NERVO with Ministry Of Sound

Sisters Miriam and Olivia, better known as globe-trotting DJ’s and producers Nervo, are high on life. Here’s how they do it…

You’ve worked with Kylie Minogue, Afrojack, Miley Cyrus and more, and written some huge hits… what are you most proud of?

We learn a lot when working with other artists. We learn creative tips, but also more about the business and how to cope with the stresses that come with it. As far as our proudest moment(s), we are constantly having to pinch ourselves, whether it’s signing an endorsement deal, seeing our debut album go top of the iTunes charts, or playing a main stage. Even seeing our song plays on Spotify ,or the number of hits on youtube, and seeing songs we’ve written win a Grammy… amazing.

When did things really start taking off for you as producers?

We had been writing since we were 15. We started writing for pop stars, then we discovered Ibiza and our whole lives changed – we were super inspired by the dirtier, crunchier beats and longer grooves. From there, we started working more with DJ’s, writing their toplines, and bit by bit we started to do more. We took a course at London School of Sound so we could learn better how to produce, and we just worked long and hard and started making more music on our own. We made a lot of really bad songs, then some good ones. It was when a track we wrote for David Guetta, When Love Takes Over, won a Grammy, that we were inspired to work as artists in our own right.

You launched your own label last year. Tell us how that’s going…

When Maykel approached us [to start our own label] we jumped at the opportunity, as it’s not only an avenue for us to release NERVO records, but also to work with other artists we admire. We can’t wait to start signing records, it’s such a creative and new experience for us and we’re super excited for the opportunity to even explore other genres. Expect the unexpected.

You also had a more of a pop sound towards the end of last year. What can we expect in 2017 and beyond?

Our tastes are constantly changing. We find our most recent track is the one we like the best, but we’re really excited about the music we’re working on right now! In Your Arms definitely had a more pop sound to it. We like to write all types of tunes and we’ll be releasing some clubbier remixes this year, but also some poppier dance tunes. We are constantly being inspired by what we hear in clubs, on the radio, on Spotify and just everyday. We have a lot of new releases coming out with some special collabs, like DVBBS and Sofi Tukker, and also original NERVO records, so stay tuned!

Who do you most want to work or collaborate with that you haven’t worked with yet?

Rihanna, Black Coffee, Skrillex, Imogen Heap, and London Grammar.

You do so many shows a year alongside your writing and production. How do you do it all, and do you manage to relax away from work?

We fly a lot, so we try and relax there, watch movies and catch up on sleep. We also go home to Australia for a few months at the end of each year to lay low with friends and family. Being able to travel with your sister and see so many great places is also a great way to unwind, when we have time of course! We have become experts at quick naps. We can literally sleep anywhere, on planes, in airports, in lobby’s… probably even standing up.

You have a lot of creative energy, how do you stay focused and motivated?

We feel very humbled that opportunities come to us, but it hasn’t always been like this. We like to seize the day. We love writing, we love producing, we love music, we love to rave, we love fashion, we love the arts, we even love the business side of things (sometimes). We have a lot of passion to explore new things. We thrive off creative energy. Music is always the main focus but the rest helps and keeps us further inspired.

Do you manage to stay fit when you’re travelling??

We stay in shape on stage! We must burn so many calories during each show!

Where’s the best place you’ve played?

We love performing in Mykonos and also Ibiza, especially for our NERVONation shows at Ushuaia. Actually, everywhere in Europe during the summer is incredible. Europeans really enjoy their summers; they stay out late, eat great food and party hard. Of course, playing the major festivals like Tomorrowland and Creamfields is also a real buzz. Away from the European summer, we absolutely love playing South America and the Latin countries, they party hard!

You travel with family… do you all get on?

The hardest is being away from family and friends. Not being home when our mum was going through her treatment for breast cancer was hard. We flew home a lot but we felt like we were also away a lot. Our brother toured with us as our tour manager for three months last year which was a real blessing.

Do you eat well while on the road?

We try! When we have time we try our best to taste the local cuisine, but sometimes we are just stuck with airport food! We have a weak spot for pizza.