Search - Joanie Leeds & the Nightlights :: I'm a Rock Star

Building on the momentum of her 2008 Parents Choice winning album, City Kid, independent children s musician Joanie Leeds releases her second kids CD, I m a Rock Star. I m a Rock Star dances across a constellation of musical genres, with thirteen Joanie Leeds originals in styles ranging from indie & classic rock to hip-hop, from folk to jazz, from R & B to cartoon. Known for her soulful, rock solid voice both heartfelt and immaculately polished Joanie Leeds creates music that resonates with families coast to coast. Her presentation is notable for its child-appropriate clarity, yet vocally Joanie soars easily through a remarkable array of styles with such an enviable power and dexterity that adult listeners forget that her intended audience is under age 10. Joanie truly rocks! The New York Sun enthused, Children's tunes often have a way of getting lodged in a parent's mind long after the music has stopped playing whether one likes it or not. But singer Joanie Leeds makes catchy music that little ones and their parents won't mind hearing again and again. Says Joanie Leeds, I love the way my first children s album, City Kid, turned out, but, intent on not trapping myself in a stylistic box, I wanted to bring a more sophisticated sound to I m a Rock Star. The blueprint for I'm A Rock Star includes exploration, self-expression, and variety, all in a musically authentic context. The tunes not only showcase a goodly number of styles, they also contain timely messages about things like environmental consciousness, cleaning up after yourself, learning another language, and exploring your own feelings. I wanted this to be fun and positive, but it was important for me not to make musical compromises. The magic really began when, on tour in Nashville last year, I met some incredible musicians, and we ended up recording together at the amazing Zodlounge music production studio. (Zodlounge has produced albums for artists like Kenny Loggins and Leann Rimes.) At that point, my songs were complete compositions, and I knew the direction in which I wanted to go, but these guys the musicians and my production team -- really took this project to the next level. I'm so excited about the way the album turned out that I can't wait for the release! Throughout I m a Rock Star, Joanie Leeds wisely keeps her songs short enough to retain the attention of young children. Each is a perfect gem with the sense that something interesting is both happening and about to happen. The album locks into a danceable groove right away with a classic rock title track that inspires young listeners to think of themselves as performers, get creative, and actually do music. More Cowbell is a funny, hip-hop song that shows kids how to listen to different layers of musical sound. If Woody Guthrie were still with us, he would surely have written a song like I Wanna Be Green, an up-tempo, humorous, two-beat dance tune about protecting the environment. In I like Jazz, Joanie acquaints young listeners with the sounds of jazz via an alphabet-inspired medley. Other highlights include Popcorn, a swing tempo rock tune in a Bill Haley mode; En Español, a funny song - entirely in Spanish - about how Joanie doesn't know how to speak the language, even though she grew up in Miami; Joanie Says, a Simon Says ditty with an Amy Winehouse feel that will certainly inspire circle time activities; and It Was the Elf, a Disney-sounding, cartoon-style song about blaming your messiness on an imaginary friend, then realizing the importance of facing responsibility. The album closes appropriately with a bit of Beatlesesque charm in Goodbye, Goodbye.