Photo courtesy Chad Wadsworth
Photo courtesy Backstage Design StudioSister-owned business sees Grammy success
Shauna and Sarah Dodds know how to take the stage with unique and innovative designs. The sisters, owners of Backstage Design Studio, won the 2014 Grammy for Best Recording Package for their design of Reckless Kelly's newest release "Long Night Moon."
"Today, with most people and with it being so much easier to download [music], we feel like that if you're going to do a package, you should do something more than just the regular package," Shauna said.
The award-winning album packing features glow-in-the-dark ink that would reveal hidden designs, words and codes; a lunar calendar insert that corresponds with song creation dates, birthdays and other important dates; song chords; and a light.
Both Shauna and Sarah said because music is so accessible through the internet, packaging needs to rise above its traditional role to grab attention as well as match the level of creativity that goes into the music the packaging is representing.
"For [Reckless Kelly], their songs are from the heart, and they mean something," Sarah said. "As designers, we always want to do something outside of the box and something that inspires us and something that gets us excited. So in the same realm of matching their music and their passion, this is our passion. If I'm going to put something out there, I want it to be amazing."
The sisters were nominated in the same category in 2012 for their work on "Good Luck & True Love" by Reckless Kelly.
Shauna when to Schreiner University in Kerrville and Sarah went to Southwest Texas State University—Now Texas State University—in San Marcos, with both getting degrees relating to design.
The sisters founded the business in 2004 and opened their studio at 201 E. 5th St. in 2012.
The studio does more than just music album packing, diversifying their portfolio with clients including Waterloo Ice House and Amy's Ice Creams. The sisters said they are looking forward to the projects they have for the future.
"We have works coming in. We're getting a lot of new projects we're excited about working on," Sarah said. "We're working a lot of custom, cool jobs which we're really excited to be able to do because we really do love doing this stuff."
For more information on Backstage Design Studio, visit https://backstagedesigns.com.
