CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — In the basement of a North Center home, two pairs of teen sisters rehearse for their alternative indie rock band, Neptune’s Core.
"We were drawn to music and we were drawn to each other so we formed the band as a creative outlet. Just for fun. It got more serious in a good way over time," said Sofie Richter, who plays guitar and is the lead singer.
"Music has always been in the house. I've always been attracted to the beautiful melody, putting that with words. It's really how I express myself and get things off my chest and I end up making something pretty in the process,” Sofie told WBBM Newsradio.
Sofie's younger sister Hannah plays the base.
"I knew when I was little this was something I wanted to do," she recalled. "I really love it."
Jackie Cywinski is on lead guitar and her older sister Kaitlin is the drummer.
"My parents have been taking me to see live music my entire life and I love watching live music and the drummer is always what captivated me," Kaitlin said. "My favorite band is Velvet Underground and their drummer is a girl and she's a great person to look up to."
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For Jackie, playing with her sister came naturally.
"I started playing piano when I was 3 and then played guitar at 8. Music was always playing in the house so it opened up a whole new world for me," Jackie said.
The four girls met at Chicago's School of Rock. Soon enough, an upcoming band was born. The Richters’ mother, Anne, said it just happened organically.
"They performed in the school talent show and when they played they just blew me a way,” Anne Richter recalled. "The lyrics, the songs were way beyond their years."
Anne Richter said since then, she's become their biggest groupie.
"These are kids, but they are young adults, they are artists, they are creators, and it's a little humbling,” she said.
This summer, Neptune's Core played at dozens of Chicago festivals and even opened up for a certain world renowned band from Rockford.
"This past Thursday, we played at Schuba's but over the summer, we played this festival in Rockford where we played with Cheap Trick, which was crazy!" Kaitlin said.
The girls said audiences react to them with delight and often times, surprise.
"After the shows, they say, ‘You're only teenagers' and they think it's cool that we are sisters and I think that's a cool aspect which makes us unique,” Hannah said.
"We're two sets of sisters, we're two sets of best friends, we really compliment each other musically and emotionally and that's really where the dynamic of the band comes from, " Sofie said.
For their parents, it's a balancing act between school, work and scheduling professional gigs.
"They seem to enjoy it. They took to music on their own. I've learned so much about the music business. I had no ties to the business before," said Todd Cywinski, father of Jackie and Kaitlin.
"It's their talent, their drive, their persistence that is taking them that much farther,” he said.
"It takes a lot of time, they rehearse a lot because they are dedicated to it. It's worth it to ferry them around because it creates a lot of joy for them and it creates joy for us too,” Anne Richter said.
Meredith Cywinski still can't believe her daughters are rock stars.
"We do love music, but we also know the vulnerability that is required to do what they are doing. That is what is hard to see them put it out there. I've learned so much. These four young women totally being themselves and doing what they want to do, I'm so emotional,” Meredith Cywinski, fighting back tears, told WBBM Newsradio.
For the sisters, music has brought them closer.
"Of course we still fight, sometimes because we're sisters. We collaborate quite a bit. When Sofie is writing a song, she yells across the hall and will come in and she shows me the song and I always give her feedback," Hannah said.
The girls recognized they've also become role models for other girls their age.
"It feels so amazing to be on that stage and hey, we are females, but we are still talented, we deserve to be up here, playing with all these guys. It's wonderful,” Sofie said.
"To us, it seems normal because we were in School of Rock but when you take a step back, it seems crazy. We love being role models for other girls," Jackie said.
Meredith Cywinski said music has helped the teens navigate what can be a tough time for young girls.
"This has taught them skills I never realized they've learned. It's taught them confidence. I learn from them every day," Meredith Cywinski said, shaking her head.
Friday, Neptune Core's second album, “Evolving,” dropped, something that still seems surreal to the girls and their parents.
"It just remains to be unbelievable to me. I can't wait to see what happens next," Meredith Cywinski said.
Anne Richter said she finds herself in awe about their success too.
"Kaitlin and Sofie met at a concert when they were 18 months old and 2 years old and my mother-in-law took a photo and I look at that often. They have been circling each other since they were toddlers," Anne Richter said.
Kaitlin still couldn’t get over the band releasing its second album.
"This will be our second album, our first time recording in the studio was eight songs. This second album was able to be recorded in three sessions over quarantine. It's Sofie's and Jackie's best material that they've written. It's really cool to know that our songs will be out to people to hear," she smiled.
For more information about Neptune's Core and to hear their music, log onto neptunes-core.bandcamp.com.
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