Q&A: Twin sisters release new song and video calling for equality for all

"I don't care who you are or where you've been," the chorus of the new song "We'll Be Free" buzzes throughout the fun entry from Nalani and Sarina, the twin sister pop/rock duo currently preparing for the release of their new EP. The song continues: "I don't care if you love her or you love him. I don't care if you're somewhere in between - because on this road we're walking, together we'll be free."

The sisters, who hail from Flemington, New Jersey, are strong supporters of the freedom to marry and the LGBT community - part of the next generation of Americans for whom support for LGBT people is overwhelmingly widespread, a no-brainer. With this song, "We'll Be Free," and other themes from their upcoming EP - due out in June - they're raising their voices to spread the word that all people should be equal, using their music to communicate their support.

Freedom to Marry caught up with Nalani and Sarina this month to learn more about their new single, the EP more broadly, and why they decided to take a stand in support of LGBT people through their work.

 Q: Tell us about "We'll Be Free" - what made you want to write a song with these themes and this message?

Nalani: Our song started off just by playing a college gig. We were just surrounded by a bunch of really cool people, with this feeling of non-judgment and many open, welcome feelings. On the car ride home from the gig, we wrote the chorus of the song and recorded some of it on our phones, and that's where the song was born. Everyone should be treated the same no matter who you are or who you love. We think everyone should be treated the same no matter what, and that's the message we wanted to come through. 

Q: What's the inspiration for the sound on "We'll Be Free"?

Nalani: We're really into 60s soul - that whole era. Soul music originates from a strong feeling of the need for freedom, and we've always been drawn to this because it's so raw and yet it speaks to everyone. Even generations later, it resonated. And there's still such a need for us to push for freedom nowadays. We felt like there was a need to express this and show this to the world through this song. 

Q: What do you think music can do to help move forward social issues, like the freedom to marry for same-sex couples?

Sarina: We were raised as very positive people - very open to every type of person, whether they're gay, lesbian, black, white, blue - whatever. And we've tried to pass that energy along to people around us. For us, music is such a great expression of being able to share your feelings. It's the perfect opportunity - not just for the LGBT community, but for people in general. If one person can resonate with the message of a song, it's almost like a domino effect. Our lyrics of you can love anyone is a strong statement - and we believe it should be said and it should be OK to be said. We want that statement to dig into people as each chorus goes by, so that it's at the forefront of everyone's minds.

Nalani: Music has always been something to really help people overcome hardships - and I think we're seeing that now. You see all of this stuff on the news like what happened [with the so-called "religious freedom" bill] in Indiana, what's happening with the marriage fight, and we just think that music is such a healer. All artists should hop on this bandwagon.

Q: Overall, what's the thought process behind the rest of the EP?

Nalani: Our approach for the EP is us stepping out of our own bubble, taking on others' mindsets or issues or perspectives. We found it really important for us to speak our minds, since so much of pop music is about heartbreak or love. Our own feelings and personal feelings come through on the matter.

Sarina: In some of the songs, we're adopting the mindsets of other people and writing from that perspective. We try to draw a similar experience from our lives and apply it to our music.

Listen to the full song below, learn more about Nalani & Sarina here, and follow them on Facebook