Sony Music has launched a new music label aimed at the kids market in tandem with Genius Brands International.
As part of the multi-year agreement, Sony Music Entertainment will distribute the Genius Brands Music label under two categories: Baby Genius for the toddler market; and Kid Genius for children to tweens.
The partnership will involve GBI brands such as Baby Genius, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab as well as licensed and acquired properties such as Llama Llama.
In addition, the two companies will develop ‘new musical concepts’ developed specifically for the Genius Brands Music label.
“Music has more and more, become the universal language of kids. It is simply not possible to effectively launch a kids brand today without music playing an integral role. Sony Music has nurtured, advised, guided and invested in the development of independent music labels spanning virtually every music genre imaginable,” said GBI Chairman and CEO Andy Heyward.
“With the access, distribution and promotional expertise of Sony Music, Genius Brands Music launches with a pedigreed partner that will help strategically drive its success.”
“The children’s entertainment sector, especially in music, requires a unique understanding of how to create both compelling content and audience appetite,” explained Sony Music Entertainment’s Richard Story.
“Andy Heyward is a legendary innovator in children’s media and his cutting edge team is developing incredibly fresh and innovative concepts for kids across all platforms, and we are excited to partner with them on bringing the music from these projects to the global audience.”
Heyward is an Emmy Award-winning children’s content producer responsible for over 5,000 episodes of children’s entertainment (Inspector Gadget, Strawberry Shortcake, Super Mario Bros, Sabrina the Teenage Witch) spearheads production efforts; Emmy Award-nominated Steve Banks, head writer and story editor of Sponge Bob Square Pants serves as content writer; and original character designs created by Han Lee (Pink Fizz, Bobby Jack).
The team brought into Genius Brands Music to deliver original material, includes producer of multiple Grammy Award winners and music biz veteran Ron Fair (Fergie, Mary J. Blige, Black Eyed Peas, Pussycat Dolls, Christina Aguilera and more), as well as his singer songwriter spouse Stefanie Fair.
Stefanie Fair is a founding member of RCA’s girl group Wild Orchid with Fergie, who created the theme music and several original songs.
Additional original new music has been created and produced by veteran music producer and composer John Loeffler (Kidz Bop, Pokemon).
A new launch from GBI is SpacePOP.
Currently in production on 100+ serialized, music-driven animated videos (3-4 minutes in length), SpacePOP will be digitally distributed via the SpacePOP channel on YouTube and other digital platforms, and is said to “capitalize on today’s media consumption habits of tweens and teens”.Music Business Worldwide
