The Aces

The Aces are no strangers to doing what they want. Four young girls who want to do something in the music world and do it right.

- Verus Ferreira

The Aces began in sometime 2016, but the roots go back to when sisters Cristal and Alisa Ramirez were eight years old and enjoyed jamming with their music-loving parents, their father who would dance salsa with them and their mother who played the best of 1980’s pop artists like Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. Interest brewed and before you knew it, thoughts about forming a band took off.

The sisters’ best friend, McKenna Petty, was gifted a bass guitar for Christmas, and tinkering with DIY videos from YouTube, the teen soon learned to play, and within a few months a band was formed with the Ramirez sisters — Cristal on lead vocals, Alisa taking on drums and McKenna on bass. They christened themselves The Blue Aces in 2012 and practised in their neighbour’s garage.

In 2008, McKenna’s friend, Katie Henderson, joined the group as lead guitarist and everything was set to roll. The band began to sharpen their talents and get a bit of raw exposure throughout high school while performing locally at venues and bars. Over the years, as they expanded their presence on their local music scene they managed to grab a few eyeballs when they were listed as the “Top 10 Best Bands in Provo” by Provo Buzz and “10 Best Utah Bands You Should Know” by Paste Magazine. The girls’ decision to make it big was inspired when in 2014 they saw Lorde, then an 18-year-old singer-songwriter win her first Grammy.