Red Grammer is very much like the color red – he is energetic, ambitious, determined and simply an unstoppable force of positive creativity.
Both critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated, Red is the man behind some of the most popular children’s songs for the past 30 years. And right now he’s onto something different, something new and something perhaps for you:
He is creating an app – or wants to, together with you – just like his sing-alongs.
Mithaq Kazimi: What brings you from music to app creation?
Red Grammer: For me, creating music for kids and families has always been about supporting the good in all of us in a way that feels true and makes us smile and laugh. When I started out, portable cassette players were making it possible for kids and families to feel and experience my music anywhere. Now, with iPads and Tablets, children have a whole electric playground in their hands. Although I think it’s critical that they be outside with real grass and trees, it’s also important that those of us who know how to touch their hearts go to where they are and make sure they experience the same powerful feelings and awareness through the expanded possibilities that these new devices make possible.
MK: What is the app all about?
RG: This app will be a platform that delivers three interactive music videos to anyone with a capable mobile device. We envision it as Phase One of something bigger – “Red’s World”: a collection of music videos, eBooks, games, and other video content inspired by my award-winning music.
MK: How will a child benefit from it?
RG: Having some of the best children’s music ever created come alive before their eyes with brilliant visuals and opportunities for interaction has to be a good thing, especially when the underlying themes are those of inclusion, oneness, self-awareness and hope.
MK: What is the targeted age group?
RG: 4-7 years old
MK: What is your role in the project? who else is working on it?
RG: I’m bringing the music, of course, and I’m also integrally involved in the development of the characters and story lines in these music videos as well as the ensuing eBooks, games, etc. of “Red’s World”. My partner on this project is Joshua Homnick, an extraordinary, Webby award-winning video director/producer whose feet are firmly planted in the world of exciting possibilities that these new technologies provide. He is also a young parent who keenly sees the need for media that supports and celebrates the best in children.
MK: How is the process of creating an app similar and different from creating music?
RG: In both cases you start with nothing. You get an idea, then you follow your instincts and heart, bending all your skills to bring it to its flowering stage, and finally push like crazy to get it into the world.
However, I find the process of putting imagery to my music a scary process. Will it limit or expand the hearer’s perception of the song? And then there are the numerous technical questions around the app regarding interactivity, compatibility, etc. That’s why I’m so excited to be working with as creative, heart-centered, tech-savvy visual collaborator as Josh.
—
If you’d like to be part of this project, head over to his Kickstarter page or official page.