The following is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Bright Siders.
Today, I'm happy to share a new song from a new group called The Bright Siders!
The Bright Siders is a unique musical collaboration between Nashville-based Americana songwriter Kristin Andreassen and Brooklyn-based child psychiatrist Kari Groff, MD. Together, they create music to help children connect to their emotions.
Ten years in the making, their carefully crafted, star-studded debut album A Mind of Your Own arrives just when the world needs it most as the importance of mental health resurfaces in the public consciousness. Releasing on January 21, 2021 via Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the album invites listeners to think deeply about empathy and self-compassion as they navigate the beauty and complexity of their emotional lives.
With an inclusive cast of inspiring vocalists – including Ed Helms, The War & Treaty, Gaby Moreno, Punch Brothers, Joey Ryan (The Milk Carton Kids), Oh Pep!, Kaia Kater, and more – Andreassen, Dr. Groff, and their co-producer, Chris Eldridge, offer a profoundly empowering collection of songs and skits for elementary-age children and the grownups who love them.
Vamos a Jugar/ Let's Go Play
Today, Mommy Maestra is the first to share the album's bilingual song, "Vamos a Jugar/ Let's Go Play"! It's performed by Latin Grammy-nominated artist Gaby Moreno, who is Guatamelan-American and lives in Los Angeles. Moreno performs in Spanish as a counterpoint to the English vocals of Joey Ryan, from the popular indie band Milk Carton Kids. (Incidentally, Moreno will be singing at the inauguration tomorrow!!)
Y'all, this is just the cutest song. I love it so much. Not just the cumbia beat, but the easy bilingual conversation-style of the song. You'll think you're listening to two friends at the playground. I love Joey's receptive attitude to learning new words in Spanish, and Gaby's obviously fluent responses.
The song was recorded during Andreassen's 2019 trip to Los Angeles. She was with The Punch Brothers in Los Angeles when they received their GRAMMY Award, and she met up with Moreno at a playground where they recorded “Vamos a Jugar.” The bilingual song was inspired by conversations around immigration and the experience of being a newcomer to this country. The cumbia beat reflects the experience of a Guatemalan immigrant who is the “new kid” at school. Joey Ryan (Milk Carton Kids) plays the other kid, learning Spanish names for the playground equipment.
Be one of the first to listen to the new song here: