Michael and Marisa ~ Brother and sister music duo performing classic rock, pop and original songs.

Less than a year apart, Boston-bred siblings Michael and Marisa possess the uncanny ability to get a crowd in the thousands on their feet and begging for more. Their harmonic vocals, accompanied by Michael on guitar and Marisa on drums, overflow with a pop rock resonance and refreshing spirit. Oh. Did we mention they barely just began celebrating double-digit birthdays?

At 12 and 13 respectively, this likely pairing no doubt conjures up images of 1970s-era siblings, The Carpenters, and garage rock pretend-brother-and-sister duo, The White Stripes. Female on drums? Check. Dark hair? Check. But that, combined with their extreme musical talent, is essentially where the similarities end.

Citing musical influences that range from The Beatles to Avril Lavigne to Lady Gaga, Michael and Marisa have accomplished in four years what many musicians can only dream of doing in a lifetime. Having opened for nationally renowned artists such as American Idol finalist David Archuleta, Disney’s Mitchel Musso and Nickelodeon’s Drake Bell, the pint-sized siblings are no strangers to the stage. Their tour roster boasts over 200 shows nationwide, including an impromptu performance with Grammy-nominated recording artist, Lily Allen. To watch them play is to witness a couple of ordinary kids with an extraordinary talent well beyond their years — completely at home in front of a large audience, Michael and Marisa maintain an infectious energy and melodic ability to turn even the most cynical critic into an instant fan.

This should come as no surprise, as Michael and Marisa have been honing their instrumental skills since Michael first picked up a guitar at age 6. “I didn’t really play with toys,” Michael muses. “I was just obsessed with music! I had a tape recorder and a little beat machine. All the artists I liked played guitar, so I thought I’d try it.” It wasn’t long before a 7-year-old Michael was playing covers of Buddy Holly and CCR at open mic nights. Shortly thereafter, bored with the violin and eager to jam with her younger brother, Marisa soon began banging on the drums. It quickly became apparent that this was more than just a hobby. They were good. And so the pop rock power duo was born.

Michael and Marisa spent nearly two years working on their debut album, Kickin’ It Together, which was independently released in the spring of 2008 to rave reviews. They co-wrote the majority of the songs on the 12-track album, along with contributions from Emmy-nominated producer Amy Powers, Boston producer Billy Garzone and Hannah Montana songwriter Jeannie Lurie.

In it for the long haul, the talented pair are set to release their highly anticipated four-track EP in the spring of 2010, which was co-written and produced by Peter Zizzo, an award-winning songwriter who has been instrumental in developing the careers of several artists, including Avril Lavigne and Vanessa Carlton. Gina Schock, drummer for The Go-Go’s, is also credited with a co-write. Though this latest EP may showcase a more evolved pop rock sound, lyrically, the siblings say they will continue to target kids their own age. “I try to write songs where the person listening can think, ‘Oh, I know that feeling!’” Marisa explains. “Like, we talk about bullying in our song, ‘The Same.’ I want kids to hear our songs and then think about changing the way they treat others. I think our music can have an impact and make the world a better place.”