Justin Roberts had us at Zydeco.
I’m of course referring to the bayou-inspired song the indie musician did on one of our favorite kid shows of all time, Jack’s Big Music Show.
Memorable appearances on kids’ shows aside, Roberts has quite the following, and rightly so.
Roberts, a speaker and performer at Kindiefest, is described as one of the trailblazers for indie rock music geared to kids and family. Based on his profile in the NY Times and the Time Magazine video, Roberts is the next big thing in kids music and is ready for the mainstream…but from what I’ve read on some of the most insightful kids music blogs, the rest of the world is just now catching up.
As evidenced by the recent press coverage, Roberts has a knack for writing songs with real topics that are relatable for kids and parents. The Mama is Sad song and anecdote, as described in the NYTimes, struck a chord with me. Life isn’t all rainbows (which I tweeted about yesterday, in fact) so why not pen a song about the reality and offset it with a little bit of shared Legos?
But its Roberts’ catchy and smart songs with memorable lyrics, complemented with a tour schedule dotted with his signature interactive performances from coast to coast that make him a relevant and well-respected musician, even for those who aren’t familiar with the kindie genre.
Want to see and hear for Justin Roberts for yourself? Check him out on YouTube.
In addition to his Kindiefest presence around the web and aforementioned articles, Roberts is set to launch another album on June 8. According to his site, Jungle Gym pays homage to collective memories of childhood. Via Roberts’ Facebook page, you can download one of the songs for free.
Though I couldn’t attend Kindiefest due to scheduling conflicts, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading the articles and blogposts following the conference. While waiting for Roberts’ next album to drop, be sure to head to great sites such as Nugget Island, Zooglobble and OWTK to read great insight on kids music, including fantastic coverage of Kindiefest and the plethora of artists and industry influencers onhand. And don’t forget to check out these great reads and views; I highly suggest watching the Time video.