The Beginnings of Sonic Siblings

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The origin of Sonic Siblings, in my opinion, traces back long before they were born.

A New Musical Journey in a Remote Village

When I was 13, my parents decided to move from the capital city to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. My father had designed and built a large country house there—a seven-bedroom, four-bathroom, three-story home where we lived for a few years along with my four siblings.

Discovering Rock Music

It was during this time that I discovered a new and different kind of music. As a typical Latina living in a Latin country, I was accustomed to Caribbean and tropical rhythms, but rock wasn’t something common in my environment, except for the “chatarritas” my aunt Luisa would play, which I loved.

Teenage Dreams of Becoming a Drummer

I had also developed a particular liking for the music of the Mexican band Maná, and I became such a fan of their drummer, Alex González, that I drew part of his left shoulder tattoo on my bedroom wall—specifically the drum and drumsticks, because I had become obsessed with the idea of becoming a drummer. This was one of my biggest teenage dreams.

The Influence of Green Day and Nirvana

Around 1995, I first heard Green Day and Nirvana. My half-brother from my father’s side arrived from Caracas with CDs that would become musical treasures for me. With grunge and punk rhythms, I began a new musical taste that would define my personality, my incredible friends, and the experiences that would mark my life. This marked the beginning of my era as The Dark Girl!

Musical Upbringing of Sonic Siblings

When my kids came into this world, musically speaking, they grew up in a family with a vast musical culture. My playlists literally had every type of musical genre, from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony to Carlos Gardel’s tangos, with genres like cha-cha-cha, Cuban son, salsa, merengue, pop… and of course, rock, punk, heavy metal, and all their variants.

The Start of My Son’s Drumming Journey

The funny thing is, I never told my son about my crazy teenage obsession with becoming a drummer. So it was an incredible coincidence when, at 13 years old, he walked into my room one night and said, “Mom, I want to learn to play drums to play this song,” and then played “Dead Memories” by Slipknot. I was shocked by the coincidence because he had never expressed any interest in playing an instrument before.

Supporting My Son’s Musical Dream

My dream couldn’t come true because I lived in a small village when this idea got into my head, and by the time I returned to the capital, I had started studying law, leaving behind my dreams of becoming a drummer.

But this time was different. We live in America, the land of rock. Although Miami specifically isn’t known as the land of rock—it’s the world capital of reggaeton—we are fortunate to have excellent musical organizations like School of Rock Miami. And that’s where I called. I scheduled a free trial lesson for my son, and that’s how it all began.

I remember that the first time I entered that school was incredible for me. My son started his lesson, and I watched as he learned the entire song they taught him (Seven Nation Army) in 45 minutes, without needing any limb coordination exercises or anything like that. And the best part: with a huge smile on his face. The rest is history—he spent the next five years of his life at School of Rock, in the Show Band Program, and even became part of the House Band and went on tour across the country one summer.

My Daughter’s Musical Talents Emerge

My daughter’s story is also incredible. From the time she began walking, she started dancing and singing. I can still see her at about 4 years old, standing in front of the TV, imitating Shakira (dancing and singing), so we enrolled her in a Belly Dance academy in Venezuela.

Not long after that, we found ourselves in Miami, and she decided to continue belly dancing here, but she didn’t like it much because it had many restrictions due to customs here. So she would go with us to her brother’s rehearsals at School of Rock.

A Family Band is Born

By then, we had an electric drum set at home for my son to practice on, but he would say, “I need to hear the guitar and bass to keep the rhythm, and of course, I need someone to sing.” We bought the bass and electric guitar with their respective amplifiers and a microphone with a speaker. My kids’ father played the guitar, I was on bass, and of course, my daughter was on vocals. We had the family band that we created to support my son in his practice, but it also became the perfect activity to spend time together as a family, and we had a lot of fun.

My Daughter Joins School of Rock

My daughter continued watching her brother rehearse at School of Rock until one afternoon, we convinced her to get on stage and sing, just to try it out. It was a song she knew. She did great. And from that day on, she and her brother embarked on an irreversible journey into the wonderful world of music. She also spent the next five years of her life in School of Rock in the Show Band Program and toured as a vocalist in the House Band.

Our Musical Journey Together

At one point, I even joined the Mom’s Band at School of Rock and played bass in a show. School of Rock Miami became our second home. We will always be very grateful for the wonderful experience.

A Proud Mother’s Reflection

I’m thrilled every time I see my kids on stage, doing masterful covers of my favorite songs like “Master of Puppets,” “Seek and Destroy,” “Don’t Speak,” “Skull,” “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “BYOB”… songs I listened to endlessly with my incredible friends while attending law school in Venezuela, and that I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I’d have such talented children who would play my favorite songs and create their own in my all-time favorite musical genres.

The Question: What Came First?

That’s why I wonder what made me like this kind of music while living in a place where the chances of it reaching me were almost nil? Was it because, in the future, I would have these rock-loving kids and they needed their mom to appreciate this music to support them? Or did they become rockers because their mom was The Dark Girl as a teenager? (Even though I never influenced their musical tastes in any way.) It’s like the question, “What came first? The chicken or the egg?”

The Birth of Sonic Siblings

After sharing so many years on stage together at School of Rock, even though each has their own separate musical projects, performing together is something special for them and something they truly enjoy. That’s how Sonic Siblings came to be—a space where the two share their passions, understand each other well, and enjoy making music together. New generation keeping rock alive!

A Family Support System

They have their parents as their instrumentalists, booking agents, sound guys at concerts, and anything else they need to achieve their dreams. Plus, we enjoy it twice as much—we love watching our kids do what they love, and we love the music world. So, it’s a win-win.

From a young age, my kids showed a remarkable talent and passion for music. Their journey as musicians began in our home, where they spent hours practicing and exploring different instruments. As they grew, so did their love for music, leading them to perform in various venues and eventually becoming Sonic Siblings.

Their dedication and success in the music world have inspired me to support them in every way possible. This inspiration also led me to pursue courses in Law School that would equip me with the knowledge to go through the complexities of the music and entertainment industry.

I enrolled in Music Law with professors Michael Olsen, a Music Attorney at Counsel, LLP, and Henry Root, a Partner at Smith Entertainment Law Group, LLP. These courses provided invaluable insights into the legal aspects of the music industry, from contracts to intellectual property.

This fall semester, I will be taking a course on Music Festivals, Live Concerts & Other Live Productions, taught by Brian Oliver, General Counsel at Rolling Loud Festival, and Sandra York, General Counsel at Ultra Music Festival. I am excited to deepen my understanding of the legal and business challenges associated with live performances.

Through these experiences, I’ve been able to combine my education with my role as their Booking Agent, ensuring that they are well-protected and positioned for success in the music industry. I look forward to sharing more about our journey and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.

Lissie Albornoz

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