The Burney Sisters

The voices. The harmony. The raw talent. Those are the first things you notice about this young, dynamic sister duo called The Burney Sisters from the college town of Columbia, Missouri. The fact that this indie folk/pop act is made up of a 10- and 13-year-old is really an afterthought, as this much melodic charm and soul-nurturing sibling harmonies coming from singer-songwriters at any age would set most music lovers’ ears on high alert. And that’s exactly what The Burney Sisters (Emma and Olivia) have been making good time doing since their humble beginnings on garage-sale ukuleles and guitars. Some might say they’re just beginning to hit their stride, and their sound and songs, recalling influences as diverse as The Avett Brothers, The Carter Family, Cowboy Junkies, The Everly Brothers, First Aid Kit, Indigo Girls, The Staves and even Grace VanderWaal, have gotten the attention of fans and fellow artists in the Midwest and beyond. After having been named as the youngest act to ever play the high-profile St. Louis music festival LouFest (on the cover of the Riverfront Times, no less), the sisters are also slotted to open for country music legend Wynonna and will be a part of the respected Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival as well. An EP was also released by the St. Louis label Gaslight, featuring many of St. Louis’ music scene stalwarts backing up the sisters. Add to that countless appearances in music clubs and festivals, a steady stream of followers on social media and an uncanny ability to write moving tunes at a very tender age and it appears that Emma and Olivia Burney have a future so bright that they’ll need to keep their stage sunglasses handy.