SistersJ debut single “Open When” will transport you to another realm the moment you press play. Elizabeth and Lily Jackson make up SistersJ, they’re real life sisters who have been harmonizing since they were girls. Music has always been a part of their lives and you can tell. “Open When” has an unexpected sense of levity to it that stems from the heavenly nature of their vocals. “Open When” masterfully captures the nuances of being away from someone you’re in a relationship with. SistersJ use their beautifully haunting voices to create a positively charged love song that puts your heartache at ease. Although sad feelings are acknowledged, SistersJ provide a remedy by instructing their loved one to open a letter from them whenever they feel sad. The balance between SistersJ soulful vocals paired with such a universal struggle makes “Open When” a dynamic debut single.
“Open When” is catchy and atmospheric, allowing it to get stuck in your head while it takes you somewhere else. Its a combination of the harmony Elizabeth and Lily can create, along with the sweet melody that backs them up that makes this single so dynamic. “Open When” seems to celebrate and encapsulate the complexities of love, effortlessly. The most striking quality of “Open When” is that it has the ability to uplift you. The melody seems to ascend higher and higher throughout the song, literally lifting you into a better mood. “Open When” highlights the themes of love while showcasing the jaw-dropping quality of SistersJ. This track is so naturally evocative it allows Elizabeth and Lily’s voices to shine without being buried under the weight of a moody melody. SistersJ know what to do with the power in their voices, they’re able to harness it and use it to spread love.
The vocals of “Open When” are something special, its not the type of singing you hear every day, its something far more ethereal. SistersJ share the same haunting vocal ability as Weyes Blood (who is the only mainstream artist that I can think of that sounds remotely the same). SistersJ don’t share the same moodiness as Weyes Blood but the feeling of awe that washes over you as soon as their voices hit your ears is the same. Its the type of vocals that seem to seep into your very being the longer you listen to them. You believe in the positivity, love, and peace that they not only sing about, but sing from. “Open When” is a new type of “feel good” song that aims for your spirit first and your heart second. There’s also something innately trustworthy about SistersJ’s vocal presence that soothes the soul and makes their message really land.
Alongside crystal clear production and mixing, the lyrics are what allow “Open When” to reach even further. One of my favorite aspects of this single is the perspective that the song is written from. Elizabeth and Lily are singing to a someone they’re in a relationship with, offering them a way to feel better about the separation and distance they’re facing. There’s this unique feeling of omniscient empathy from the way the lyrics go. It feels like SistersJ are able to give their loved one advice because they themselves have worked through the same feelings. It sort of feels like a lessons learned situation, allowing SistersJ to have a better understanding for what their counterpart is going through. The other feeling it evokes is that SistersJ know what their other half is going through, even though they aren’t together. It entrenches “Open When” in a layered viewpoint of love and romance.
Chadwick Easton