2020 NZ Children’s Award Best Artist and Tui Award Finalist Chris Sanders is set to release his 3rd children’s album ‘The Songs and Stories For Kids’ on full release November 5.
The 10-song album has some sensationally catchy, side splitting hilarious and downright rocky songs that will have the kids busting the moves or singing their hearts out, while the parents put their feet up for a much needed cuppa tea.
The 1st single ‘Monkey Bar Swinger’ which goes on pre-order October 29th, is for all those kids who think they are the best Monkey Bar Swinger in the whole wide world! The song will have the kids getting active, showing off their strong hands and arms, swinging from side to side and hanging upside down!
The NZ on Air supported album has a mix of songs and stories for kids that have become favourites at the many hundreds of shows Chris has performed at over the years.
“I love the fact that I can write a 2 to 3 minute catchy song that gets the kids dancing and singing along, or a 4 to 5 minute song that tells more of a story, taking the kids on a captivating journey and invigorating their minds,” says Sanders.
In fact 2 of the “storytelling” songs on the album have already been published as picture books. ‘The Lonely Book’ is a story about a book who never gets picked and all the more popular books in the bookstore do what they can do to make that poor book look more drab and bedraggled as the story progresses – until a little lad discovers all the treasures hidden inside!
Plus there is ‘Teddy Bear Hunt’ featuring the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO). The song and book evoke fond memories of family time and a strengthening of community spirit during the lockdowns. It was also the first time in the APO’s 41 year history they have ever released a commercial song or a book.
The album includes the International Song Writing competition winner ‘Mitten’s - Official Song’ co-written with Natalie Conaty about the famous Wellington cat who was given the key to the city by the Mayor and was up for NZ’er of the year against Jacinda Ardern. The song also reached #12 in the Official NZ Hot Singles Music Chart.
And Mitten’s isn’t the only creature who makes an appearance on the album. There’s Okee Dokee Goatee, a confident goat who finds it hard to say ‘NO’ leading to some quite comical situations, including an Elvis impersonation “You ain’t nothing but a hound goat,” and trying some spicy curried figs, which leads to some rather unpleasant stinky blasts!
“One of things I’ve loved most about this album has been developing some cool characters, it’s not everyday you get to create the voice of a globally famous cat or an over-confident goat – there were definitely quite a few moments in the studio were I was rolling around in fits of laughter, so I hope the listeners do too!”
The album was produced by Rikki Morris and cover art by Natalie Conaty. It features some incredible other kiwi musicians including Lucy Hiku and Jenny Payne from Itty Bitty Beats on the opening track ‘Kia Ora Are Such Beautiful Words’ and the Nashville based George Jackson who plays fiddle and banjo on Okee Dokee Goatee.