This was my entry for a 2006 contest held by kompy on deviantart. It was a character design contest where we were supposed to submit pictures and profiles (or simply profiles) of the members of our own anthropomorphic animal band. Preference was given to birds and at the very least, the lead vocalist needed to be a bird. My reggae group, Babylon Storm, was one of the two runner-ups.

The bands were supposed to fit into a certain storyline of hers. The background story and mythology can be seen here:
http://kompy.deviantart.com/journal/7889368/

Links to the other entries to the contest can be found here:
http://kompy.deviantart.com/journal/8742128/

Character profiles:

Name: Jonah Livingston
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Species/Breed: Rooster (Black Crested Polish Cock)
Instrument: Acoustic and electric guitar
Band Name: Babylon Storm
Music Style: Primarily reggae, with rock and gospel influence
Motivation: Jonah and his band mates grew up in a tropical island country that depends heavily on tourism. Behind the picture-perfect paradise image of its beautiful beaches and sheltered resorts is a country troubled by poverty and crime. Jonah, like many other musicians of the island, writes and sings songs that emphasize social consciousness and bring attention to problems, not just on his own island but around the world. Jonah believes in the power of the Song to bring forth a New Day in a figurative sense; he doesn’t believe that music in itself can change the world, but that it can inspire the people who will change the world. However, his motivations for entering the Chanticleer’s Song Contest are not entirely selfless and noble. He would never admit it to anyone, but he secretly is also drawn to the allure of fame and fortune associated with the Contest.
Personality: Despite the sometimes bitter and brooding content of his songs, in person Jonah is generally sociable and friendly, and seemingly unafraid of anyone. He seems to have a knack for getting people to relax in his presence.

Name: Sheba Miller
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Species/Breed: Mountain zebra
Instrument: Bass guitar
Motivation: Sheba is a good friend of Jonah’s who met him when her family moved to the city from the mountainous countryside when she was in her teens. As a child, her grandmother was a strong influence on her, and to this day she adheres to some ways of thinking, interpreting, and doing things considered “mysticism” or “superstition” by most. She doesn’t advertise it, but she believes that the story of Chanticleer’s Song is literally true, and that her rooster friend just may be the key to bringing about its “sequel.” This belief, as well as her affection for him and music, motivates her to be involved in his musical efforts and act as a sort of muse for him.
Personality: Sheba has a good heart, but she has an aggressive, take-action personality and can sometimes be stubborn. These qualities can either help or hurt her personal relationships and the band, depending on the situation.

Name: Irene Vires
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Species/Breed: African elephant
Instrument: Keyboard
Motivation: Irene met Jonah through her husband Peter, who was a childhood friend of Jonah’s and a fellow aspiring musician. Unfortunately, Peter was jailed about one year ago on marijuana-dealing charges, leaving Babylon Storm minus a keyboardist and Irene to care for her adopted young daughter alone. Several mutual friends of Irene and Peter (including Jonah and Sheba) came to give her support, and she began to spend more time with them and get to know them better than she ever had before. Jonah eventually discovered that she had taken piano lessons from her uncle as a child and as an adult continued to casually learn from Peter at home. After some consideration, she accepted Jonah’s invitation to take Peter’s former position in the band.
Since then, Irene has developed a passion for music as therapy and a creative outlet, and has even written a few new songs for the band. She takes pride in the group, and is looking forward to their participation in the Contest. She doesn’t really expect to win, but believes that the exposure and publicity will benefit the band. She is quiet about it, but hopes that perhaps they can land a record deal, allowing her to have more income to care for her daughter and possibly lay foundations for the success of her husband’s musical career when he is released.
Personality: Irene is naturally soft-spoken and introverted and once was quite shy, but she has begun to break out of her shell more.

Name: Bafan X.
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Species/Breed: Red headed vulture
Instrument: drums
Motivation: Unlike the others, Bafan was not a friend before he was a band mate. He tried hard to make it on his own as a singer, but was chewed up and spit out by the tough and often corrupted music business in his country. He met with the band in a response to a want ad for a drummer placed in the paper by Jonah, auditioned, and was accepted pretty quickly. Although he has bonded with the band and enjoys playing with them, he feels that his position as a drummer and backup singer doesn’t allow him to properly develop or showcase his more diverse musical abilities. He secretly hopes that participation in the Contest will lead to other musical opportunities for him.
Personality: Bafan was raised to believe that men shouldn’t really show their emotions, and he has a natural tendency to bottle them inside. His usual manner is described as “calm and thoughtful” by those who like him and “sullen and brooding” by those don’t. He uses music as an emotional release and manages to put heart and soul into the playing of his drums. He has been praised for his ability to use drumming to evoke a variety of tones and moods—angry, laid back, joyful—both within and outside the standard “reggae” beat.