Aly & AJ life and biography

Lauded by Los Angeles Times as a music act worth noticed for "blending their voices in tart harmonies and favoring a folk rock sound somewhere between Avril Lavigne and Fleetwood Mac", Aly & AJ are comprised of sisters Alyson Renae Michalka (born on March 25, 1989) and Amanda Joy Michalka (born on April 10, 1991) who both hailed from Torrance, California. Raised in Seattle, Washington, the twosome have been exposed to a wide variety of music at a very young age to then develop a strong passion for music since. "I think it started when we were three and five," Alyson revealed. "Just singing in church together and in school plays."

As the fondness bloomed increasingly afterwards, the Michalka sisters enthusiastically attached themselves to learn playing piano and later guitars while also trying their hands at composing songs. "We were always performing," Alyson continued to recall. "We would make little homemade tickets and hand them out. We called the shows 'Aly and A.J. Rock the House.'" This excitement of entertaining people around them inevitably generated a new interest for both girls that was none other than acting. It unexpectedly turned out to be a chance for them to achieve what they have become of now.

The road to that state began taking shape when Alyson satisfyingly landed the part of Keely Teslow on Disney Channel's children series "Phil of the Future", a plum role that allowed her to sing as well as act. Apparently gained notice from other Disney's division, Walt Disney Records, she thus was given chance to contribute a song entitled "Jingle Bell Rock" in the 2004's "Radio Disney Jingle Jams" with her sister, Amanda, under the moniker Aly & AJ. The cooperation delightfully continued by the next year as they again were selected to participate in another compilation album, "DisneyMania, Vol. 3" which was released on February 14, 2005, singing out "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah."

Much to the duo's delight, in the continuation of this collaboration, they subsequently found themselves signed under Hollywood Records, a label owned by Disney, to thereafter begin to construct a work of their own. The effort was materialized in a full-length debut album, "Into the Rush", which came up to the surface by August 16, 2005. Relying on one of its tracks titled "Rush", the CD did incredibly well as it strove to the top 40 of The Billboard 200 while the single was taking the 24th rank on Billboard Hot Digital Songs and 44th on Billboard Pop 100.

Following this sweet outcome, a deluxe edition of the album was then released on August 8, 2006 with an addition of the remixed version of two previous tracks and three all-new songs namely "Shine", "Never Far Behind", and "Chemicals React". This time their hit tune "Rush" successfully made its way to break through The Billboard Hot 100, leaping 33 notches from 92nd to 59th in its second week on the chart and so, widening Aly & AJ's reputation in music scene. Everything seemed to run smooth on the track for the duo as they swiftly launched a new work, "Acoustic Hearts of Winter", on September 26 the same year. It is a Christmas compilation featuring classic such as 'Joy to the World', 'Silent Night' and many more that eventually was sold more than 100,000 copies. Their second studio set came under the title 'Insomnatic', boasting a single called 'Potential Break Up Song' that quickly became a hit for its sassy lyrics and catchy tune. The album was released on July 10, 2007 and opened at #15 on Billboard Hot 200, a position that they didn't achieve with the first.

Discography

2008 : Insomniatic [Deluxe Edition]
2007 : Insomniatic
2006 : Acoustic Hearts of Winter
2005 : Into the Rush

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