Flash Single Review: Hey! You Are My Person! – JellyBean Queen

Elizabeth Eason aka the JellyBean Queen is a singer-songwriter, music educator and entertainer from Christchurch, New Zealand. An artist of outstanding talent, who combines potent melodies with lyrical dexterity and does so in fine style. Her latest single "You Are My Person" is a joyful song that delivers a message of love, friendship and infectious optimism throughout. With its catchy melody and playful rhythm, it is absolutely guaranteed to have everyone up and moving.

The melody instantly draws the listener in, assisted by the potent lyrics that focus on the special bond between friends, family and loved ones. The repeated use of the phrase "you are my person" is highly effective, reminding the audience of the importance of relationships, whether this involves close family members or old friends, we are all invited here. The arrangement is simple but highly effective, providing a certain immediacy, where the listener is captivated on the very first listen.

The playful instrumentation throughout, includes light percussion and a sparsity of rhythm providing the necessary space for the vocals to really shine. The sublime vocals are both warm and inviting, merging seamlessly with the melody to provide the perfect soundtrack for a lively singalong, whether at home or in the classroom. The song further benefits from an imaginative, and somewhat comedic video where an array of colourful puppets contribute both sound and vision to this delightful display.

Clearly, this is an artist with a considerable songwriting pedigree, and just a quick browse through her discography further reveals the considerable vitality of her music. Every song is a winner, each covering a variety of topics steeped in positive messages throughout. Her music ensures that the children are not just entertained but informed as well, in a fun and engaging way. There is never a dull moment here.

JellyBean Queen is an artist at the very top of her game. Her new single would be a valuable addition to any child's playlist, where hypnotic rhythm, alluring melodies, and inspiring messages are the order of the day. Perhaps most importantly, the song captures the essence of childhood friendships in a way that is both tender and fun, and guaranteed to make everyone smile. Whether she is singing about beloved animals, the weather or childhood adventures, the artist has a unique way of sparking curiosity and joy in her very own world of wonder and imagination.

JellyBean Queen – The Queen of Hearts.

Artist Spotlight: Chef Bisous

 

Chef Bisous are a husband and wife duo from Canada, and are relative newcomers to the family music scene.  Their music serves to captivate, educate and inspire young minds through movement and dance. The kitchen is where the main action takes place; temporarily converting into an inclusive educational environment, where simple meal preparations provide copious opportunities for inclusivity and learning. 

Their new album Tasty Tunes Volume 1, is an absolute delight, featuring twelve catchy songs guaranteed to appeal to children and parents alike. The album has considerable strength in depth, with each song providing its own unique appeal. Some of the standouts include the delightfully descriptive "Planets," the quirky "Mix It Up Song," and the somewhat charming "Rainbow Song", where the colours of the rainbow are serenaded by a lively acoustic guitar. 

My absolute favourite song from this eclectic selection is 'Dinosaur Song', which features a wonderful acoustic vibe throughout. Here a variety of dinosaurs are described in some detail, providing further opportunities for interactive movement. The blend of musicality is superb, where bass, acoustic guitar, and accordion, compete for space in this wonderful singalong. Where the children are invited to 'let me hear you roar'. 

Their YouTube channel also deserves a mention, with the band having uploaded a series of compelling videos, and succeeded in creating a visual sound track to accompany the numerous  educational possibilities on display.  With each video providing further learning opportunities, whether through maths, colours, or the planets there's something here for everyone. 

All in all a terrific new act, with tremendous potential, who have already hit the ground running. They have managed to combine their culinary sills and their musical dexterity, to create a brand that is truly unique. A new generation has arrived in town, so watch out Wiggles, Chef Bisous are coming your way.

Chef Bisous – come taste the band.

Is YouTube Harmful to Children?

