Going from a series of books about a girl pop band to a series of Disney TV movies about a girl pop band to an actual, touring girl pop band, the Cheetah Girls began as 16 young-adult books by Deborah Gregory. The series began in 1999 and quickly became a big enough phenomenon with tween girls that Disney adapted it into a made-for-TV movie in 2003 that starred former Cosby Show and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper actress/singer Raven-Symoné (also of Disney's Emmy-nominated and NAACP Image Award-winning That's So Raven), singers/actresses Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams of the group 3LW, and actress/singer/dancer Sabrina Bryan. (Interestingly, some of the models who posed for the cover artwork on the Cheetah Girls books were in another, like-minded group, Before Dark.) Raven-Symoné portrays the Cheetah Girls' fearless leader, Galleria, while Bailon plays wary Chanel, Williams is fashionista Aquanetta, and Bryan is vulnerable foster child Dorinda. The Cheetah Girls was such a big success, with DVD sales reaching double-platinum status, that it spawned a soundtrack, the 2005 Christmas album Cheetah-licious Christmas, and the Cheetah Girls 2 movie and soundtrack, which were released in 2006. That year, the Cheetah Girls became a living, breathing, touring act, hitting the road with the also hugely popular Vanessa Hudgens of Disney TV's other phenomenon, High School Musical. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
