Life & Work with The Bordley Sisters

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie and Kelly Bordley, Jensen Wysocki & Maddie Bernstein.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Natalie – I begged my mom for a guitar after watching a Taylor Swift Concert film and started learning how to play off YouTube. I would sit in my parent’s bathroom (for the best lighting and acoustics, of course) and would film covers with my sisters to upload on our music channel. I had always been songwriting from a young age, and now that I could accompany myself, it opened up a world of possibilities. I thought I was the next Taylor Swift, but really I was a 13-year-old singing songs about heartbreak when I had no idea what it really felt like. I did this until I was in college, I got better at guitar thanks to Marty Shwartz on YouTube and my eventual guitar teacher Anthony Derrico.

My Freshman year of College, I released a solo ep that I recorded in my bathroom (not much had changed), and it was then that Kelly, my younger sister, decided that she wanted to join in on the fun; just kidding actually had to beg her until she couldn’t say no. I’d say it paid off because we released our first song together called “Pretty Boy” and since then have released an album; “Maraschino Cherries”, three more singles, and two music videos. I always thought we made each other better when it came to performing. Not long after our first album came out, Maddie Bernstein, a friend of Kelly’s from high school, joined us as our bass player and finally, Jensen Wysocki joined us this past summer as our drummer. Now that we have a four-piece band, we’ve been focusing on rehearsing and performing all around LA. Each show we play, I can feel us grow together as a band.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Kelly – It hasn’t always been a smooth road, as Natalie had previously joked about “begging me to be in the band”. I used to struggle a lot with stage fright, which prevented me from wanting to sing with her. When I was a kid, I used to do one women’s shows singing to random crowds without any worry, but as I got older, I got more afraid of failing in front of people. As I’ve grown and bonded with my sisters, I know that I’m not alone and I get more confident every day to become the artist I am now. However, this is all easier said than done; feeling confident in our rehearsals is great, but there was a point where we began to feel discouraged because we couldn’t book any gigs. We really had to believe in ourselves, get creative, and create our own opportunities/gigs. As soon as that happened, we saw the pay off and booked a show within the next week. This is something that we still face when trying to book gigs, but the more we play out the easier it is because we get to meet so many incredible artists in the music scene doing the same thing as us.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Natalie – I personally am most proud of the production of our newest single, “Do you love me?”. We’re an independent band, and I have been recording and producing most of our songs that we release. It’s definitely been a learning curve, but I love that I can listen back to something that not only I wrote but produced as well.

Kelly – I think what sets us apart is our stage presence. With each of us having a background in theatre it helps draw people in because we show the audience our professionalism as performers and relatability as humans.

Maddie – I’m so proud that I get to rock out with my best friends! If there is ever a moment of uncertainty, all we have to do is look at each other, and we’ll be fine. We have each other’s backs.

Jensen Wysocki – As the newest member of The Bordley Sisters, I am really proud of the way we communicate, not only as band members but as friends. We molded together quickly and found a sound we really love. I’m also proud of the way we serve, eat, and slay.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Kelly – I hope that the industry moves in the direction of more original art/content. I see a lot of remakes and trends taking over pop culture. I love using other artists as inspiration as much as the next person, but I think everyone has something unique to say.

Natalie – Over the years, I’ve seen the stigma that women can’t play their instruments as well as men and that all girl groups are not Rock n Roll enough. That’s something I can and will prove wrong.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thebordleysisters.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebordleysisters/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BordleyThe
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_nSNfU0DlpH2NLR-hmMiww
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6dZidBYCSy7oUpqVj0xYbZ?si=ftjdldLcSX6XWEw8ihCiHg&nd=1&dlsi=3988df33c6ad4969

Image Credits
Emily Joy Lemus Jared Trevino