T&S: Social media success

Tegan and Sara on Ellen, Feb. 13, 2013

On September 7, 2010 a group called Get Tegan and Sara on the Ellen DeGeneres Show was created on Facebook. Well folks, two and a half years later, that request has become a reality. The dynamic duo performed their new hit Closer on February 13, 2013 on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. This is Tegan and Sara’s first time appearing on the show and according to their Twitter, performing Ellen may have the coolest moment in the band’s history.

After reading that T&S were going to be appearing on Ellen, I continued down their Twitter page to see what else was new in their world. As an “intense fan” who closely follows the T&S website, attends every nearby concert and jams to both their new and old tracks on a daily basis, you’d think I’d be up to date with the happenings of Tegan and Sara. Wrong.

Their Twitter page contained some very exciting news. I learned that the twins have been recording a YouTube series called Heartthrob: Track by Track. Each short YouTube video in the series- hosted by Tegan and Sara- focuses on a single track from their new record, describing why they wrote that song and what it means to them. I encourage you to check out the series!

Learning more about why an artist has written and performed a song in the way they have can often provide the audience with an even stronger connection to the song. It helps fans understand the meaning behind the track and helps us relate to the message. The setting of this particular video series is intimate; it consists simply of the song playing in the background and T&S sitting side-by-side conversing about it. It brings the audience closer to the artists, closer to the song and closer to the band in general. Isn’t that what it’s all about in the music industry? Connecting with the song and the artist.

The day after appearing on Ellen, the crafty sisters released Heartthrob valentines on their website.  The valentines were clever; featuring messages like “Will you be my Heartthrob?” The cards were posted on their social media platforms so T&S fans could easily select a card, personalize a message and send it to a friend or a special someone. 

In a very short period of time, Tegan and Sara have altered their sound, taken over radio stations everywhere, made several television appearances and rocked a number of social media platforms. So why is social media important to a band like Tegan and Sara?

Well, as an artist, how important is it to communicate with fans? Alternatively, how much do fans appreciate such a simple connection? The reality is, social media has become an important part of our society; it’s how many of us interact. It provides a way for people of influence to proactively brand themselves to their fans and to the public. It is a way for them to grow using simple things like creativity, passion and consistency.

Social media provides artists like Tegan and Sara with a place to build a community. It’s a place where they can surround themselves with fans and positivity. The T&S community is primarily comprised of their core audience and intense followers. Social media is a positive place for them to develop their brand and easily communicate with these fans. The examples of social media use outlined above are thoughtful and efficient. 

T&S effectively use social media every day to communicate with their audience. They use it to make and enhance connections, to increase their website traffic and to give something back to their fans. Their blog is updated often in order to communicate consistently with their fans, allowing them to feel involved in the world of T&S. Tegan and Sara promote engagement; they make it clear that they appreciate feedback. This feeling of inclusion encourages fans to become even more involved.

The fan-mailbox

On their  current tour, Tegan and Sara have a mailbox located at the merchandise table. They accept anything a fan chooses to leave in the box. Later, they read the notes, look at the drawings and listen to the music their fans have offered them. They discuss and sometimes show these special pieces on social networking platforms to acknowledge the senders.

Tegan and Sara are genuine. Not to mention they're beautiful, hilarious and amazingly talented. All of this combined with their effective use of social media is great for their image. As long as they keep up the honest communication, the good social networking habits and the unbeatable sound, T&S should have no problem maintaining their positive public image.

Tegan and Sara audience, 2013

Tegan and Sara: From indie to pop

You don’t have to know me well to know that my favourite band of all time is the extremely talented Canadian duo, Tegan and Sara. For 13 year these brilliant sisters have been writing, playing and performing their music for a growing audience. Their unique voices and extreme talent combined with more than a decade of hard work have led to the production of seven amazing records.

In April 2012 the sisters began working on a new album. Immediately, they knew they wanted to “shake it up”. They were set on trying something different. “We have a huge back catalogue of guitar driven music,” says Tegan, “and the idea of just making another guitar driven record seemed boring.” Sara says they wanted to take a big step; they didn’t want to make another record that sounds like something people expect from them.

Heartthrob coming January 29

The outcome of this- an album called Heartthrob- is the most commercial album of their career. When they chose the producers for this album, T&S wanted somebody with more of a pop touch. This deliberate transformation into the world of pop music has caused some controversy among T&S fans. Emotions are high and the reaction to the new album is heated. The word sellout has been thrown around a number of times by angry fans. In response to a recent Rolling Stone article about the new album one person wrote, “Actually yea, admitting that you want to change what you’re doing for more money is the definition of sell-out.” Another disgruntled reader said, “The first four albums were and will always be great… However, I’m going to enter the state of mind as if they stopped touring and making music then. Essentially, that is what they’ve done.”

It doesn’t take much to see there are some unhappy T&S fans out there. However, another reader of the same article said, “This is a really good interview. They’re being open about what they’re trying to do and you have to respect them for that.” This made me think about the band’s transformation from a public relations perspective. Sure, they admitted they wanted a pop touch to the new album, but Tegan also clearly stated, “I wanted a pop touch but I wanted credible.” Neither of them wanted to lose their “bite” with this new album, they simply wanted to try something new. After everything they’ve accomplished, why does anyone have the right to question their decision to grow into a different market or capture a new audience? Are T&S giving us any reason to think we shouldn’t trust their judgment? As a long-term fan, I must admit, they’ve done nothing but impress me up to date- if they’re honest and open about the transformation, they’ll continue to be credible artists who deserve respect.

Sara says they’ve learned to put their fans into two different categories. They’ve titled them the General Fan and the Intense Fan.

General Fan: This is somebody who attends a Tegan and Sara concert approximately one in every three times they come to a city. They might be into a couple of their songs but they haven’t purchased every record.

Intense Fan: This is the person who knows everything there is to know about the band. They own every album and every DVD; they keep up with the Tegan and Sara website, Twitter and Facebook activity; they’re the first to buy tickets.

She explains it is the Intense Fan she worries about. “I worry [they] won’t like anything we do ever again because they are so committed and devoted to what we’ve already done.” She continues, “It’s very challenging to ask them to like something new.” The fact that they’re acknowledging the difficulty T&S fans may have with their new image demonstrates compassion for their audience. Although it may be difficult to adjust, we as fans need to consider this and give the new album a chance before abandoning ship. As a Rolling Stone reader said, “What is life without change? This interview makes me respect them even more. Here’s to an awesome new stage!”

As long as the duo continues to conduct great interviews and remain honest with their audience, they should be celebrated. Tegan explained, “Sara and I started writing when we were 15. We’re 32 now. I’m not gonna be interested if Sara came up to me and was like, ‘let’s make a record; it’s gonna sound like The Con’ I’d be like, ‘Well we already have The Con.’” She said, “I have to keep it fresh... I want to see our music go to new places. I don’t want the same stuff, you know?” A dream to try something new after 13 years of hard work combined with a promise not to lose sight of who they are is pretty remarkable. From a PR perspective, I think T&S are doing a great job. Heartthrob will be released in Canada on January 29. Let’s wait until then to decide if we love their new sound. It is my guess that true Intense Fans will stick around to support and applaud their growth. After all, they deserve it.

Check out their  new song Closer here.