The Chipettes are a fictionalgirl group from the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise consisting of three female anthropomorphic chipmunk singers: Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor, alongside their adoptive human mother, Beatrice Miller. They first appeared in the animated television series Alvin and the Chipmunks in 1983. In this and related materials, the Chipettes served as female featured characters in their own right, starring in numerous episodes. The title of the show was changed from Alvin and the Chipmunks to simply The Chipmunks in 1988 to reflect this. In the animated television series and the 1987 animated film The Chipmunk Adventure, all of the Chipettes were voiced by their creator, Janice Karman, the wife of Ross Bagdasarian Jr. (son of Ross Bagdasarian, who created the Chipmunks). Karman also wrote and voiced the Chipettes' dialogue on their studio albums, while studio singers Susan Boyd, Shelby Daniel and Katherine Coon provided their singing voices. In the animated television series Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks, Eleanor is voiced by Vanessa Bagdasarian, the daughter of Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman.
The first designs for the Chipettes were drafted by Corny Cole for their 1983 cartoon series debut.[1] These designs were later revamped by Sandra Berez for The Chipmunk Adventure and the later seasons of the show.[2]
Origins
The origins of the Chipettes can be traced to the 1982 Alvin and the Chipmunks album The Chipmunks Go Hollywood. On this album, Alvin sings a duet with a female character billed as Charlene the Chipette. Charlene is featured on the song "You're the One That I Want" from the soundtrack of the motion picture Grease. Charlene was depicted on the album cover as having a long, golden blonde ponytail, and seems to have been the basis for the later character of Brittany.[3] Janice Karman said in interviews that she created the Chipettes because she and Ross Bagdasarian Jr. couldn't do girl songs and wanted Chipmunks who are females and have counter personalities of the main three Chipmunks. The first Chipette she created was Brittany in 1982.[4][5]
With the exception of 1987's The Chipmunk Adventure soundtrack (LP) and 1988's The Chipmunks and the Chipettes: Born to Rock, the discography of the Chipettes consists of featured appearances on Alvin and the Chipmunks recordings.
