Somette Hasn’T Peaked Out

All-girl bands often are stigmatized by the assumption they can’t compete in the male-dominated music industry.

But the local teen all-girl band Somette is shattering that stereotype at lightning speed, leaving the guys in the dust.

The trio, whose name is French for “summit,” boasts a number of coups: two consecutive Battle of the Bands victories, radio airplay (105.7 The Peak played their demo tape), and numerous gigs at venues around town, such as The Mercury, The Rocket, Whitworth College and Pig Out in the Park.

Somette won’t compete in this year’s Battle of the Band contest but will follow the opening act, Buddy Ruckus.

The band includes 17-year-old Jessica Keberle, lead singer and bass player; 12-year-old kid sister Janelle Keberle, who plays drums and sings harmony; and 16-year-old Traci Baker, who plays piano, and electric and acoustic guitar.

Jessica Keberle and Traci Baker go to Mead High School, while Janelle Keberle goes to Northwood Junior High.

Baker has played piano since third grade, but she didn’t start playing guitar until the band formed three years ago. Jessica and Janelle Keberle hadn’t played their instruments before that time either.

The group lists a diverse batch of musical influences, including the Dave Matthews Band, Fiona Apple and Ben Harper. Almost all their material is original, with lyrics written by Jessica Keberle and music written by all three.

The most prevalent themes in her lyrics are “having fun, partying, love, different emotions that we as teenagers go through,” Keberle said.

“Some are related to God, because we are all strong Christians.”

This summer, the band plans to travel to Los Angeles to meet a manager who wants to work with them.

“It’s really exciting. He works with David Foster, the producer for Madonna and Michael Jackson,” Baker said. “That’s our pumped-up motivation right now.”

Long-range plans for the future aren’t so concrete.

“Our total long-term goal is to make it big and play for thousands,” Keberle said.

The other members have a little different view.

“I’m really into school,” Baker said. “I want to go to med school. I want to see the band doing this, but I don’t know.

“But this summer’s going to be exciting,” Baker added.

Janelle Keberle said that while her sister may plan to continue in music, she and Baker may not. She added that “if this whole thing works out, it could be really good.”

All three agree they want to take things as they come and see what happens.

“Right now, we’re just taking it one day at a time, practicing hard, trying to make positive decisions as a group, and work toward those goals,” Jessica Keberle said.