Koo Koo Kanga Roo is a dance party for the senses. For the last 12 years, lifelong friends and collaborators Bryan and Neil have toured the globe delighting fans with their high-energy music, infectious positivity, and interactive live show. They’ve amassed a huge, dedicated audience, with 1 million views on average for their music videos, as well as partnering with GoNoodle and UNICEF to get Koo Koo dance videos onto the school screens of 30+ million kids, to keep them moving and healthy. Their songs are universally appealing, with sly lyrics that appeal to the same fans who love the Beastie Boys and They Might Be Giants, all set in a highly engaging and kid-friendly package. Of course, the global pandemic of 2020 threatened to put an end to the carefree fun that had come to define the band, but instead of putting the group on pause or looking for office jobs, Bryan and Neil doubled down and created their most triumphant, expansive and summery album yet, Slow Clap. Koo brought in legendary Minneapolis producer Lazerbeak (Lizzo, Doomtree Collective, Trampled by Turtles) to craft the bombastic beats that make the foundation of the project. Together Bryan, Neil, and Beak set out to redefine the rules of what a “kids’ band” can sound like. With a friendship already built from their strong Twin Cities ties, the trio spent their lockdown sharing files and ideas remotely, determined to take on the heaviness of the year and create something they could hang their hopes on. I used to use their videos on GoNoodle all the time in choir as a way to warm up, or have some fun at the end of the period. Even my older kids got into them! This album is no different - full of high-energy, catchy music! I had a chance to learn more in this interview. How do you come up with ideas for your music and videos? We pick stuff we think is funny or interesting to us. Sometimes we make full theme albums so we can make a box to create it, or sometimes that is focused on one song and topic. But the main rule of thumbs is to write stuff that we are into. What's your favorite thing about being involved in children's music? We are very serious about being silly, so we like to show kids and people in general that there are guidelines that can be flexed for fun. We also really enjoy chatting with kids and encouraging them to start their passions right away. usually music passions. But most people think they need to wait until they are older, but they can start right now. What are some ways that parents can encourage a love for music, even if they aren't musical? Just have the tunes going non stop in the car and house. And talk about music. Ask questions about why they liked a song or what they enjoy about an artist. You get to act pretty goofy in your videos - how can it be good for even adults to let loose and be goofy? When we let loose is when we are our true selves. And then when we let go of other things in our lives, we usually come up with more cool ideas. Also when we dance, we go hard so it's our workout for the day. Visit www.kookookangaroo.com for more information, or visit them on their social media channels: |
No comments:
Post a Comment