Texas natives Tyra and Tiara Lewis are introducing themselves to the music industry as a double threat with both singing and technological skills. The R&B duo celebrated their debut album release, Don't Forget Your Keys, on June 21. In an Instagram post, the twin sisters noted their momentum by announcing their No. 1 placement on Spotify’s Local Pulse Dallas Chart for the song “Berlin Nights” the week after it dropped. The album houses a total of 12 tech-infused tracks, including their 2023 single, “Rose.” The musically inclined siblings spoke to REVOLT about the project and more in this exclusive interview.
“I think ‘Berlin Nights’ is really about loss and grief, and working through those emotions of not being with the person that you thought you were going to be with, or even loss of a parent or loss of a loved one. That song can really resonate with someone,” Tyra explained when asked about the types of stories the duo is looking to share through their music.
After studying mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, the two jumpstarted their respective careers in aerospace engineering. While zeroing in on their trade, they never lost sight of their true passion — music. “I think we’ve always sang together; there was not a question about not doing music together. We are stronger together, and we kind of always knew that,” Tyra expressed regarding working with each other rather than building separate careers.
Similar to many other artists, Tyra + Tiara initially began singing in their local church choir before their skills and desire grew to singing throughout grade school and college. Before long, they were setting their sights on going full-fledged with music and taking themselves more seriously as an entity. After years of music-filled social media content on platforms like Instagram and YouTube, the pair released their first single, “Moonlight,” in 2019.
Tyra + Tiara have made it a point to emphasize authenticity and relatability throughout their artistry in an effort to stay connected to their growing fan base. This has included writing their own song lyrics, providing creative direction on both music videos and cover art for projects, and utilizing their separate styles to bring versatility. Through the storytelling of their personal experiences with love, heartbreak, and channeling their inner sexiness, every element was strongly crafted specifically for Don’t Forget Your Keys. “Whether it's a music business aspect or just learning a hard engineering problem, having the same focus is key to success,” Tiara noted when speaking about how they’ve maintained some of the same thought process they had for other fields.
Balancing an intensive career such as engineering alongside trying to build a brand as one of the next great R&B groups is no easy feat. The sisters have made it a point to not only lean on one another, but also utilize each other’s creative insight to push their creations forward.
“Us being engineers, we know that this is not common. We are in a male-dominated field... We know how to pivot in the music industry because this is also a male-dominated field, and so when people look at us, we want them to see, ‘Hey, they can do both.’ They can be engineers, and they can also be successful, great musicians that inspire,” Tyra explained.
These notions are especially shown as they continue to remain active in their engineering careers. “We want to be inspirational. We want people to really listen to our music and say, ‘Wow, I never thought about that. I’m glad they’re speaking on this,’” Tyra continued to express.
While many artists have reservations about AI as it makes its way through the music industry, the twins have been able to utilize their tech background to their advantage and leverage their skills in music.
“I think the world of music always goes in cycles. I think we're in this big boom of tech and AI, but eventually, people are going to yearn for the real voices, the real authenticity of music. So, I'm not worried about AI,” Tiara said in response to how she sees artificial intelligence being impactful to the music industry.
Their dedication to both the process and progress led to the ladies receiving recognition from publications like Refinery 29 and VIBE, plus their hit single “Rose” premiering on BET Soul in December 2023. Tyra + Tiara strive to remain authentic and influence others to feel empowered to pursue their creative passions alongside other career pathways. While enjoying the sisters’ latest music release, fans can also expect to hear more from them soon. The twins aspire to continue building and collaborate with the likes of John Bellion, Rihanna, the late Tina Turner, Anita Baker, Mary J. Blige, and even Miley Cyrus.
Don’t Forget Your Keys provides a unique spin on the group’s usual forte of songs that are more romantic through the lens of unconventional relationships, heartfelt expression, and thought-provoking storytelling about personal loss. The album is available for streaming on Tidal and other major platforms.