'Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in
love, in faith and in purity.' 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)
There's no doubt about it. We're in the midst of a virtual Youthquake. Teenage icons are regular fixtures not only
at the mall, but all over the airwaves and on both the big and small screens. They sing, they act and even write their
own music or, in some cases, own their own companies. Teen People calls them 'teen titans,' but you might know them
as 'generation next.' Whatever the title, they've moved into the house built by their entertainment elders, and they
are ready to renovate.
Smack in the midst of it all is the energetic power-pop phenomenon Jump5—Brandon, Brittany, Chris and Lesley. Sporting
a brand new album, Dreaming in Color, this magnetic foursome knows how to do one thing extremely well: connect with their
thousands and thousands of fans around the world. And with the momentum they've built over their past five albums, it's easy
to see why.
Jump5's career history makes these teenagers seem like veterans in a crowded entertainment marketplace. They've toured
with Aaron Carter, A*Teens, Baha Men and Radio Disney Live!, and recently headlined two tours. Major TV performances have
included appearances on ABC, CBS, Nick at Nite and The Disney Channel, to name a few. Jump5 also recently recorded a cover
of the classic J. Geils Band song 'Freeze Frame' for the new motion picture Sleepover, starring Alexa Vega (Spy Kids). And
as if that wasn't enough, Jump5's songs have landed on soundtracks of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Ella Enchanted, Kim Possible,
Brother Bear and the DVDs of Beauty & the Beast and Lilo & Stitch (they also sing the theme song for this Disney Channel
animated TV series).
nNeedless to say, whether they're hitting the red carpet at a national movie premiere or performing in an arena full
of church youth groups, this talented foursome keeps everything in perspective. In fact, these hometown friends may not even
be aware of how brightly their star shines. Or perhaps it's just not that important to them in the grand scheme of things.
'Every once in a while it will hit home, and it's just hard to take it all in,' Brandon Hargest, 17, admits. 'We're really
grateful for everything we've been able to do.'
'Probably the most rewarding thing is to see how what we're doing is really impacting people,' says Brandon's 16-year-old
sister, Brittany Hargest. 'Our group verse is 1 Timothy 4:12, and it says, 'Don't let people look down on you just because
you're young.' Even at our age, we can still be strong Christians and set examples for people everywhere. It's cool to feel
like we really do have a voice, and we're being heard.'
'We really believe in what we're saying, what we're singing about,' adds 17-year-old Lesley Moore. 'Reaching other people
is what we've been about from the very beginning, and I think that is what keeps us going strong.'
'I think a lot of kids look to their friends and other kids their age for direction sometimes,' notes 18-year-old Chris
Fedun. 'I know I can be that way, myself. I'll go to my friends for help or just to talk about what they would do if they
were in my situation. As a teenager, there's a lot of pressure to be a certain way, to dress a certain way, or to hang out
with certain people. But I feel like it's okay to say, 'You know, I'm going to be who I am. I don't care what anyone else
thinks.' That's what we hope other kids will get from our music.'
On their newest CD, Dreaming in Color, Jump5 blends the same enthusiasm and intensity of their past recordings
with a new maturity and conviction. The album features the group's best vocals and hook-driven melodies to date. Under the
guidance of producers Mark Hammond (Josh Groban, Amy Grant, Nichole Nordeman, Brian McKnight, Luther Vandross), Dan Muckala
(Mandy Moore, Joy Williams, N'Sync, Point Of Grace, Aaron Neville) and Shaun Shankel (writer/producer of American Idol finalist
Kimberley Locke's smash single 'Eighth World Wonder'), Dreaming In Color allows Chris, Brandon, Brittany and Lesley to flex
their notably strong vocal muscles on some of the year's best hit-worthy pop sounds.
'This album is a lot more even and balanced, musically speaking,' says Brandon. 'It's not heavy on just guitars or just
pop sounds, but it's got a good, even spread of it all—and that's what we wanted. We offered a lot more input
throughout the entire recording process this time around. That's why it really feels like it's our album.'
Dreaming In Color features songs written by Stuart Brawley (Don Henley, 'N Sync, Celine Dion), Steve Diamond (Britney
Spears, Backstreet Boys, Faith Hill), Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls) and even Jump5's own Brittany Hargest, who co-wrote
"Feels Like Falling," her first recorded song for the group.
From top to bottom, Jump5 effectively expands the parameters of teen pop, making a successful evolution from song to
song with the infectious hooks of tracks like "Just a Dream" or the album's title cut, which the group says became the fastest
album title they'd ever agreed upon. 'This song is really about not dwelling on the bad things in life, but seeing the good,'
says Chris.
Listeners will connect quickly with the powerful guitar-pop sounds when Dreaming in Color kicks into hyper-drive on head-nodding
tracks like 'In My Heart' (co-written by Brawley and Michelle Tumes) and 'It's A Beautiful World.' And some will be familiar
with the catchy pop classic 'I Got the Music In Me,' with its explosive new Jump5 spin that is sure to be a favorite at dance
parties everywhere.
Taking a stand that's both inspirational and heroic, Jump5 continues to be at the forefront of the new 'tween' revolution,
setting the pace not only for their fans, but for some of their fellow artists who now present a more clean-cut image with
empowering messages about self-esteem, self-confidence and the importance of being comfortable with who you are—common
themes that Jump5's audience has always responded to in a very big way.
'We go through pressures every single day,' says Lesley, 'so it's cool that we get to sing about that kind of stuff in
our songs and that kids can relate to it.'
'Music is such a big part of teenagers' lives,' Chris adds. 'That's what kids do—they listen to music. So when
we started this group we wanted to make good music that kids could listen to, something their parents didn't have to listen
to first to make sure it was okay. A lot of kids look to others their own age for direction sometimes. I know I do. So we
just want to be something positive.'
And kids aren't the only ones who appreciate Jump5's inspirational messages, proving without question that this is music
for the whole family. The stories we hear aren't always from kids,' says Brandon. 'We've heard from moms or dads who have
written and said they brought their kids to the show and were really impacted by what they saw. That's such a cool thing
for us to see that we can really help reach people of all ages.'
Jump5 will take to the road this fall, co-headlining ShoutFest 2004 with Tait, ZOEgirl, Rachael Lampa and others. Then
they'll barely have time to catch their breath before heading out this holiday season, headlining their second Christmas tour.
'We love this life, and we wouldn't want to miss these opportunities we're having right now,' Brandon adds. 'We're just
having fun with it. We think it's a blast! We wouldn't change anything.'
JUMP5 BIRTHDAYS
CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL FEDUN JANUARY 14 1986
LESLEY CATHERINE MOORE OCTOBER 15 1986
BRANDON ALLEN HARGEST MARCH 17 1987
BRITTANY LYNNE HARGEST AUGUST 2 1988