 

At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, today I'm pondering two significant questions. Firstly "is YouTube in any way harmful to children?" and secondly "does Albo have a point?" The mere fact that the Australian government is currently including YouTube in the proposed social media ban, has made many musicians stop and think. As a content creator myself, and having been uploading videos on YouTube since 2008 I, like many other musicians have skin in the game, and stand to lose out if the plan goes ahead. 

Despite this inconvenient truth, I personally feel the need to research what is behind the government's decision based on objective facts. Facts, not from what is currently available in the partisan press; but from well-researched, peer-reviewed academic studies. The type of studies that no doubt a Prime Minister such as Anthony Albanese will have readily available. If there is any credence to YouTube being included in the ban, then I want to see the receipts, and not be swayed by all the emotionally charged rhetoric I've been reading online. 

I read amongst these discussions the use of pejorative terms like "nanny state" and even quotes cited from dubious politicians pursuing their own agenda. Surely one of the major responsibilities of any upstanding government is to protect the vulnerable, and if there is any evidence that YouTube poses harm to children then they are duty bound to act.

I say to the content creators who are concerned about loss of income, perhaps it's time that Google/YouTube started paying us directly for our content, instead of dishing out advertising revenue ad infinitum. In my opinion, encouraging content creators to focus on numbers to make a living has created a platform that is rapidly declining in both quality and originality. 

There is an awful lot of repetition of so-called trending content which has too often got nothing to do with art and very little to do with education. Although production qualities have significantly improved over the years, in my experience quality control over what is deemed as educational appears to be sadly lacking.

Perhaps the musicians who create music videos for educational purposes would be better served going outside YouTube (like a certain Australian duo featuring a tiger have done) to provide their educational content independent of the constraints of the almighty YouTube algorithm. Or better still, maybe consider a career in the teaching profession. There are schools the world over crying out for educators. Trust me, and I speak with some authority on this, having been a state school teacher for over twenty years, you will find it to be the most rewarding career you could ever choose. 

So I'm off to do my own research, and for those playing along, I'll let you know what I discover in due course. If my research definitively proves that YouTube is in no way harmful to children, then I can assure you, I will be as relieved as everyone else. 

Artist Spotlight: Robin Nathan aka fleaBITE

New Zealand may be small but it certainly is mighty when it comes to children's music and entertainment. At the centre of the wonderful world of children's music emanating from this island nation is Robin Nathan or fleaBITE as she is more commonly known. An award-winning artist who has managed in her illustrious career to walk away with four, yes that's right four, Best Children's Album awards, three with fleaBITE and one as a producer for the wonderful Fatcat & Fishface. Her formative years include heaps of experience in both theatre and radio, where she mastered the art of surreal comedy.

Interestingly, there is no particular message in her work as such, she is very much an organic creator, blowing in the wind with whatever takes her fancy from one day to the next. Which is why she explores a host of different musical styles, and achieves such eclectic diversity on her new album. Impossible to pin down or even categorise, fleaBITE is something of a law unto itself. Constantly searching, exploring new sounds, new ideas and new techniques in order to create a truly compelling product.

Her music is unique, captivating and entertaining and succeeds through achieving that fine balance between musical dexterity, humour and technical prowess. She is very much in the school of child-centred entertainment, where the music is from a child's perspective and not aimed at the parents. Off-beat and original; fleaBITE offers a different approach, providing the listener with music that breaks down traditional barriers. 

The new album Piggy Oink Oink (yes that's right), features ten original songs which draw from a variety of influences including rock, techno and reggae to name just a few. With sound effects galore and some inspired musicality throughout, fleaBITE take no prisoners here with themes as diverse as animals, swimming, the weather, colours and even shampoo. A real standout track for me is "Colour Me" with its ambient vibe and magnificent choral infusion. The melody is quite superb, and the song works because of its minimalist arrangement and crystal clear vocals that captivate and delight in turn. Marvellous!

All in all an extraordinary artist whose growing reputation I am sure will lead her from strength to strength.

fleaBITE – a creative powerhouse.