Aly Michalka and her younger sister AJ Michalka had a certified hit “Potential Breakup Song” in 2007, which was named Time’s 9th best song of the year. They briefly released songs after that under the name 78Violet, but it’s been long ten years since the duo released a song as Aly & AJ. Last Friday, the two sisters debuted a new single, “Take Me,” according to E! News.
Over the last decade, the former child stars went for acting. Aly, 28, is married to Stephen Ringer and stars on iZombie. While AJ, 26, is a series regular on the sitcom The Goldbergs.
In a recent interview with Elle, the Michalka sisters opened up about what happened, where they’ve been and what brought them back to their music career.
“My husband encouraged us to come back to music,” Aly explained. “He saw us singing and writing round the house so he encouraged us to get back out there and write music and perform…[Finally] we just said, ‘Okay, let’s give this one last go.'”
The pair then called out their good friend and songwriter Mike Elizondo and started to settle things.
“The music we were writing then was based on fictional relationships. We were thirteen and fifteen, we were writing with zero experience,” Aly said referring to their new and mature sound. “Now that I’m married, and we’ve each had many relationships and heartbreaks, we’re coming at songwriting at a much different way.”
AJ also talked about what it was like to be a child star. “I don’t think we were [in the] mega stardom field, but I do know that our music had done well enough that Aly and I were recognized on a day-to-day basis, especially if we were together,” the sitcom star revealed.
She added, “You deal with constant scrutiny, and people who know your business too intimately who shouldn’t. As a kid, it can be overwhelming and frightening. Now that we’re older, I feel safer. I know how to handle it better. Had we been bigger at that age, it can be really freaky and possibly damaging.”
The younger sister admits that she’s thankful they’re not superstars. “Had we been bigger at that age, it can be really freaky and possibly damaging. I’m glad we didn’t experience Taylor Swift-level fame because I don’t know how that would work,” the actress shared. “Thankfully we had each other; I can’t imagine it as a solo artist. [Even] growing up with super-normal parents and a solid team around us, being under the microscope is definitely a weird way to grow up.”
Aly also said that she was completely open for a Phil of the Future reunion. “I mean, sure! I guess reunions are a big thing now. I wouldn’t be opposed to it. It’s a funny idea. I have no idea what they’d do necessarily with the storyline, but yeah, sure.”
Aly & AJ’s four-song EP is scheduled to be released before a full album in 2018.
