LOS ANGELES -- May 26, 2005 -- "The Girls With A Passion For Fashion" are ready to rock. Cloe, Sasha, Jade, Yasmin and Roxxi are the Bratz Rock Angelz; characters in the Bratz line of lifestyle fashion dolls, a worldwide phenomenon; whose debut self-titled album is set for release July 26, 2005, by Hip-O/UMe. The album features new, original songs by some of the world's most successful writers and producers of upbeat, anthemic pop. "Rock Angelz" brings Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, together with MGA Entertainment, a leader in consumer entertainment products for children of all ages. On August 1, a few days after the album's release, the new Bratz Rock Angelz line of fashion dolls will appear on retail shelves.
Among the 13 tracks on "Rock Angelz," under the supervision of Engine, a leading music special-products developer, is the album's first single, "So Good," one of two songs written by Andreas Carlsson and Jorgen Elofsson, whose credits include Britney Spears' "(You Drive Me) Crazy," *NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" and recordings by Backstreet Boys, Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan and Clay Aiken. The single goes to Top 40 and Hot AC radio with a June 28th add date supported by a CGI animated video released the same day. Two other album tracks were written by Matthew Gerrard (Hilary Duff, Eden's Crush, Jessica Simpson, Raven-Symone, Nick Carter), who co-wrote the #1 hit "Breakaway" for Kelly Clarkson. "Rock Angelz" will also include a special bonus track, a Spanish version of "So Good."
While "So Good" and other songs are performed by the Rock Angelz as a group, several tracks on the album are solo efforts by Yasmin, Jade, Roxxi, Cloe and Sasha, each matching the distinct personality of the character. But all of the songs embrace the philosophy of the Bratz brand: self-expression, staying true to one's self, having self-confidence, believing in girl empowerment, and having a passion for living life.
Music will also accompany the dolls at retail, with a mini-disc/CD-ROM featuring each character's solo song plus an edit of "So Good" to be included with each doll sold. Other products set to be issued are video games by THQ in October.
Bratz (aka "The Girls With A Passion For Fashion") have won more awards and received more press than any other fashion doll brand since their debut in 2001. Bratz have once again been nominated for Best Character Brand and Overall Brand of the Year for the 2005 International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) Excellence Awards. The winners will be announced on June 22.
About MGA Entertainment
Headquartered in Van Nuys, California, MGA Entertainment is a leader in consumer entertainment products for children of all ages. The Company creates and manufactures innovative lines of proprietary and licensed products, including toys and games, fashion dolls, consumer electronics, home decor, stationary and sporting goods. Bratz, its proprietary fashion doll line, was introduced in June 2001, and has since become one of the world's premiere toy brands as well as girls' lifestyle brands. The BRATZ brand is also noted for having won Family Fun magazine's Toy of the Year Award four years in a row and was recently awarded LIMA's (Licensing Industry) top prize for the Overall Best License of the Year. Please visit: http://www.mgae.com, http://www.bratzpack.com.
About Engine Brands (USA) Inc.
Engine Brands (USA) Inc., based in New York, is a leading concept developer, creating unique music and video products for world-class brands and characters. Engine is responsible for A&R, executive production and project management of the Bratz Rock Angelz CD concept. (http://www.engine.se)
About Universal Music Enterprises (UMe)
Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technologies division.
Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca Record Company, Deutsche Grammophon, DreamWorks Records, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.
