Review: The Backups: A Summer of Stardom

Title: The Backups: A Summer of Stardom
Author: Alex de Campi, Lara Kane, Dee Cunniffe, Ted Brandt
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Contemporary
Publisher: Imprint
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 13, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Step into the spotlight with The Backups, a graphic novel from writer Alex de Campi and artist Lara Kane about crushes, confidence, and catchy choruses!

Spending an entire summer on tour as a backup singer for pop star Nika Nitro? What?! That’s the DREAM, right? Especially for Jenni, Lauren, and Maggie, three misfit performing arts students with hopes of making it in the music world.

But being twenty feet from fame isn’t easy. Between crushes, constant rehearsals, Nika’s sky-high expectations, and their own insecurities, this dream is starting to feel more like a nightmare. And that’s before they accidentally start a beef with a rival band threatening to reveal a secret that could end Nika’s career.

Can this trio of new friends come together to save the tour, or will the Backups be kept out of the spotlight forever?

Review:

Jenni, Lauren, and Maggie are three music school students who are chosen to be backup singers for the pop star Nika Nitro. They’re going on a tour across the country for the summer. The three girls are constantly being criticized, from their appearance to their taste in music. Then, they have a fight with another band, who threaten to ruin the tour. To top it all off, Nika has a huge secret that she must keep from her fans. Her backup singers are the only ones who can save this tour.

This graphic novel touched on some important issues with performers, such as body image and peer pressure. Jenni was instructed to go on a diet to lose weight. Another singer said he was told to have plastic surgery as a teenager. Nika was pressured into performing, even though it was dangerous for her health. These are real issues that performers may face, which can destroy their own bodies if they make dangerous decisions.

Though it had some serious moments, this was a fun story. Jenni, Lauren, and Maggie got to live the dream of being back up singers to a pop star for the summer. I’d love to see a sequel to this story. It would be really fun to see where the story goes next!

The Backups is a great graphic novel!

What to read next:

Have you read The Backups: A Summer of Stardom? What did you think of it?