The Yak meets American brothers Sean and Kevin Brauer, the artist/producer duo who are Sevenn. 
Sean and Kevin, welcome to Bali! Is this your first time to our island?
Thank you! And this is our second time, but last time we only got to stay for 24 hours. This time we’ll actually be able to enjoy all the crazy beautiful stuff this island has to offer.
The comment around the globe is that ‘seemingly out of nowhere’ you exploded onto the international electronic music stage…Can you fill us in on where this nowhere was that you both sprang out of?
We we’re both raised in a very secluded missionary community that could only listen to music made in that same community, so since we we’re kids we’ve had access to studios. Sean left the group and started dj-ing at underground raves when he was 16 while I (Kevin) made progressive symphonic Disney metal. Back in 2012, we messed around with dubstep and told each other « We could make some really cool stuff if we wanted too » but quickly dismissed the idea until three years later.
Your first joint single was BYOB with Brazilian superstar DJ Alok. Where and how did you get to meet him and end up collaborating?
Sean had the privilege of meeting him in Portugal a couple years back and got his number. One day we were absolutely broke, completely hit rock bottom and said « let’s send the BYOB rough idea to Alok » and from there everything just snowballed out of control.
Next up was BOOM with Tiesto. What did he bring to the collab?
Tiesto brought the power, the danceability and the drive to the track. If it weren’t for his vision the track probably would have gotten stuck at underground g-house parties rather than becoming the most played club track over the last year.
Who and / or what has influenced your music careers so far?
Sean has taken a good bit of influence from psy trance with artists such as Astrix, Vini Vici, Day Din, while I think I’ve brought a little more creative recklessness. Sean is super picky about his sounds/production, while I just kinda slop stuff together haha. We’re complete opposites.
Which of you takes the lead when creating new tracks?
I probably come up with too many ideas at the same time, so Sean steps in and we both decide which ones are most likely gonna work best.
And in life in general?
Like I said we’re such opposites: Sean loves having guests over and cooking for them while I camp out in a dark, candle-filled room drinking cheap wine and pondering the future.
Awesome vocals by your sister Kathy on your Colors of the Rainbow track. Are you bringing her into the music business?
Absolutely! She’s a mad musical scientist, can’t wait to have her on some more tracks.
Your recently released track, Hello Moto, was produced entirely on Iphone earbuds?
Yep! Iphone ear buds have such nice transients and smooth mid-lows, it’s like producing while eating rainbow colored marshmallows doused in warm caramel.
How difficult is it to keep it real when 19 million and 40 million streams confirm your talent and popularity?
It’s actually really easy because our mom (a mother of nine) is constantly on our case.
What are you excited about in the next six months?
Touring, new collabs, new record deals, new countries to be visited. We’re really going all out this year. So much music to be released we don’t even know what to do with it!
Fashion – how important is it to you? Any brands in particular?
Karl Lagerfeld and Philippe Plein for me, and Yves Saint for Sean (although we normally perform in really simple clothes because we end up jumping around too much and ruining them).
Feet – what do you wear on them?
We love Converse and Vans, also because we can guiltlessly wreck them at raves and afterparties.
You most repeated quote or phrase between you both?
« Live like popcorn »
Thanks Kevin and thanks Sean for your time – enjoy Bali!
Thanks, we will!
K-link for Colors of The Rainbow
