HARMONY, MUSIC HEART AND HOME
Fresh from an extraordinary year that has seen them inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and mark their first-ever number one album, Where Do You Come From?, legendary sisters Vika & Linda bring their biggest Australian tour yet to Darwin.
WORDS BROOKE GIBBS
IMAGE BRIAN PURNELL
FOR AUDIENCES AT their upcoming Territory show, it's more than just another concert. It's a celebration of nearly four decades of music, storytelling, and the unmistakable harmonies that have made Vika & Linda two of Australia's most beloved voices.
The tour showcases songs from Where Do You Come From? alongside fan favourites spanning their career, from their Black Sorrows days through to the deeply personal songs that have resonated with audiences across the country.
Reflecting on the whirlwind of the past year, Vika admits the success still feels surreal.
"I mean, the number one, we were really wrapped because the album is so personal,” she says.
“And so, to have the response that it's had, it was like, because when you feel like you're very exposed, when you write very personally and it's like, ‘oh, are people going to hate this?’, and you really worry about it. But to debut at number one was just the best. It was the best feeling.”
Linda says, while being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame was another unforgettable milestone, the sisters are already looking ahead.
"I think Vik and I, we're just dealing with it in the best way we can, which is saying with gratitude, I think, and just kind of moving, trying to always produce some new music. We like to look forward. But that was a really great honour, for sure.”
Their latest album is their most personal work yet, tackling themes of identity, belonging and family. After spending years interpreting other songwriters' work, writing their memoir, No Bull, inspired them to tell their own stories through music.
That honesty has sparked conversations well beyond the stage. Linda says audiences have been opening up after hearing the title track.
"What it's done is open up conversations with our audience about how they felt alienated in their own way. It doesn't matter about the colour of their skin. They keep telling us these stories about how they felt alienated.”
She has also noticed something changing in the crowd.
"Our audience has also changed. I think that's been really interesting. It's a different type of person coming to our show and way more multicultural than it was before, I'd have to say. And I like that. I think that's a positive sign."
That message feels especially fitting for Darwin, one of Australia's most culturally diverse cities. Linda says she's excited to see how the songs connect with Territory audiences.
It'll be interesting to see how it goes over in Darwin. I'm keen to hear what people think. We've loved coming to Darwin since we were in our early teens. It always had a different vibe, and I really like that,” she says.
“I think it'll be interesting to see what the people think of our new music, especially because it is a sort of cultural. It's all about identity. So, looking forward to that."
For the sisters, those stories and the connection they create, are what keep them returning to the stage.
"I think the connection is really important. I think when they go away and they think, ‘oh, I know them a little bit better, I understand that song a little bit more, and I like it more because I get it’,” Linda says.
And for Darwin, the feeling is mutual.
"We just haven't forgotten Darwin. We want to come up to Darwin. We just love the different energy that Darwin has. I think that's what we like about the Territory."
Vika & Linda: Where Do You Come From?
WHEN SAT 19 SEP | 7.30PM
AT AANT CENTRE
COST $89
INFO yourcentre.com.au
