Cure for the backseat blues
Anna van Riel creates music that gives kids and parents a chance to sing and laugh. She tells Sarah Pollok how she goes fishing in both worlds.
My hope is to create an opportunity where they can just sing for the joy of singing.
It starts out as a quiet grumble from the back seat. But soon enough, one pushes the other or steals their chips and the kids’ complaints escalate to shrieks, followed by tears.
You know a little music will fix everything. But, at that moment you’re torn. Do you listen to the catchy but risky lyrics of the latest pop star, or yet another round of The Wheels on the Bus?
As a mother of two, Anna van Riel has been there. In fact, it’s part of the reason the awardwinning musician left her adult audience and started making music both kids and parents could enjoy.
Although the transition to children’s music is fairly recent for van Riel, the singer has already been a hit with little ones.
Her songs have won Best Children’s Song in the 2010 Australian Dolphin Music Awards, a Tui nomination for Best NZ Children’s Album in 2014 and Best Children’s Song at the 2016 and 2017 Australian Songwriters Awards.
Children’s music may not be the most popular genre, but van Riel says it’s slowly but surely gaining the recognition it deserves.
“NZ on Air has been so supportive and is starting to provide funding for children’s music,” she tells Weekend.
Since most children’s artists are parents themselves, van Riel says financial support is essential to create good quality content for children.
That includes her latest album, Fishing for Stars, a collection of catchy tunes and whimsical stories covering everything from learning the days of the week in te reo Ma¯ ori to running around like a superhero.
However, much like broccoli hidden in sauce, van Riel sneaks in sincere messages of confidence, generosity, love and family between the silly singalongs and ukulele tunes.
Deeper meanings aside, the singer wants to create music that gives kids, and their parents, a chance to sing and laugh.
“I think there are a lot of parents who feel self-conscious about singing with their kids,” says van Riel. “My hope is to create an opportunity where they can just sing for the joy of singing and not worry about the do’s and don’ts.”
Listening to the album, it’s clear Fishing for Stars was a labour of love for the singer, who says everything from the lyrics to the CD cover have been designed with children in mind. “Even the album cover is illustrated like a children’s book,” she says. “I love thinking that a kid can hold it in the car and know it’s written especially for them, while parents have something that’s not going to drive them nuts.”
Anna van Riel