Three sisters who rock will be the newest artist on growing boutique label Fervent Records, announced Susan Riley, CEO. BarlowGirl – musicians and sisters Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow – have signed an exclusive label and songwriting deal with Fervent. Their Fervent debut album will release February 24, 2004 through Provident Music Distribution.
“Fervent Records has purposely looked for a girl band to sign. Our label staff is made up predominantly of females and each of us were tremendously affected by Christian music when we were young girls. As a label, we wanted to find female artists that could provide that same inspiration to young women today. We were so blessed to find that in BarlowGirl. They are incredible young ladies who will be great models for girls, but will also find fans among guys as well as all ages,” said Riley.
“BarlowGirl has a passion to write songs about the journey that God has taken us on in our lives, and to share with kids of our generation the power of trusting God in everything rather than just accepting and going along with what the world has to offer. We are excited that Fervent Records believes in us and our music and has chosen to be a part of our band’s future,” said Alyssa Barlow.
BarlowGirl (www.barlowgirl.com) was formed four years ago by Rebecca (23 – guitar, background vocals), Alyssa (21 – bass, keyboard, vocals) and Lauren (18 – drums, vocals) who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Elgin, IL. After playing for several years as a back-up band for their father Vince Barlow, who was a children’s music minister for Promiseland, the children’s ministry of Willow Creek Community Church, the girls began experimenting with songwriting and playing together as a band. One year ago, desiring for deeper training in their craft, BarlowGirl went to the Gospel Music Association’s “Seminar in the Rockies,” an annual event in Estes Park, Colorado that brings together Christian music industry artists and executives together with aspiring artists and songwriters for a week of training and talent competitions. It was there that they first caught the attention of Christian music label executives, leading ultimately to their signing with Fervent.
They also earned early notoriety from a song called “Barlow Girls” on Inpop Records’ Superchic(k)’s debut release Karaoke Superstars. Superchic(k) was inspired to write the song after meeting BarlowGirl at LifeFest Christian music festival in Wisconsin and being impressed by the sisters’ stance on purity and modesty. “Barlow Girls” has become one of Superchic(k)’s most requested songs in concert and has even inspired a website (www.barlowgirl.net) for girls who call themselves “BarlowGirls.”
“We were honored that Superchic(k) found our story relevant to their music and we are humbled that so many young women and men have chosen to place God as a priority in their lives as a result of hearing that song. We hope that our music will encourage even more young girls and guys as we have been blessed with a bigger platform as a band,” said Rebecca Barlow.
To produce BarlowGirl’s first major label release, Fervent Records called on Otto Price, who was a founding member and co-producer of SONICFLOOd and whose production credits include dcTalk, tobyMac, Out of Eden, Katinas, By the Tree and GRITS. Jeromy Diebler of FFH serves as executive producer for the album along with Riley and Price, and will provide some A&R direction for BarlowGirl’s debut.
“Working with BarlowGirl on their first record was nothing short of a blast! Becca, Alyssa and Lauren are three very different, unique women and bringing all that complexity together reminded me of dcTalk. Moreover, musically, their vocabulary is very Beatlesque. They have a mature understanding of pop sensibility and song structure, rare for a band so young. When you combine that with vocals and harmonies that stand apart from any other artist out there, and you’ve got something special,” said Price.”
“We never could have dreamed all that God had in store for us,” added Lauren Barlow. “It was super cool creating and playing our own music and it was so awesome that we had an opportunity to work with some unbelievable artists and producers, like Otto Price and Jeromy Diebler, on our first real professional record.”
All three sisters contribute to the writing of the songs on the debut album. The track list (not final sequence) is: “Harder Than The First Time,” “Image Of God,” “Never Alone,” “Good Morning,” “On My Own,” “You’ve Got It All,” “She Walked Away,” “Mirror Clothes,” “Average Girl,” “Superstar” and “Surrender.”
“Harder Than The First Time” will be the first single from the record, serviced to CHR and Rock formats beginning on October 17. An AC radio format single will be serviced closer to the February release date of the CD.
In addition to playing individual concert performances in the next several months, BarlowGirl has been invited to play a date on the current successful “Ready To Fly Tour” with FFH and Big Daddy Weave. They will open for these artists on November 16 in Dodge City, KS.
BarlowGirl joins Fervent Records growing list of critically acclaimed roster that includes Big Daddy Weave, By the Tree and Jill Phillips.
