Religion & Rocketry

Religion & Rocketry is comprised of siblings Zach, Shaina, and Caleigh Williams from Medford, NJ. The oldest of 8 kids grew up singing together, but never wrote music together until the past few years.

 It was a matter of when, not if, the siblings were going to start to take their music seriously. Zach moved down to North Carolina in the Fall of 2011 for a few months while the girls stayed back in New Jersey. When questioned about how the band finally came about, Zach said we literally met up in Nashville for four days and recorded some songs wed written together. We didn't have any direction at the time. We just knew that music happens when we're together. So, I moved back to New Jersey from North Carolina.

 In the Spring of 2012, the trio began playing local coffeehouses and house shows and released their first EP Too Much. The local music scene became infatuated with their catchy harmonies and original songwriting. With the help of local musicians filling in to round out a full band, they started making appearances at local bars and outdoor concerts. After having some success with their first EP, it was time to get back into the studio.

 In April of 2013, R&R started work on their latest EP Tangents. It was a project we had been working on for some time, and I could not wait to finally make some magic in the studio, said Shaina. Zach saw it as an unsettling time in the bands history. They wanted to get serious but they weren't sure how. When we were recording Tangents, I remember talking to our producer, Luke DeJaynes, saying 'we don't know what to do. Our current band isn't able to play many shows and we feel like we can't move forward like we need to.' To that DeJaynes replied 'Someone will find the value in what you guys are doing and they'll want to be a part of it." And they did. Since then R&R has lit up the Philadelphia local music scene, playing the best of what Philly has to offer. To cap off a great year of music, in October of 2013 they won Hearo.fm's Battle of the Bands at the Hard Rock Cafe and were invited to play The Best of Philly Rising at World Cafe Live in January. To kick off 2014, R&R will be playing Brooklyn, Manhattan and Washington D.C. with other east coast cities on deck.

 Zach is still surprised how the whole thing came together: I always said I'd never be in a band with my sisters. Now for years, Shaina, Caleigh and I have been writing and making music together and it's never felt more natural. Shaina and Caleigh agree. Its amazing to see how three totally different musical perspectives can meld together so beautifully, says Caleigh. The three of us complete each other musically. I finish a song lyrically, and Zach whips up the perfect music while Caleigh come up with the most incredible melodies and harmonies. We all have vastly different influences, and it makes our music a lot more fun than just one writer writing all of the songs, says Shaina. Zach agrees that their songwriting is very honest. Since we're siblings we just attack each other when we don't like the lyrics, music or melody. No one worries about hurting each others feelings (or maybe I'm just a jerk sometimes). It's about the music. Its about the songs. If it's not right, it's not right and we write to those strengths of being able to say what we need to say. The rest is up to all of us to play great shows and have a great time doing it. Music is our only option. It's what we live for and what we'll die doing.