Kansas City is about to discover why Elton John loves Nova Twins

Photo by Fin Frew

Before they take the stage with Evanescence and Spiritbox at the new Morton Amphitheater on Sunday, July 12, Kansas Citians should know one thing about Nova Twins:

Trying to describe them is nearly impossible.

There are bands that fit neatly into genres …

… and then there are Nova Twins.

The British duo of vocalist and guitarist Amy Love and bassist Georgia South make music that sounds like someone tossed alternative rock, punk, hip-hop, electronics and a little beautiful mayhem into a blender and decided labels were for soup cans.

“We call it just, like, ‘Nova,’” South says with a laugh. “If it sounds Nova, it means it sounds like us and authentically us.”

Authenticity has gotten them pretty far.

Since forming in London in 2014, Nova Twins have become one of the most exciting acts in modern rock, earning Mercury Prize recognition, BRIT Award nominations and fans ranging from Amy Lee to Elton John. Their latest album, Parasites & Butterflies, continues the duo’s habit of smashing musical boundaries while somehow making it all feel completely natural.

That chemistry shouldn’t be surprising considering they’ve essentially known each other … well, forever.

“We have basically known each other 100 years. We were family friends before the band ever started,” South says. “We became sisters very, very early on when we were in our teens.”

Love agrees.

“When we started making music together and touring, it just felt like we were going on holiday or a girls’ trip.”

The band’s origin story is delightfully un-rock-and-roll. There were no dramatic auditions or elaborate plans for world domination. There was simply boredom and one very practical dad.

“Georgia’s dad was like, ‘Well, you should write a song or something. Do something productive,'” Love recalls. “So, we did.”

One of the first songs they wrote? A tune called “Bad Bitches.”

“There’s lots of bitches, you know,” Love says, laughing.

From there, things clicked almost immediately.

“We were like, ‘Wow, that felt really natural,'” she says. “And it kind of spelled out our band for itself.”

The old-fashioned way followed: writing songs, playing open mics, and hustling for gigs.

“You could actually go into a venue and find the promoter and be like, ‘Hey, book our band,'” Love says. “We did it the old-school way.”

Photo by Tamiym Cader

No Lane, No Labels, No Rules

Part of what makes Nova Twins so compelling is that they don’t sound like anyone else.

The duo grew up immersed in different cultures and musical styles, influences that have become foundational to their sound.

“We love so many different types of music,” South says. “We’re both from mixed heritage, so we’re very used to blending different cultures and music and things together.”

That means traces of R&B, trip-hop, electronic music and hip-hop can all coexist inside songs that are still, at their core, undeniably rock.

“We never set ourselves boundaries,” South says. “We never say it needs to sound like this or sound like that.”

In an era where every artist seems to be shoved into a playlist category, Nova Twins have happily built their own lane.

Parasites, Butterflies, and the Emotional Whiplash of Touring

Their latest album, Parasites & Butterflies, emerged from a darker period.

After an extensive touring cycle, the band returned home physically exhausted and emotionally depleted.

“We were in a weird, dark headspace,” Love says. “It was the first time we’d toured extensively, and we were dealing with the adrenaline dumps, the lack of sleep and all of that.”

The album title became a metaphor for life’s contradictions.

“It’s really playing on the idea of duality,” she says. “Life’s not always breezy. Sometimes it’s euphoric, sometimes it’s not so much. You just have to ride the wave.”

The album itself mirrors that emotional tug-of-war, moving between darker, heavier moments and songs that feel brighter and more hopeful.

That duality seems to fuel everything Nova Twins do. Their songs can be aggressive and tender, chaotic and melodic, all in the same breath.

Interestingly, some of the album was recorded in the United States, a place that has become a second home of sorts for the band.

“We’ve been out here a lot,” Love says. “We’ve done our own shows, tours, festivals and we recorded Parasites & Butterflies out here for two months.”

At this point, they estimate they make it stateside at least once a year.

Elton John, Amy Lee and a Bits of KC

At the time of our conversation, the duo was somewhere near New York, running on almost no sleep after a particularly brutal overnight bus ride.

“It literally felt like we were in a theme park all night,” South says. “We were just being jumped out of our beds.”

Rock and roll glamour.

When asked whether they still get starstruck, both women admitted they’re still a bit gobsmacked by touring with Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee, who personally invited the duo on the road. “Absolute queen energy,” South says, while Love adds simply, “She’s a force, man.”

Then there’s Elton John.

The music legend singled out Nova Twins as one of his artists to watch at the Glastonbury Festival and later invited them backstage before his headline set.

“We thought the car had come to pick up somebody else,” South says. “They were like, ‘No, Elton John has requested the girls to the Pyramid Stage.'”

The duo ended up spending time in Sir Elton’s dressing room moments before he went onstage.

“He was just giving us advice and giving us the time of day,” South says. “He’s been a massive supporter, and we’re really grateful.”

Not bad for two women who once wrote a song called “Bad Bitches” because they were bored.

As for KC, the band admittedly arrives with only a few bits of local knowledge.

“Dorothy and The Wizard of Oz?” South offers.

When informed that Kansas City is also known for barbecue and fountains, she sounded intrigued.

“So, does it look quite European?” she asks.

We’ll let the locals answer that one.

As a public service announcement to our upcoming British guests, we informed them that England’s national soccer team is currently residing only a few miles from the Morton venue. The news prompted an enthusiastic “Oh my God, that’s crazy!” from South and a brief discussion about paparazzi, privacy and whether the players dare open the curtains.

What isn’t up for debate is this: Nova Twins are one of the most exhilarating live bands on the planet right now, a band that has spent the last decade refusing to play by anyone else’s rules and somehow becoming bigger because of it.

And if you’ve never experienced their genre-defying sonic assault, Morton Amphitheater might be the perfect place to start. On July 12^th, expect volume, energy and absolutely no interest in staying inside the lines.

“We’re so excited,” South says. “We can’t wait.”

Interview gently edited for content and clarity.