20 September 2024 - 0 Comments

What began as songs for her toddlers entering kindergarten has become the album Little Wild Learning, Claudia Robin Gunn has launched with brand new video Music Train.

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Claudia’s own experiences as a parent are a deep well of memories, mischief and nostalgia - and just a little too much coffee – always half cold. This Aotearoa Music Award (2024) winner just released her seventh album, Little Wild Learning - a sweet reflection on her children’s earliest days at kindy and school, now recorded for the first time, for a new generation. With her eldest son turning 18, Claudia brings these songs forth from a well-thumbed notebook with the support of NZ On Air Tamariki, accompanied by a cute as a button new video for country music song Music Train.

What started as voice notes, hastily captured on the walking school bus and kindy drop offs, are now sweet, smart bops and heartfelt harmonies arranged to educate, inspire and delight families everywhere.

Gunn’s APRA award winning knack for song writing, her collaborative approach and the team of stunning talent she has assembled from both New Zealand and Australia combine in Little Wild Learning to give kids and their grown-ups a brand new musical magic moment. 7th time’s the charm?

The album includes 9 original tracks, plus their instrumental sing alongs to encourage participation and engagement. On the just released video for Music Train, kids are invited to imagine stepping aboard, bring their instruments and explore rhythm and rhyme. Little ones will adore Animal Sounds – a silly bop about animals that DON’T make sounds, and singing morning affirmations are a breeze while also learning phonics with Alphabet Phonics – ABC of Awesome.

The project includes co-writes exploring social emotional learning themes like how to make a friend, and how to let tummy butterflies help you fly, with Claudia’s mates from ‘straya - Benny Time and Angie Who. One of her oldest friends from kindy days, actor and vocalist Jenny Freed, lends a star turn on vocal harmonies for the song Kindy Kid. The music video shot by Michelle Sokolich of Show and Tell Video, features Jenny and Claudia performing at mat time for the children of Morningside Kindergarten, including Jenny’s own recently graduated son Miro.

Of this latest children’s music project Gunn says, “Surprise and delight are the touchstone I seek when I’m figuring out a song for kids. Also humour, pragmatism, and awe. For this album I wanted the music to be useful, surprising as well as beautiful.

Little Wild Learning was recorded with Claudia’s frequent collaborators Tom Fox and Marshall Smith of the Sound Room in Takapuna (Little Wild Christmas, Little Wild Universe, Sing Through the Year – Little Wild Childhood, Sing for the Sea – Little Wild Ocean Friends and Sing for the Earth – Little Wild Animals). NZ On Air supported the creation of this project.

Little Wild Learning will capture the hearts and imagination of children everywhere with these educational and engaging songs. These songs may be reverberating at breakfast tables, on morning school runs, at kindy mat times and in primary school libraries for many years to come!

The album is available now on all streaming platforms, and for sale on Claudia’s website, Bandcamp and from US education provider Songs for Teaching.

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