I think it’s pretty well known that tween pop sensation the Jonas Brothers got their start in Christian music.
But surfing around the Disney Incubator site I found a few more artists with ties to the Christian music industry:
1. Jessie Daniels – Jessie released her self-titled debut in 2006 after wowing the industry with an independently released EP. She talks openly about her journey to God and her Christian faith, both in person and on her MySpace site, as well as the struggles of being a young adult in today’s pop culture-driven society.
2. PureNRG – This squeaky clean tween pop trio launched onto the music scene last year and ended 2007 as the Christian industry’s best-selling new artist. And they haven’t slowed down since. The group has released DVDs, toured with the likes of BarlowGirl, Jump5 and MercyMe and released their second album, Here We Go Again, this past April. They don’t shy away from spiritual messages in their music, and are great role models for their young fans.
3. Mission Six – The guys in the band, who range in age from 12 to 14, are quick to point out that while there are only five band members, they have each decided to put God first in their lives, making him the official sixth member of the band. Mission 6’s debut album, Superhero, releases July 29.
4. The Rubyz – This trio, Cammie Hall (17), Alexis Slifer (14) and Marissa Milele (13), released their self-titled debut April 1. The project has been praised by everyone from Christianity Today to Girl’s Life magazine. While lyrically some of their music is benign tween “let’s go to the mall” stuff, their album also boldly proclaims their Christian faith on songs like, “We Shine.”
5. Katelyn Tarver – Katelyn’s 2005 debut CD, Wonderful Crazy, was released to the Christian market and spawned a #1 music video on The Gospel Music Channel and a #20 video on the national CCM chart in Christian Radio and Retail Weekly. While her lyrics tend to be vaguer than some of her Christian tween counterparts, there’s still enough spiritual content to make her album worth a spin for Christian fans.
6. Cali – This pop singer has toured with the likes of Jars of Clay, Superchick, and Jump5. Her single, “Get Up,” from her 2007 self-titled debut album, was featured on mycoke.com and in Gap Kids. She openly talks about her Christian faith, especially when talking about handling difficult relationships. Again, not incredibly overt spiritually, but Cali’s album does offer fans spiritual encouragement wrapped in pop music.

Related post: “5 Ways To Help Kids Make Smart Music Choices”