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Australian sisters Liv and Mim of NERVO are the type of people who are seemingly good at everything. The Day After Festival talents are hit songwriters, producers and DJs whose skills have become essential for some of the world’s most popular artists. With their catchy lyrics and melodic electro-pop sound, these ladies are bridging a gap between the underground and Top 40 while still living their motto, “Art before chart.”

Their monumental success in the music industry is certainly no surprise given their early exposure to music. Born to Italian immigrants in the suburbs of Melbourne, the twin sisters engulfed themselves in all things musical. “Our parents were very nurturing,” Liv says. “Anything we wanted to do, they would make it happen.” “We had violin lessons, piano lessons, singing lessons,” Mim says. “We did classical singing. We always loved to sing. But it wasn’t an option to be a musician in our family. You had to work hard, study hard and be a lawyer or a doctor. Our dad is an endodontist. Music was seen as a hobby — a luxury.”

But the sisters knew how to turn that “hobby” to good use. After signing a contract with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the duo made their songwriting careers a reality. Starting out in the mid-2000’s, Mim and Liv made a name for themselves by writing smash singles for artists like Ke$ha, the Pussycat Dolls, Miley Cyrus and Kylie Minogue. Their remixing efforts are equally as star-studded featuring superstars like Katy Perry and Cobra Starship. Their joint venture with David Guetta to co-write the Grammy-winning track “When Love Takes Over” would be a catalyst to their careers present day. Quickly building on that experience, the sisters began releasing music under their own name, NERVO. After working with artists like Afrojack, Steve Aoki and Nicky Romero on tracks like “The Way We See the World” and “Like Home,” the sheilas joined Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj for the Femme Fatale tour.

Always balancing a global tour schedule with their songwriting/production and making their own music, the two are also label bosses at NERVO Records. “Music culture is what turns us on so we want to be at the forefront of that by finding artists and bringing out their best with NERVO Records,” Mim says.

Bringing new music to their monthly show NERVO Nation on SiriusXM’s BPM channel, the sisters consider spinning essential to honing in on the perfect sound. “Since we’re not spending all our time in the studio anymore, we get to play our records when we DJ and instantly see how the crowd reacts,” says Mim. “We’re always educating ourselves with that feedback. And those moments when people have their hands in the air and they’re loving the tunes–it’s one of the best rushes you can experience. It means everything to us.”

Currently celebrating the release of their chart-topping collaboration “Revolution” with Ummet Ozcan and R3hab, get ready to be a part of the NERVO Nation when Liv and Mim make their way to Panamà for The Day After Festival on January 10-12th.

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When you make your way to Panama for The Day After Festival, you’ll notice how remarkably diverse the country is. As a transit point for international commerce in the past, Panamanians’ genes stretch from Spain, Africa, China and India, as well as the Middle East, Central Europe and North America. Because of this, Panama has a wide array of food just ready to be eaten.

The Basics

One of the best things about Panama is that it has excellent seafood. You’ll come across a lot of corvina, which is a type of sea bass that’s served grilled or as ceviche. Speaking of which; ceviche of all types is also very common in Panama. This includes octopus and shrimp. Another staple of the Panamanian diet is rice and beans. They are served alongside nearly everything, but are prepared in a variety of ways using different spices and herbs.

Panama’s national alcoholic drink is seco. Seco is made from sugarcane and is often mixed with milk. Beer is most popular of course and there are four local brands — Balboa, Atlas, Soberana and Panama.

Best Restaurant Bets

Las Tinajas

Located in Panama City, this friendly spot is the idle authentic and traditional Panamanian restaurant, offering tortillas, seafood, tropical fruits and typical entertainment.

Cafe De Asis

Cafe De Asis is one of the hippest little restaurants occupying a corner of the old town. Everyone who is in-the-know comes here. The owner makes a potent sangria by secret-recipe and also sells some of the best rums in the world.

Brooklyn Cafe

If you’re looking for some American treats, look no further than Brooklyn Cafe. Owned by a Panamanian woman who fondly remembers her time in the States, the NYC-style cafe is the perfect spot for a cappuccino or muffin, but the daily plato ejecutivo is also a huge draw because it is a slightly upscale version of the traditional Panamanian lunch.

Manolo Caracol

This restaurant is perfect for blending tropical tastes. The creative cuisine ranges from sole carpaccio to ginger prawns and beef tongue and fire-roasted lobster. There’s an open kitchen so you can to watch the cooks try to not burn stuff. Take advantage of the wide selection of wine to splurge on too.

La Rosa Méxicano

This is a hotspot for many. You can start with fresh guacamole handmade right at your table or move immediately to the cocktails which are even more impressive. Try the watermelon margarita topped with a sprig of rosemary.

El Mercado de Mariscos (The Seafood Market)

This is one thing you have to experience at least once during your stay in Panama. The Mercado de Mariscos is the best place to buy fresh fish in Panama City. You name it – they probably sell it. This is a true open market and there is an excellent restaurant right above the seafood market. You can actually buy whatever you want in the market and take it upstairs to the restaurant, where they will prepare it any way you like. Seriously.

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