome things to call it. Too bad that Taxi, Taxi! is already taken.

www.theswedebeat.com

The authors alone are responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.