SIREN - SASHA & SHAWNA
The marketplace for adult-driven popera has created high consumer demand in Europe and the United States, with hit product from the likes of Il Divo and Josh Groban. Pioneering the female side of the genre is soprano duo Sasha & Shawna, whose melodramatic musings cross the borders of multiple genres, from Radiohead’s “Street Spirit” and James Taylor’s “Close Your Eyes” to Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind” and Sting’s “Fields of Gold.” Operatic meets mainstream in the album’s highlight, “Per Te/For You,” sung partially in Italian as a cover of a John Denver song. While overall impact borders on the highbrow, the blend of Sasha’s and Shawna’s voices feels familial — with repeated listens, melodic appeal overtakes potential pretension. Billboard
