The Beggs Sisters

Forming a band with your dad may not be on everyone’s to do list, but for siblings Willow and Lula Beggs, it seemed like a natural next step. Nick Beggs, aka ‘dad’, fostered his daughters love of music from a young age, inspired by his own musical success in the band Kajagoogoo during the 1980s. The Beggs Sisters ‘emoto-folk’ trio blossomed out of their mutual passion for music and a desire to create and share experiential stories.
“I was going through a tough time and my dad suggested we all do something together to help me tap into my creativity again,” Lula Beggs begins. “The idea really grew from there.”

Having wowed audiences with their close harmonies and heartfelt lyrics, The Beggs Sisters, who some readers will have seen supporting Marillion at their December London. Roundhouse show, now hope to reach new listeners with their recently released debut EP, //Sleep With The Ghost//. Packed with folk-based melodies, intense harmonies, and profound themes, the record tells a powerful story.
“We write about mental health, the environment, our anxieties, and heartbreak,” says Lula. “Many of us live in a world consumed by momentary things and more people are craving authenticity because of that.”

“It’s important to have a platform where you can discuss what you’re passionate about,” Willow Beggs adds. “We talk about mental health, even pausing between songs at gigs to do so.”

While the EP carries no overarching theme, the expressive lyrics and existential harmonies convey an important message. For Nick, this message stems from his daughters ability to speak openly about their lives and experiences.
“There’s nothing more powerful than art to enable us as a race to understand our place in the universe,” he says. “It’s hard to believe that in some parts of the world, creativity is quelled. It’s essential my daughters say what they feel about the world in which they live.”
Creating and performing songs with such close emotional ties can be empowering but also draining. Willow and Lula agree that the subject-matter of a song can impact the enjoyment of a performance.

“I go through waves of loving different songs at different times,” Lula admits. “Some songs I end up hating because I play them too much or the emotion becomes too real.”
//Sleep With The Ghost// took around a year and a half to compile. The greatest challenge was not making the music but narrowing down the final selection.
“We were going to do a double album but decided a first release we should be concise,” says Willow. “We chose the songs we enjoy playing live.”
For Nick, the joy of performing music with his daughters overrides any challenges. “Performing with the girls is pretty uplifting. It feels like an apotheosis. The whole experience, the dialogue between us, carries people along when they come to see us.”
With the EP now released, the band have some exciting gigs planned for the year ahead: Soul Festival (June 2), Future Yard (November 16), The Stables (November 24) and Nell’s in London (30th November).

Nick concludes by thanking Marillion for all their support to date. “They are very special people and we’re very grateful to them.” FT

PROG FILE:

Line-up: Willow Beggs (ukulele, guitar, voice), Lula Beggs (ukulele, guitar, voice), Nick Beggs (double bass).

Sounds like: Acoustic folk-pop with groggy leanings, thought-provoking lyrics and emotive harmonies

Current release: //Sleep With A Ghost// is out now on all streaming platforms.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeggssisters/

— Francesca Tyer