Superchic[k]

Superchic[k] – comprising keyboardist/creative genius Hsu, lead singer Tricia Brock, singer/guitarist Melissa Brock, lead guitarist Justin Sharbono, bass player Matt Dally, and drummer Brian Fitch, has been spreading its spiritually centered message of being true to one’s self to teens, and even adults, with Brock’s rapid-fire vocals, a blend of pop-punk-funk-rock- disco and high energy live shows.

Superchic[k] is self-described as being more of a “movement” than a band and its members are ever changing.

The idea for the catchy name was taken from a girl -identified as Superchick11 – who e- mailed Hsu about her success in not succumbing to the pressure to fit in at school. The name has since become a term to describe someone who isn’t controlled by culture or a “code” of being cool.

“We’re not just saying this – it’s what we’ve all experienced, and not that long ago,” Brock told POLLSTAR. “Even if you don’t feel like the prettiest person, it doesn’t matter. The person that you are and what you’ve done for others is what [people will] remember.”

The group, based in Gurney, Ill., has been on a whirlwind tour of Europe and the States since its 2001 InPop Records debut, Karaoke Superstar. Since then, the band has performed at the Dove Awards – with “Barlow Girls” nominated for best rock song of the year and “Karaoke” for album of the year – toured with Festival Con Dios, and headlined the “Get Up” tour. While climbing the Christian radio charts, Superchic[k] has also had its music featured on numerous television shows and the feature films “Legally Blonde” and “The Glass House.”

“Our manager (Jim Scherer) has a lot of strong film and television connections,” Hsu said. “To us, it’s really a miracle that we ended up with over 30 film and television placements based off of this little thing that we did in our basement.”

Scherer began managing Superchic[k], after working with them on a production basis, just as Karaoke debuted. His previous work with Sony Music Publishing and Arista Records, and current work in film and television led to shopping the album around, yielding more than 40 song placements so far.

“Television has become a lot of our ‘new radio.’ People are exposed to music on the Internet where people can talk about what they’ve seen on television,” Scherer told POLLSTAR. “I think it’s a huge device for helping Superchic[k], and we’ll continue to build on that and seek opportunities in all kinds of media.

“There’s a great reactive love to this band. Who they are as people really comes through.”

With the October 8th release of their second album, Last One Picked, it doesn’t sound like the members will be slowing down any time soon. The band has about 50 scheduled dates on the Thrive Tour with the Newsboys and ZOEgirl which began September 11th and continues through January 25th with a break for the holidays. Then it’s back on the road with planned trips to Australia and New Zealand and headline and support dates in the U.S. well into May.

Superchic[k]’s climb toward stardom has been helped by aggressive grassroots marketing, a very loyal fan base and, of course, the Internet.

“When we started out, we were very grassroots in our campaign. We would go to festivals we’d never played before and tape down like 100 posters on the floor of the rows. We’d have little parades through festival grounds or give away those little frozen pops on hot days,” Hsu said. “That really got things rolling. Now, we’ve gotten so insanely busy since then and we’ve got so much buzz going; the kids are really doing it for us.”

Despite the success and all that goes with it, Hsu and Brock said Superchic[k] works to keep its collective feet on the ground, so to speak. The band still records and produces its albums in Hsu’s basement and hangs out at home with family during the brief periods between gigs.

“For me, (the fame) isn’t as overwhelming as you might think. The whole groupie thing, well, when people look up to you, that’s really cool. You’re in a position to really speak into someone’s life, and that’s a privilege and a responsibility for us,” Hsu said.

“Most of what we do is try to tear that myth down; we try to take down the big ‘star machine’ and show we’re just like (the fans). We ride in a van. We make about $600 a month. We’re our own roadies and drivers. It’s very grounding and you really learn who you are.”

Just your average girl-fronted, pop-punk, hip-hop, disco-funk garage band with the attitude and pyro to back it up, that is.