Back in the day, we had musical family outfits like the rockin' Everly Brothers or the soul-slamming superstars, Jackson Five. Our current generation can now look forward to listening to precious folk newcomers, Ortolan, where their ties provide an endearing experience and equally appeal to the auditory sensations. This set of New Jersey sisters bring pleasant melodies that uplift any melancholic day. Read what the songbirds had to share with Evil Monito. EM. As sisters (including Jill as the sister-in-law), how did your family respond to the forming of your musical union? They were very surprised, excited and very supportive. EM. Did you grow up in a musical household? If so, please explain how you were introduced to singing, song-writing and playing instruments? We wouldn't say, musically talented, but we all loved to listen to music. Jill's parents had an awesome record collection. Lara, Brianna and Steph grew up listening to their parent’s music collection, which was best appreciated turned up loudly. I think just by us loving to listen to music made us want to play. EM. How do you each juggle the struggles of adolescence and young adulthood with the pressures of being a musician? It kinda sets you apart from everyone else. It's a catch 22. We miss out on some social events because we need to practice or have a show. But, on the other side, it's cool because we've had opportunities that most people never get to experience, like traveling abroad and meeting so many people. It’s just an overall great experience. EM. How does the songwriting process go? Do you each contribute? Even more, what subject matter do you mainly cover in your songs? Usually one person has a good idea and we all piece together our parts to bring it to life but lyrically, Steph and Lara are the main contributors. As far a subject matter, we talk about our life experiences and just crazy stuff from our imaginations. EM. Your music speaks with a specific clarity, a mixture of vintage and modernity. What are your musical inspirations or who, if at all, do you take direction from? This question is always difficult for us to answer. It's so hard to pin down the one artist that actually inspires us. We love to listen to anything from The Beatles to modern artists like Tegan and Sara, and anything in between. We like to pull from artists that are both old and new. EM. Is SXSW your first big performance? If so, what are you expecting? It's definitely one of the biggest shows we’ve been in. We're hoping to get a lot of exposure, and that it's a good learning experience. Maybe even meet some of our favorite artists. EM. BTW, since a couple of you aren’t of legal drinking age, how do you cope with “adult” behavior from audience members or the venues in which you perform? Do you feel you are getting a fair share of experiencing the wonders of youth or do you have to compromise or sacrifice here and there? If we do get into a "sticky situation" (huhmm...plug), we just smile. We are comfortable with who we are, and proudly stick to our Shirley Temples. EM. Are there other ventures you anticipate in the near future? This tour to SXSW and hopefully going back to Norway in the summer are our main pursuits, but we look forward to all the smaller shows throughout the year. EM. Are there any visual artists or musicians you would like to collaborate with? Wow, it would be so awesome to do something with Lisa Mitchells, Eisley, Matt Corby, Cryptacize, or  Sufian Stevens. So, so, so many awesome artists! EM. What do you foresee for Ortolan in the future? Hopefully, to complete another album, more touring, more people visiting our website or buying our merchandise, and to see a complete stranger's car rocking our sticker-that would be kinda awesome. *** http://ortolansong.com/ http://www.myspace.com/ortolansong