Twayn are late. Only by a few minutes, and they’re profusely apologetic when I finally meet them. They’ve got a good reason, too: they were perfecting a new song in the studio, where one line in particular took “thirty-seven takes” to get right. It’s testament to the polished quality of their finished songs that it takes so long to craft each one. So, I let their lateness slide. Besides, the conversation we have once we’ve met is so enthralling, they more than make up for it.

An introduction for the uninitiated: Twayn are a musical duo hailing from Newcastle, comprising 20-year-old twin sisters Grace and Hannah. Their sound operates between acoustic indie and glittery synths, with a focus on diaristic, raw lyricism. They’re set to open the main stage at this year’s ValeFest, which will be their first festival this year before heading out to the likes of Redcar Kite Festival, Coast Fest and Hardwick. Of ValeFest, Grace says they’re “so excited”, especially since the student-heavy audience will be “our target demographic […] people our age.”

Their lyrics speak to universally student experiences, narrating tales of “first relationships, first breakups, friendships”, as Grace tells me. She’s the one who tends to devise the lyrics (“I have a folder on my Notes app full of random lines I come up with”, she says) along with ideas for melodies; it’s Hannah who then refines the raw song and “[lays] down the bare bones of it on Logic”, before bringing it to a producer.

Twayn’s subject matter is presented in an authentic, confessional style not unlike Taylor Swift or Maisie Peters, the latter of whom is the twins’ ideal collaborator (“to open for her would be a dream”, Hannah says). In fact, I see flashes of each of their favourite Peters song – ‘Yoko’ for Grace and ‘Tough Act’ for Hannah – in their own music. Like both of those Peters tracks, Twayn’s lyricism swerves between wry and witty to casually devastating, often in the same verse. It forms a unique and altogether transfixing listening experience.

I ask if the twins ever get into arguments. “Yes,” they both laugh in unison, before Hannah elaborates: “The band cannot break up – we’re siblings. We don’t argue in a destructive way […] more giving each other constructive criticism. We know each other very well, so we know it always comes from a good, genuine place.” (Though, I’m told that when it comes to vocals, the two get “very sassy” with each other.) Grace describes how she finds it useful to give lyrics to Hannah, to prevent “being blinded by [her own] personal investment”. I propose, too, that there might be an element of sibling rivalry that pushes each of them to be better at what they do. “Absolutely”, they both say. 

The pair’s ear for musical perfection comes from a background in which both are classically trained in singing. Grace plays cello (“very badly”, she says, though I suspect she’s underselling herself), Hannah plays violin and guitar, and they both play piano. Growing up, Grace began to write songs – as early as seven years old – alongside learning piano and in time she started out as a solo performer.

It wasn’t until a songwriting course that took place in Sunderland, in late 2021, when Grace – along with Hannah, who was then just a producer – performed for industry professionals, who suggested they become a duo. There, Twayn was born, with a name coming from the archaic word for ‘two’ – ‘twain’ – but replaced with a ‘y’ to “symbolise two lines meeting to form one shape”, as Hannah so eloquently puts it. 

One thing that truly puts Twayn a cut above the rest is the vocal layering and harmonies that pepper their songs. “It comes naturally”, Grace says of these harmonies, chalking it down to the pair’s classical training, as well as past experience being part of both a choir and more than one musical theatre group. A good ear for pitch has its drawbacks, though; “everyone hates doing karaoke with us”, Hannah jokes, “because we always try and sing badly” – though I doubt it’s possible for either of these two to deliver a poor vocal performance.

They’re also inspired by acts like the Carpenters – introduced to the twins by their parents – who were known to centre vocal harmonies in both studio and live performances of their songs. In fact, while Twayn do enjoy performing live, citing the “audience’s energy”, they prefer the “multiple takes [and] the familiarity” of the studio. Their confidence in such a studio environment is reflected in the finished songs, which are clean and warm as well as spilling over with emotion. The perfectionist tendencies of both twins have clearly paid off.

When asked what’s next for Twayn, the answer they give is tantalising. They’ve been in the studio recently working on new music (though the two promise me that they’re “always working on new songs”), and tease a “massive announcement towards the end of this year”. For now, they’re rehearsing for ValeFest and their other festival slots this summer. 

I ask what Twayn track they’d recommend for new listeners. Again, the answer is rich with detail. Grace suggests that, because they’reoperating under the ‘pop’ umbrella, they’ve been able to span the genre’s full breadth, from acoustic-led cuts to more upbeat numbers. Newer listeners, then, are bound to find something they like within the Twayn catalogue. Hannah says “classic Twayn would be ‘Sweet 16’ […] classic harmonies in a sad ballad.” Meanwhile, of the “new-age Twayn, the poppy stuff”, a good place to start would be ‘The Way It Is’.

Towards the end of my conversation with Twayn, the sound of a throaty engine speeds past the window; I like to think that they’re already rushing to secure their spot at the barricade at the ValeFest main stage.

Catch Twayn on the main stage at Valefest on Saturday 7th June, at 4:15p.m. Stream their music on all major platforms, and follow @twayntwins on Instagram for updates.

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