Sister act Aly & AJ juggle acting with new music. Let’s call them double threats.

Singing sister tandem Aly & AJ have gone through all kinds of changes since forming in the mid-2000s, from changing their band’s name to a new label to devoting time to their acting careers.

They’ve now resurfaced again as a recording touring act.

Vocalist-guitarist-keyboardist Aly Michalka, who is featured in the comedy-drama series “iZombie,” and vocalist-guitarist AJ Michalka, who stars in the sitcoms “The Goldbergs” and “Schooled,” somehow found the time to record the EP “Sanctuary” and to embark on a tour.

Aly & AJ, who will perform May 12 at the Cat’s Cradle, talked to The News & Observer about how they juggling acting and music and reveal whatever happened to those Hello Kitty Aly & AJ dolls.

Q: How do you two balance your television projects with recording and touring?

AJ: We do what we can to work things out but it’s tricky. It was a balancing act for Aly working on the final season of “iZombie” and I was working on “Schooled.”

But we were committed to working on another EP and touring. We were compelled to make this record. It takes drive and focus to make what is essentially two careers work.

Q: Can you talk about why you’re so compelled to make music?

Aly: It’s a mixture of things. There’s our relationship as sisters. There’s our love of recording and touring. It’s such a unique experience. We love the traveling circus aspect. But what we enjoy most is the creative control that we have as recording artists. We don’t have that kind of control on the shows we’re on. We’re making our own music and we are gratified by that.

Q: There’s always been frivolous pop but it seems like there’s more frivolous pop around now more than ever. But your lyrics are typically more substantial than many of your peers.

Aly: We agree with you about how there is so much frivolous music out there. But the cool thing with our fans is that they are not looking for frivolous music. They want to hear deeper songs. They’re up for songs about bullying, self love and body imaging. They want to hear love songs.

Q: There aren’t as many contemporary love songs out there, than say a generation ago but there is an audience for it. Look at Adele and how many albums she’s sold, and virtually every song she records is a love song.

AJ: It’s true. Adele is amazing and she is this recording artist, who just came out of nowhere and exploded just because of the power of her voice and what she sings. She’s become this icon.

Q: Whatever happened to those “Hello Kitty Aly and AJ” dolls?

Aly: They’re locked away in storage. Some day our kids will be able to open up those boxes. It was such a cool thing to have dolls made in our image.

Q: There was also an Aly and AJ adventure game. When was the last time you guys played that game?

Aly: Oh God! It’s been forever. We’re not gamers. We don’t have a playstation or an Xbox. But it was pretty cool to have your own game.

Q: If you’re not gamers, what do you do for fun?

Aly: We love the outdoors. We go for hikes. We go to yoga and pilates classes. We’re in Nashville now. We’re going to go out to eat and then explore.

Q: What is about sisters or siblings and harmonies?

AJ: There is definitely something to it. I think there is something to bloodlines. Look at Tegan and Sara and the Beach Boys. They sound so great. I think there is something about singing and being related.

Q: What are you listening to?

Aly: There is a lot of great new music coming out. We love Tame Impala, Childish Gambino and Vampire Weekend.

Q: You’ve must have met so many icons over your careers as musicians and actors. Who have you met that really flipped you out?

Aly: AJ, who has really flipped us out that we met?

AJ: Shania Twain. She’s someone who is this amazing icon that we grew up listening to during the ‘90s. She was so massive and she was just so cool when we met her.

Q: What icons would you like to meet?

Aly: Thom Yorke, Robert Plant and Brian Wilson.

Q: You haven’t been to the Triangle in a long time.

AJ: It’s been over a decade so we’re really looking forward to coming into Cat’s Cradle. We hope to explore and of course we’re looking forward to performing.

Details

Who: Aly & AJ with Armor

When: May 12, 8 p.m.

Where: Cat’s Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro

Tickets: $25 in advance and $28 day of show.

Cost: 919-967-9053 or catscradle.com

This story was originally published May 7, 2019 at 3:14 PM.