When the girls in Everlife say they’re in a rock band, “a lot of people don’t believe us because we’re girls,” laughs Sarah Ross, who along with her sisters Amber and Julia make up the all-girl rock group.
That’s understandable, given the fact that there are so few girl groups in the industry. But Sarah insists that she and her sisters really can rock, adding with a laugh, “I promise! We know how to play our instruments and everything!”
The girls take the skepticism in stride, understanding that in some ways they’re breaking new ground and blazing a trail for the girls who follow in their footsteps.
“There are so many girls who want to play music,” Sarah says. “I think it’s cool when they see what we’re doing, because we’re just out there doing what we love to do and going against the grain.” What you see is what you get, she laughs, something her younger sister Julia calls a “total, crazy attitude”.
Amber (20), Sarah (16) and Julia (14) grew up in Indiana, PA listening to the likes of Audio Adrenaline, Seventh Day Slumber, Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and the Newsboys, and those influences have left their mark. Everlife’s self-titled debut album from Tovah Records is a surprising mix of strong vocals, solid harmonies and guitar-driven rock that belies the girls’ ages and pop/rock, girl-next-door image.
But Everlife is more than music – it’s also ministry. Overseas missions trips to Central America have had a big influence on the girls’ lives. But Sarah explains, “We came back to the States and realized that the music is our extended missions trip here. There are so many people in the States just as lost.”
That’s why the girls make it a point to get personally involved with their fans, spending time after shows to talk, and developing one-on-one relationships that go beyond just answering emails.
Sarah says that it’s great to build friendships with fans, and to be able to compare a girl’s emails over several months and see how God’s been working in her life. “That’s encouraging, because we know we’re doing what we’ve been called to do.”
