Double DJ

The Melbourne big room house duo, identical twins Olivia (Liv) and Miriam (Mim) Nervo, placed at 16th in 2013's DJ Mag Top 100 poll, becoming the world's top-ranking female DJs ever. Yet the vivacious Liv (she of the long hair) is reluctant to describe themselves as revolutionaries. “It is pretty amazing, but I think also the industry itself, or the genre of music, is really exploding, so we can't take all the credit.”

Ironically, Nervo are promoting a vocal version of the single, Revolution, with Dutch house buddy R3hab and tech-trancer Ummet Ozcan, the video a YouTube phenom. Meanwhile, they're progressing on a long-touted album showcase – with notably fewer collabs. “We really wanted to do an album so we could put the records on that can't be singles – the ones that are a little bit too poppy or slower.”

The sisters grew up in middle-class Ivanhoe. Though formally studying music, the Nervos modelled in their teens after being scouted by Chadwick Models. “Modelling was great, but it was never the focus. The focus was always to get our hands dirty with music.” Nervo headed to the UK to pursue just that, initially making their name as songwriters for S Club 7's Rachel Stevens and others. They'd befriend the unknown Ke$ha. Nervo co-wrote 2009's Grammy-winning When Love Takes Over for David Guetta, Kelly Rowland singing, Guetta encouraging them to DJ. Today they're concentrating on their own studio output, scoring such hits as Like Home with Nicky Romero. Nervo recently remixed Beyoncé's Grown Woman and Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time – premiered, oddly, on people.com.

At one stage Liv lived in New York, Mim in London. “I was dating a guy and we were living over there – we broke up,” Liv laughs. Reunited, the twins divide their time between LA, London and Ibiza. Nervo have a show on BBC Radio 1 – and a residency at Las Vegas' Hakkasan. But, as Liv explains from a Californian studio, they're planning a trip home “just to chill out” and play club dates.

Nervo still 'model', currently as brand ambassadors for CoverGirl. Old pal Ke$ha recently sought treatment for an eating disorder. Have they contacted her? “That's a really good reminder – I was just speaking to Mim about it yesterday,” Liv says candidly. “I was thinking we should reach out to her 'cause I haven't been in touch with her for at least eight months – it could even be a year. Life's just been so crazy. We just kinda lost a bit of touch.” Ke$ha's mother Pebe Sebert has alleged that the star's super-producer Dr Luke body-bullied her, revealing pop's dark side. “Yeah, it's tough,” Liv says. “I know the people she works with, I know the people she's talking about, and I can only imagine how tough it might have been for her.”