HAMPSHIRE'S funky folk duo Daughters of Davis have much to celebrate as they release their first single 'Money' from their third studio album 'Not Playing The Game'

The sisters, Fern and Adrienne ditched everything they knew in 2011 to pursue a music career, even buying a rusty old camper van off eBay ready to globetrot and make a name for themselves.

They travelled the country, sleeping, eating and song-writing in their van, quickly attracting the attention of management.

Talking to the Daily Echo, former Peter Symonds College student, Fern laughs as she recalls how they toured round the UK, and survived on as little as 17p soup, economy porridge and noodles in a bid to take their music across the nation.

And she remembers how this life living in a van began:

"In 2011 Adrienne was working as an occupational therapist and really struggling to combine the job and the gigs and I'd just finished my Fine Art degree and I just said to her in a fly away comment one day 'we should just buy a van and tour the country' and never thought for a moment we would follow it through. But I had planted a seed and Adrienne just gave up her job!

The mission was then on to find the money to buy a van and go on tour.

Winchester School of Art Fine Art graduate, Fern recalls:"I use to do portraiture but I swapped that for painting white walls in houses. We did car boot sales and I sold my car and everything of worth and bought this van which was more rust than metal! I was surprised it made it out the drive! It was such an old banger and broke down a lot. Once we were going down the motorway and the window winder snapped off so I couldn't shut the window- it was freezing!"

"It's ironic that we have been living in a van for so long as it took us 15 times between us to pass our driving tests. It took me nine times and Adrienne six times!

"But we lived on porridge and noodles and busked from city to city. We were so broke and slept in the van in all temperatures. We had no heating so would wear about nine layers. It was freezing. There were times when we thought about going home as it was so cold but you don't want to live your life thinking what if. We just thought what are you really made of!"

Their hard work and dedication eventually paid off and attracted sponsorship from Elddis via The Caravan Club for a shiny brand new Accordo Motorhome!

"It's a miracle that we have this brand new motor home, " says Fern. "We both live for music and we've written lots of songs about living on the road such as 'Catch Me if You Can' ( off the Soul album) and 'Pay Off' on the new album.

We lived in our first van for two years, which is unbelievable. When we broke down we even did a crowd funder to get back on the road and then eventually it became a write off!

"The lovely new motor home all came about as we made a film about life on the road - a video with music, and this fell into the hands of the Caravan Club and they passed it on to Elddis.

"It was like someone waving a magic wand! It felt so warm and we are able to have a shower rather than wash in streams!

Now because of the new van we have had the opportunity to work with Peter Andre, Leona Lewis and The Eels all round Europe. It's really given us a major boost."

The girls' second studio album 'British Soul' was particularly successful, reaching the iTunes Top 10 in the Singer/Songwriter charts. They have since opened shows for Beyonce and Alison Moyet, whilst their recent support tours have included: The Eels, Rebecca Ferguson, Peter Andre, and Leona Lewis!

Their highly anticipated new album #Notplayingthegame is a concept piece around a campaign the Daughters of Davis have been incessantly promoting which is currently taking the country by storm. The aim of this passion project is to convey how the heart aims to break down the lies fed to society through the media. The album boasts a producer who has worked with Royal Blood and infused epic sounds of Soul/Folk/Funk. It has an invigorating energy you will want to have on repeat!

The sisters first started singing on the streets of Winchester – where they grew up – and say it gave them the confidence to continue.

Today Fern owns a small flat in Southampton with her husband but doesn't seem to tire of life on the road with her sister.

It's had its ups and downs: "I think our parents thought if we go on tour together we will keep each other safe , but I think we are a recipe for disaster together! When we were asleep in our first van this guy was trying to break in so we had to quickly drive off. We get on really well. We are best mates."