In case you’re living on another planet, there’s a phenomenon sweeping the tween culture, and it’s growing at a rate far bigger than any other squeaky clean pop fad since The Beatles.
Can we talk about The Jonas Brothers, for just a minute? No screaming or crying?

I caught “Camp Rock” this past weekend on television, starring Joe Jonas, the middle brother of the pop trio, and newcomer Demi Lovato. Other brothers Nick and Kevin made brief appearances as well.

Maybe because it’s been more than a decade since I’ve had a tween living in my house (back then is was non-stop Hanson) I can’t say I loved almost three hours of teen dramedy, but I have to give it to Disney. They know how to tap into the heart of the 12-year-old girl, even if she is in her 40s. When my husband asked me halfway through if we could switch the Olympic trials, I told him no, because I had to find out if Tess stole Mitchie’s song and if Shane found the girl who was singing in the dining hall. (He checked my head to make sure I wasn’t delirious with fever.)
I’ve been told Hollywood Records is actively looking to sign other Christian bands with tween appeal, hoping to capitalize on the popularity of The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus, and it sounds like they’re going a step further. If they can’t find the band, they’ll at least teach them how to write the songs.
Andy Dodd and Adam Watts, two of the hottest songwriters in the business and the guys who penned “Camp Rock”‘s “Gotta Find You” and “This Is Me,” will be at GMA’s Music in the Rockies in Estes Park, Colo. from August 3-9, 2008. The event is “the music community’s premier talent competition and training experience for Christian artists, songwriters, and worship leaders” and has been the launch pad for artists like American Idol’s Jordin Sparks and Chris Sligh and a host of other artists.
Dodd and Watts will offer their experiences and perspectives during several classes at GMA Music in the Rockies, including “Hollywood as a Mission Field.” They will also teach a class on songwriting, participate in networking roundtables, and serve as judges during the Song of 2008 National Finals Competition.
I joke about the madness surrounding The Jonas Brothers, but the reality is that clean pop music from kids who aren’t afraid to talk about their faith is a God-send (literally) to today’s pop culture. Over on the Idol Chatter blog, Donna Freitas talked about the recent New York Times article profiling the guys and their purity rings, for example.
The danger, of course, is that the brothers will burn out or succumb to the pressure of the industry, so it’s important that the Church pray for these young missionaries to the world.
And be on the watch for more scream-inducing tween music, coming your way, courtesy of Disney.
For more information about GMA’s Music in the Rockies, visit www.musicintherockies.com.