Any musician's dream come true, I am ecstatic to have an album eligible in two categories for this year's Grammy Awards! "Toddler Songs (That Don't Suck)" is my debut children's album, featuring five fun and funky songs, made for kids and the adults that have to listen to them too! You know the story behind the album, and what a labor of love it was to get to this point. Most singers simply do exactly what they have been gifted to do, sing! But through many unexpected experiences over the last few years, I came out the other side with a *cue Liam Neeson voice here* "very particular set of skills" that helped me accomplish a nearly impossible feat of bringing a music release to completion entirely by myself.
In the early summer of 2023, I was so burnt out of all the terrible kid's music I was exposed to for my then 18-month-old and 6-month-old daughters, that I became inspired to make some of my own. The next few months would have me putting together the instrumentals, musical arrangements, and songwriting to kick off what would be my future album. Then suddenly I remembered... the Grammys! I have been a member of The Recording Academy since I was just 18 years old, as a budding performing artist attending Berklee College of Music. After graduating and starting my own music business, I started attending the event each year in Los Angeles. It was an incredible experience and so much fun! I enjoyed all the pre-show activities during Grammy Week, red carpet, and full televised and un-televised parts of the awards show, followed by the official after-party. But every year, I couldn't help but wonder what it might be like to go as a nominee for the first time. This year marked my first chance to do so. So I rushed the next phase of the project through the end of the summer, recording, producing, engineering, mixing, mastering, and distributing the album in record time. (No pun intended!) Right under the wire, the album was released and submitted. I received confirmation of my eligibility in two categories in the month that followed, and my life is forever changed.
There is so much talent out there, especially within The Recording Academy. The Grammys are especially unique in that, unlike all of the other awards shows out there, the winners are voted on by their professional industry peers - not an audience of the general public or some corporate structure. Real musicians that really work in the industry take the time to listen to all of the submissions and vote for their favorites, and those are the "final few" that officially make it into the publicly announced nominations in November.
It's an honor to even be considered, and such a milestone to know I've made it this far. In a genuinely non-corny way, it really doesn't matter to me if I win or not. I made something for me, that has brought me (and others) so much joy and fulfillment. That is and was my only goal. The rest is all gravy from here, truly. But that being said, no matter what happens next, I can't wait to continue this journey and share it with all of you. This will hopefully be the first of many musical releases to come! And it's true what they say, you never quite know what the future has in store. If you would've told me ten, even five years ago I'd be here writing this today, I would've told you you were crazy, yet here we are! Life is wild and absolutely what you make of it. I hope this inspires you too that there is no limit to what you can do in this life, and anything is possible through hard work and determination.
Thank you to all who've listened, streamed, downloaded, and shared! Up, up, and away we go! The adventure continues.
Check out "Toddler Songs (That Don't Suck)" on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube,
and now eligible in the "Best Children's Album" and "Best Arrangement, Instruments & Vocals" categories at this year's Grammy Awards!
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