For a 40-something mom with a grown daughter, I have to confess that the whole tween scene is a bit too cutesy for my tastes, and I’ve never been a big fan of throwing kids into the limelight; we’ve seen what that kind of pressure can do (can anyone say Spears?).
But with the tidal wave of squeaky clean pop entertainment flooding the market these days, Fervent’s tween pop/dance trio pureNRG, made up of Carolyne (12), Caroline (13) and Jordan (15), were destined to make a big splash when they launched onto the music scene last May.
The trio’s self-titled debut CD is filled with upbeat, optimistic, catchy pop songs that are a hit with the pre-teen crowd already driven to frenzy by Jump 5, “High School Musical,” and Hannah Montana. They released two DVDS, one a personal behind-the-scenes look at the teens and their faith, the other an interactive dance DVD (with guests Brandon and Brittany Hargest of Jump 5) that teaches pureNRG fans the step-by-step dance moves to the group’s two hits, “What If” and “Footloose.”

Those three projects, along with airplay on Radio Disney and a successful stint on Jump 5’s farewell tour, gave pre-pubescent music fans more than enough reason to send pureNRG over the edge at the cash register. The group ended 2007 as CBA’s top selling new artist, with more than 60,000 CDs and DVDs sold in a seven month period.
And the momentum hasn’t stopped in 2008. The group is currently on the WinterJam tour with headliners MercyMe, BarlowGirl and Group 1 Crew and they recently auditioned for folks at the Nickelodeon channel. They’re set to release their next album, “Here We Go Again” in April.
I met Carolyne, Caroline, and Jordan at a record label event last year and was pleasantly surprised by how they’ve been able to retain their childlike innocence, despite the fact that they can talk like industry veterans. The girls were sharing a magazine, drawing mustaches on the models, while Jordan was resisting the urge to join the guys from Stellar Kart in a food fight. Sure they can talk contracts and record deals, but they were more interested in asking me questions about my job and drawing pictures for the other bands at the event.
These three have grown up together, attending the same dance classes and making the rounds at dance competitions. They’re talented and used to the pressure of juggling school, friends and a serious study of their craft, and they truly believe they have a message to share with their generation. With their childhood friendship and strong faith as a foundation, and with careful parental and management direction, they’re poised to become the next tween sensation.
–written by Joanne Brokaw