Holly Edition: EV girls to shine at FOL celebration

Jonnie, 16, and Brookie, 14, are two teens from Gilbert who will rock the stage for the Girl Jam performance this holiday season at the Ahwatukee Festival of Lights Kick-Off Party.

Jonnie said this will be the first year playing at the Festival of Lights and they are excited to spend this holiday celebration so close to home.

"We love performing by our hometown," Jonnie said. "It is really fun to see our friends and family come out and support us."

Jonnie and Brookie are a pop duo that play all their own music and provide the vocals for every song.

"Brookie plays bass, guitar and piano and I play guitar and piano, but we both sing," Jonnie said.

Jonnie and Brookie have performed all over the country and all over the Valley, but said they are especially excited for their performance in Ahwatukee Foothills this year.

"We don't normally have the chance to do Christmas shows and we are really excited to play next to our friends Savvy and Mandie," Brookie said.

Jonnie and Brookie said they love being on stage and feel like performing is something they were born to do.

"It is a ton of fun being able to go out on stage to see everyone singing along," Brookie said. "When people tell us that we have inspired them, it is so awesome to have that feeling."

Jonnie and Brookie have released multiple cover albums and recently came out with an original album called For Better. Their albums are not yet available in stores nationwide but can be found on multiple Web sites, including jonnieandbrookie.com.

Jonnie and Brookie have been performing since they were toddlers and are still working to increase their talent and success. The girls recently became a part of a Radio Disney competition called The Next Big Thing.

"The Next Big Thing is a Radio Disney competition among 11 different groups that starts on Nov. 29," Jonnie said. "If we win, we will perform a concert for Radio Disney."

No matter how big the concert, Jonnie and Brookie are always ready for the show and always have the support of their friends and family.

"Before a concert we usually say a prayer with our family," Jonnie said. "Brookie and I always come up with a random handshake that is different every time."

Melissa Matyas is interning this semester for the AFN. She is a senior at Arizona State University.