Nina Sky Sisters Natalie and Nicole Albino Talk the Importance of Date Night After Kids
In the 15 years since Nina Sky‘s hit “Move Ya Body” dominated radio waves, bandmates Natalie and Nicole Albino have continued cranking out music, both as singer-songwriters and as DJs.
They’ve also become parents — Natalie is mom to sons Izzy, 8 months, and Max, 5, with husband Michael Colón, while Nicole has a 21-month-old daughter named Goldie Love with wife Erin Magee.
But despite all the change parenthood has brought, the identical twin sisters, 35, say that keeping a firm grip on their identities has remained a top priority.
“You have to remember not to lose your sense of self,” Natalie tells Parents Latina in a joint interview. “People say you change when you become a mom, but I think people’s perception of you changes more. They assume that you can’t or shouldn’t do things. But that’s on them.”
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Adds Nicole, “You don’t stop what you’re doing when you become a mom. You just figure it out. Parenthood is a constant adjustment.”
If anything, having kids has only reinforced the sisters’ passion for music, with Nicole noting that Goldie can even be heard on some of her recordings, as she tends to hold her daughter while she sings.
“Since ‘Move Ya Body,’ we’ve worked really hard to continue doing what we love. Having kids pushes us more,” she says. “I want to show Goldie that she should work hard toward her dreams.”
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In that same vein, the sisters make sure to prioritize their relationships with their significant others — even if they sometimes have to get creative to do so. “Erin and I have recently put more effort into going on dates,” says Nicole. “Of course, half the time, we go, ‘Look at this photo I took of Goldie!’ But it’s nice to be romantic, reconnect, and be, like, ‘We love each other. We’re doing this together. You’re great, and this is great.’ “
“It feels really simple. And we’re still very sexually attracted to each other, even though it’s a lot harder to express that when there’s a baby around all the time,” she adds, joking, “But, you know, we have a guest room.”
“Mike and I don’t have rules about going out every Friday or anything, but we do make time for each other,” Natalie adds. “Once the kids go to sleep, we sit on the couch together, crack open a beer and pour a glass of wine. We talk about our days and watch crap TV, like Love After Lockup.”
“I also appreciate the little moments we have together — like when Mike comes up behind me and hugs me in the kitchen while the kids are playing in the living room,” she says. “Even if five minutes earlier we were disagreeing, there’s always love there. You feel it.”
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The New York-based siblings — who say they talk on the phone “at least four times a day” — also have their own mother to thank for helping mold their inspirational parenting methods.
“When we call her for advice she says, ‘Why are you asking me? You’re already doing a great job.’ She doesn’t even realize how reassuring that is for us,” Natalie explains. “That’s the way we are with our own kids. Every morning before school, I tell Max, ‘Be kind, be respectful, know your presence and be brave in whatever you do.’ “
Natalie and Nicole, who were just 19 years old when the infectious “Move Ya Body” reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, recently teamed up on yet another project together: opening an online vintage clothing shop for kids called MotherVintage.com.
“The key is time management,” Natalie says of the sisters’ balancing act. “I schedule things now, so I have time for my kids and myself.”
