Maria Nelson and Selene Taylor, under the band name Paranormal, are about to play their 8th gig. They have a repertoire of covers and original material. They are saving up for a van to go on tour someday.
They are 10 years old.
“We were the only two kids in third grade who liked rock music,” says Nelson. “(Selene) asked me if I liked AC/DC and wanted to jam ‘TNT.’ I said sure. My dad is a drummer, so I was like, ‘hey dad, can you teach me TNT? I wanna jam with this girl.’ And he said, ‘Yeah totally. I’ve been waiting for this day.’”
With Taylor on guitar and Nelson on drums – and both contributing vocals – they knock out songs by AC/DC, Oasis, The Ramones, Nirvana, Black Crowes, Led Zeppelin, Green Day, Tom Petty and Foo Fighters. They are currently working on original songs, too.
“I have pages and pages and notes and notebooks of songs I’ve written,” says Nelson, who started playing the piano around 2 years old. Taylor was originally a flutist. In the future, the girls plan to trade instruments, with Nelson on guitar and Taylor on drums.
“We’re a work in progress,” says Nelson.
Paranormal’s first appearance was at their third grade talent show in June of 2023. The girls are now fifth graders at Bayside Middle School.
The duo went on to play two gigs at Kochanski’s – opening for Nelson’s dad, Don, who drums for The Exotics. For this one, they put up posters and gave out handbills at school. They also played at RushMor Records in Bayview during National Record Store Day, Cafe Corazon, an outdoor private event and another school talent show. They return to Cafe Corazon in Brown Deer this Friday, Sept. 13.
Recently, Nelson talked live on WMSE with Sid McCain, the station’s music director and a DJ. She invited Paranormal to play live in the WMSE studio when they have three new original songs. They also dream of playing at The Cactus Club and The Rave someday.
Taylor’s 12-year-old sister, Ivy, is integral to Paranormal’s evolution. “She’s helped us since the moment we started the band,” says Taylor. “She has perfect pitch and she tunes our guitars.”
Paranormal practices take place in Nelson’s basement when their school schedules permit. Nelson shares a drum kit with her dad, and hopes to get her own some day. She also wants to return to her piano-playing roots and jam on a keyboard.
“A few days ago I was like, ‘You know what, piano? I miss you,'” says Nelson.
Taylor is primarily self taught on guitar. “YouTube taught me,” she says. “Marty (from YouTube) taught me, to be exact. I like him a lot.”
Most of the girls at their school are really into Taylor Swift, a pop star that Nelson and Taylor aren't fans of, but have kind words for.
“I respect Taylor Swift. I know she’s popular and girls look up to her. And her music is good, it’s just not my kind of music,” says Nelson.
Does their rock / alternative music interests set them apart from the other girls in middle school? Sometimes.
“We’re weird, but in the best way possible,” says Nelson.
Taylor’s first concert was Green Day and Nelson’s was Jack White. They’ve seen about 20 shows each in their 10 years of life. Nelson and her parents will attend the Oasis reunion concert at Wembley Stadium in London next summer.
“Music is our life,” says Taylor.
Nelson and Taylor are six years from getting their drivers licenses and eight years from becoming legal adults, but they are already saving up for a tour van.
“We’re well on our way to a big van that we’re gonna live in and tour in,” says Taylor.
Nelson adds she wants to tour with the band, but also attend college someday.
“I definitely have a passion for music, but I also just wanna know as much as possible about everything,” says Nelson.
Paranormal will play Cafe Corazon – Brown Deer, 4102 W. Bradley Road, on Friday, Sept. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. for Tiki Taco Music Night. The Happy Shotski Polka Combo is also on the bill.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
