Vika and Linda
| Vika and Linda | |
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Linda (left) and Vika at Bluesfest Byron Bay in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Vika and Linda Bull |
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | Blues, soul |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels | Mushroom/Festival, Real World, Liberation, Independent/MGM |
| Associated acts | Sophisticated Boom Boom, The Sacred Hearts of Sweet Temptation, The Honeymooners |
| Members |
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Vika and Linda are an Australian vocal duo consisting of Vika Susan Bull (born 1966) and her younger sister, Linda Rose Bull. They came to prominence after singing backing vocals in Joe Camilleri's band The Black Sorrows from 1988. They left that group early in 1994 to start their duo with a self-titled album appearing in June that year. It peaked at No. 7 on the ARIA Albums Chart and No. 16 in New Zealand. Their other top 40 charting albums are Princess Tabu (August 1996) and Two Wings (September 1999).
Vika Susan Bull was born in 1966 in Doncaster and is the older sister of Linda Rose Bull. Their mother was from Tonga, she arrived in Australia in 1959 as a nursing student, and their father was from Melbourne whose parents were local orchardists. The family maintained close links to the local Tongan community and the sisters were taught traditional singing and dancing. As children they regularly performed with the family, at dinner dances and the Tongan church they attended. After church they would have a Tongan feast, Vika recalled in 1995 "it didn't matter what the occasion was we would sing. We had harmonies around us ..., and now we mainly sing gospel .... It's a way of letting loose, which is what gospel music is all about". Vika received musical training – she had singing lessons, she was taught the piano and how to read music. Vika and Linda both attended Camberwell Girls Grammar School and Vika left at the age of 17 to train as a legal secretary at Stotts College. Both worked at the Black Cat Cafe in their teens in Fitzroy.
While growing up the sisters had separate ambitions: Vika wanted to be a professional singer; Linda wanted to be either a visual artist or a microbiologist. Vika started training as a secretary, while Linda entered university. They both enjoyed singing, with their mother an early coach and noticed their sibling vocal harmony. Vika recalled "our mother taught us to sing in harmony ... [she] said 'Linda you got the low voice you take the low part' ... and I took the high part". Vika's early influences were Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Ruth Brown. Linda's being Linda Ronstadt, Aretha, and Dolly Parton.
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