It occurs to me that I don’t write about a lot of kids’ music on here. In fact, there’s a good chance I’ve never written about children’s music. I’m not a mum, so the most exposure I get is when The Wiggles and Hi-5 pop up on the carols each year. But I did want to put the Teeny Tiny Stevies on the radars of all the mums and dads out there, because they’re actually making excellent kids’ music. The kind of stuff parents might even want to listen to. Trust me.
Teeny Tiny Stevies is the brainchild of Byll and Beth Stephen, who you might know better as grown up band The Stevies. They take the same pop-folk approach to their kids’ music, but add lyrics that hope to educate and empower youngsters. Take the new single “Boss Of My Own Body.” On the surface it’s a fun song about how even though many things are outside a child’s control, they are free to move their body and express themselves through it how they want. But if children know their body is their own, they can also hopefully feel empowered should anyone else try to invade their space.
Expect more songs that speak of the challenges children and the things you want your youngster to know, as Byll and Beth brainstormed ideas for the album through social media. Parents bombarded the pair with song ideas, suggesting several topics they found difficult to broach at home. They hope their songs can become useful conversation starters for tackling those difficult issues.
“There is so much great children’s entertainment out there made exclusively with the children in mind, so instead of adding to that we wanted to consider the carers equally” said Byll. “After all it’s us parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and teachers who listen to the music along with the children.”
“Kids will have fun if their parents are having fun, and we want to create a space where music can be enjoyed by the whole family” adds Beth.
“Boss Of My Own Body” comes from Teeny Tiny Stevies forthcoming album Helpful Songs for Little People, which drops on February 16 through ABC Kids.
Image used with permission from Universal Music