Earlier this month, twin-sister duo Megan & Liz released one of the most meticulously constructed, joyfully executed singles of the year, "Release You," and stopped by the Billboard studios to present a stripped-down take on the track. The Max Martin- and Shellback-helmed lead single from the 20-year-old duo's forthcoming debut album, "Look What You Started," "Release You" is a power-pop break-up track inspired by real-life events -- in fact, Megan and Liz Mace told Billboard during a studio sit-down that the single drew from a pair of concurrently souring relationships.
"Both of us were in this situation with guys where we were just like, ugh, done!" says Megan Mace. Liz adds, "I feel like all of our songs are real-life inspirations, but especially 'Release You' is like a double-hit, because it's not just one of us -- it was both of us -- who were like, 'Release you. Bye.'"
"Release You" follows the Michigan duo's breakout success on YouTube, as well as a slew of original material released over the past two years. Last year, the single "Bad For Me" was accompanied by an official music video and promotional tour; the official clip has garnered 3.4 million YouTube views, and has sold 207,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan.