Jessica Harp of The Wreckers

Starting a band can be stressful. What's it like starting a band with someone who's already a multi-platinum, Grammy-winning artist? "It's nerve-wracking," says Jessica Harp, who makes up half of new country-pop duo The Wreckers. (Her partner in crime is "Breathe" singer, Michelle Branch.) The two girls met years ago while they were both trying to start up their own solo careers. The two began writing and playing music together when Jessica joined Michelle on her Hotel Paper tour. Then in 2004, just as Jessica was about to sign with a label, Michelle persuaded her to start a band together, something they joked about but never thought would happen. Well, it did, and The Wreckers was born. But even though the girls are on equal footing in the band, Jessica still feels the pressure of being the new kid on the block. "I feel like I'm hard on myself and have to work twice as hard to prove myself because not everybody knows who I am," Jessica says. "But it's cool because I'm very relaxed and at ease with [Michelle]. We've been friends for a really long time. To a lot of people, she's a famous musician, [but] to me, she's just my friend and always has been." Aww! Get to know the blonde-haired half of The Wreckers now!

By Rebecca Silverstein

What bothers you most about being a girl?
That girls are expected to look their best at all times. I noticed this a lot living in the South. Women go to the grocery store and the gym in full hair and make-up, and I'm just not one of those people at all. I really enjoy my downtime so that I don't have to do any of that.

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