by Matt Collar
Adult-alternative singer/songwriter duo Karmina -- a reference to the lead vocalists' names and Carmina Burana -- feature the talents of sisters Kelly Rudisill (piano/vocals) and Kamille Rudisill (guitar/vocals). Raised in the San Francisco area, the sisters were interested in music from a young age and studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music while still adolescents. As teenagers, they won a Disney Channel-sponsored contest that brought them some initial exposure and subsequently landed some of their songs on the CW television shows Summerland and Girlfriends. Despite this early success, the sisters went on to earn bachelor's degrees at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California and continued to perform regularly in the Los Angeles area. After graduating, Karmina secured a deal with Columbia Records. Their debut album was scheduled for release in 2007.