Juggling styles and songs

Three very different girls with three unique fashion styles have created one catchy sound, and along with it an eye-grabbing clothing line.

Runway MMC, a pop group with a rock and urban edge, is preparing for its upcoming album release, which will hit stores at the same time as its new clothing line.

And while the girls are busy juggling their time between the studio and the warehouse, they still manage to excel in school. High school, that is.

“It’s all about time management,” said 16-year-old Melody Hernandez. “I was in the studio the other day, and I had ‘Huckleberry Finn’ in my purse so I could work on my summer reading.”

Meghan Mahowald, 17, and Chelsea Tavares, 16, complete the trio. Each girl has her own look and a name to go with it.

“My line is called ‘Flirty Debutante’ because it is real feminine and includes a lot of dresses,” Melody said.

Like her voice, Meghan’s line, Brazen Rocker, has a rock edge.

“It is rock influenced and chic,” she said. “I follow Gwen Stefani and Metropark, looking over there for ideas.”

With a more casual look, Chelsea plans to model some of her line, “Glamorous Tomboy,” after the style of the late Aaliyah.

“It’s really laid back, but glamorous at the same time,” she said. “Smooth, but sexy.”

The three lines combine under a self-titled label, which will be carried in Wet Seal stores at Fashion Island and in the Irvine Spectrum as soon as Saturday, but will officially be released Aug. 30 in more than 200 Wet Seal stores around the country.

“Each girl has her own look, which covers a different segment of the girl population,” said Lisa Mahowald, Meghan’s mother and creator of the Runway MMC idea. “You can pick and choose between the three to decide which style fits best.”

To promote their look and sound, Runway MMC will perform Saturday in Los Cerritos Center and Sunday in Downey’s Stonewood Center, singing several songs from their upcoming album.

“‘Shop Till You Drop’ is the new ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun,’ ” Melody said. “It has an ’80s-type feel to it.”

Another popular song on the album is “Runway,” and the girls did a remake of “Kids in America” that is getting several hits on MySpace.

“We want to take over fashion, music and MTV at the same time,” Meghan said.

The girls, all from Southern California, have backgrounds in music. Melody’s father was a mariachi, and she has been singing since she was 5.

She became a part of the group when a friend she met at UCLA musical theater camp introduced her to Meghan.

Meghan, a lyric and melody writer, took her first singing lesson about the age of 6 and has wanted to pursue a musical career since.

“I’ve always wanted to be a recording artist,” she said. “I enjoy musical theater and I love being on stage.”

Chelsea, who joined the group after Meghan and Melody held auditions, started in the showbiz industry when she was only 13 months old. Over the years, she has guest-starred in TV shows such as “The Practice” and “The District.” Tavares is also a series regular on “Just Jordan,” a Nickelodeon TV show where she plays Autumn, and “Unfabulous,” where she plays Cranberry.

“I like performing and I want to see what I can do,” she said.

All the girls have one goal in mind: to have fun doing what they love while still keeping their values intact.

“Ultimately, we want to pack out a huge arena with a bunch of screaming fans who are having fun, wearing our clothes,” Melody said.

“The most important thing is that we do what we want, but while having good morals,” Meghan said.

Don’t expect to see a breakup on the near horizon, either.

“We get along ridiculously well,” Meghan said. “It’s such a godsend that we get along as well as we do.”

The girls share the bond of faith and often pray through difficult times.

“Always look to God,” Chelsea said. “Put it in his hands. Be confident and don’t let it go to your head.”

As normal teenage girls, the members are excited to give teenagers and young adults a voice in pop culture.

“The girls really can sing,” Lisa Mahowald said. “They all have phenomenal voices and harmonize beautifully. They all have outstanding fashion taste and they are fabulous students as well.”

“Look out for us, because we are coming,” Chelsea said.

And while the three have a lot to look forward to, they vow to be themselves and not get caught up in the “mumbo jumbo.”

“We are stepping out, showing people who we are,” Chelsea said. “We are real. Nothing is fake. Our moms still ground us.”