by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Disney is the company that’s launched a thousand careers. Over the past decade we’ve seen superstars be born on the Disney Channel from Britney Spears to Lindsay Lohan. Lately the Mouse House has gotten particularly good at finding the most talented teens in the world and grooming them on their cable network to become the next “it” boy or girl. These kids can sing, dance and act and are gaining legions of fans ready to buy their products, listen to their albums and watch their movies. Who are the megastars of tomorrow?
This pop duo consists of sisters Alyson and Amanda “AJ” Michalka. The girls, who are two years apart, have been studying acting since a young age and were singing and writing songs years before that. Alyson made her acting debut on the hit Disney Channel series “Phil of the Future,” which allowed her to sing in a number of episodes, sparking a public interest in the girls’ music. In 2005 Aly & AJ released their first album Into the Rush. The record reached Gold certification and has spawned six singles.
Since then Amanda made her Disney Channel debut in the film Cow Belles, staring alongside her sister. Aly & AJ’s second album, a Christian holiday record called Acoustic Hearts of Winter was released on September 26th. The duo is up for an American Music Award for Best Contemporary Inspirational Artist of the Year (formerly “Best Christian Artist”). A third album, featuring original songs by the talented duo, is scheduled for release on April 3, 2007.
Aly & AJ will be performing at the Florida Theater on November 30th. Opening for the sisters are a group of five brothers known as B5. The majority of the tickets for this highly anticipated show have already been sold, so those looking to score seats should do so as soon as possible.
The year’s biggest Disney Channel event was the unveiling of High School Musical, a hit DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie) that earned the highest ratings ever for Disney Channel original programming. The film’s music even made history with the soundtrack becoming the first to make it to #1 the Billboard Top 200 not once, but twice. Everything High School Musical touched has turned to gold, so it should be no surprise that many of the cast members are going on to bigger and better things (besides High School Musical 2, of course).
Vanessa Anne Hudgens, who played the leading lady in the film, released her first album V in September. The sound, a mix of pop, R&B and dance, is extremely radio-friendly and her first single “Come Back to Me” is getting pretty regular airplay. Vanessa took to the stage earlier this fall while touring with the Cheetah Girls and has done live performances on “Good Morning America” and “Live with Regis & Kelly”.
The lead male role went to Zac Efron, a young actor best known for his appearances on the series “Summerland”. In June of 2006, Efron was cast in the upcoming film version of Hairspray, opposite Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah and John Travolta.
Monique Coleman plays one of the relatively minor roles in High School Musical but the appearance, however brief, has made her a full-fledged star. Monique was selected as one of Teen People’s 25 hottest stars under 25 and has been featured in numerous international publications. Her participation in ABC’s hit show “Dancing with the Stars” further thrust Coleman into the spotlight, especially when she made it all the way to the top four. Expect to see the triple threat in the up coming High School Musical sequel.
Nearly the entire cast (Efron will be filming and can’t attend) will be taking their act on the road beginning November 29th. The High School Musical Tour will cover 40 cities and is expected to sell out. The tour will make its way through Florida in late December.
After growing up virtually out of the spotlight despite being Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter, Miley Cyrus has stepped into the limelight and is making a name for herself… well, actually, a couple names for herself. Miley Cyrus plays Miley Stewart on the hit Disney Channel series “Hannah Montana”. In the show Miley Stewart is a girl leading a double life. By day she’s an average girl but by night she’s pop-star Hannah Montana. The series premiere of “Hannah Montana” scored record ratings for Disney Channel and continues to build a fan base.
Miley’s own career in music is looking very bright. The television show’s soundtrack, which features songs by Cyrus, was released on October 24th and managed to make it to number one two weeks in a row. Miley has also signed a solo recording contract with Hollywood Records which will give her an opportunity to share her own music, not just the stuff she sings as Hannah Montana. Expect her first album in stores in January of 2007.
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