The Rogers Sisters, a dynamic trio hailing from Brooklyn, bring a fresh, upbeat energy to the pop-punk scene, drawing comparisons to the familial funk of E.S.G. rather than the more traditional sister acts like the Andrews or Pointer Sisters. Their music is infused with tight, trebly guitar riffs, lively dissonant vocals, and pulsating garage rock rhythms, all of which combine to create a sound that invites listeners to “C’mon, get happy!” despite their debut album’s title, Purely Evil.
Growing up in suburban Detroit, sisters Jennifer and Laura Rogers didn’t always see eye to eye. “We fought all the time,” Jennifer recalls, though their home was far from devoid of music. Their father, who owned a record store, frequently brought home new records, sparking Jennifer’s early love for Top-40 hits, which she began collecting at the tender age of two.
The sisters became closer after Jennifer moved to New York for college, with Laura following shortly after. They eventually found themselves playing together in the indie-rock band Ruby Falls, a collaboration that lasted throughout much of the ’90s. However, by the time Ruby Falls disbanded in 2000, the sisters were ready for a change. “We just wanted to have fun and be like teenagers in our first high-school band—the one we never had,” Jennifer explains. This desire for a more carefree approach to music led them to form the Rogers Sisters, with the goal of creating fast, energetic songs that would make them—and their audience—want to jump around.
Miyuki Furtado joined the band as a bassist, though his primary instrument is drums. His introduction to the group was spontaneous and informal; he managed to secure his spot after a practice session that quickly turned into a night of karaoke. “We learned eight songs that night and then went out and sang karaoke together,” Furtado remembers. This easy-going attitude has been a hallmark of the band’s ethos, even as they began to gain attention amidst the burgeoning Brooklyn music scene, alongside acts like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Radio 4.
Despite their casual beginnings, the Rogers Sisters didn’t shy away from serious topics in their music. The opening track of Purely Evil, “Zero Point,” addresses environmental issues like global warming. “We respect bands that have a lot of fun but also think,” says Jennifer. The band strives to balance intellectual depth with an energetic, fun-loving spirit, proving that the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
The trio’s West Coast tour, starting with a Seattle performance, marks their second major foray outside of New York. Their first tour, a Midwest venture, was a modest success that left the band feeling invigorated. “Everywhere we went, whether there were two people there or 50, everyone responded enthusiastically,” Jennifer notes. The experience also brought a new level of recklessness to their live performances, a trait that has only added to their on-stage appeal.
As the Rogers Sisters continue to grow and evolve, their music remains rooted in the same principles that brought them together: a desire to have fun, to challenge themselves and their audience, and to create a space where everyone can feel like part of the family—just as Furtado has been embraced as the “adopted Asian son” of the Rogers clan. Their journey, filled with humor, nostalgia, and a healthy dose of rebelliousness, shows no signs of slowing down.
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