Darrelle London shares her Kindie album, Primary
Toronto singer-songwriter, Darrelle London, is diving into the world of “Kindie” music (Kid-Indie), and she feels right at home!
London has unveiled her new children’s album, Primary – a dazzling collection of songs that celebrate the awe and wonder kids experience daily.
With a back-catalogue of albums described as “quirky” and “whimsical” – though not necessarily aimed towards kids – it was a natural progression for London to take her musical style and turn it into her first full-length children’s album. Primary perfectly treads the line between music for kids and music for grown-ups, with enchanting lyrical storytelling set to infectious indie-pop instrumentation. Produced by Dean Drouillard and featuring some of Canada’s best session players bringing London’s imaginative tunes to life with jubilant horns and lush strings, the album carries listeners on a journey through a colourful world of curiosity, creativity, and laughter.
A mother of two young’uns herself, Primary marks the first time that London made an album since her children were babies. While playing the role of teacher (among many other things!) during the initial COVID lockdowns, London’s children would ask questions, and she felt compelled to answer them in the form of songs. “There was also just a lot of messing around because we had time on our hands,” reflects London, with the album’s lead single, “Chugga Choo Choo,” being a perfect example of this writing method.
“This song came about organically while I was playing with my kids,” she says. “I was messing around on the piano and started singing the chorus about going on a train. My kids lined up chairs across the living room floor to make a ‘train’, and I was struck by how quickly children can be transported through music.”
The songs on Primary continue to explore those similar small wonders of life, such as seeing the moon out during the day (Day Moon); simple pleasures, like going for ice cream with a friend on a hot summer day (Ice Cream); they joy found in creating art just for the sake of it (Primary and Let’s Make Something New); and even important lessons like why we should respect even the tiniest of creatures (Bugs).
“My goal with this album was to capture the sense of wonder and awe that all children have,” London explains. “Somewhere along the way, us adults have forgotten to marvel at the morning moon, or how to make art just for the sake of creating. This album gave me the space to ponder questions like, how did Pluto feel after being demoted from planet status, or what would happen if wild animals crashed a birthday party? The fun in making this record has been non-stop, and I think that comes across!”
Listen to Primary below and learn more about Darrelle London via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, I’m Darrelle London. I started releasing indie/folk/pop music in 2009 and had a very fun decade of touring colleges, clubs, and performing arts centers across North America. I’ve had many adventures along the way, such as signing to Perez Hilton’s (short-lived) record label in LA, being chosen by Sarah McLachlan to perform at Lilith Fair, and recording the theme song of a popular Korean drama. My life changed in 2015 when my husband and I welcomed our first child. I became a very sleep-deprived mom, which sparked the idea for my lullaby EP, Sing to the Moon, which came out in 2018, the year I had my second son.
Life with two kids has obviously influenced my art and led to the inception of my new full-length kid’s album, Primary. I am now fully immersed in the world of “kindie” music (Kids-Indie), and I feel so supported and welcomed by this amazing community of artists.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
Primary is an eleven-song kindie album that celebrates the wonder of childhood. It is my attempt to bottle up the beauty of a phase of life when we all marveled at a daytime moon or created art just for the sake of it. In this way, the album also serves as a reminder to parents to slow down and enjoy adventures like going for ice cream and searching for bugs in the backyard. The songs are meant to be enjoyed by families together. I was blown away by the musicianship that all the players brought to this album. It really shines through and elevates the listening experience for kids and their grown-ups.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
Many of the song ideas on Primary came from my kids, particularly during covid lockdown. They would ask me questions that they would otherwise likely have asked their teachers, and I didn’t always know how to answer at the moment. The answers would come to me later when I was at the piano, so I am grateful to my kids for these ideas. I think the songs answer questions that a lot of kids have, such as how the primary colours mix together or why we shouldn’t squash bugs when we see them outside.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
I am still booking my spring and summer, so please keep an eye on www.DarrelleLondon.com and my socials for updates. I am excited by the opportunity to play in family-centered spaces like libraries and maybe even a farm or two!
What’s your goal for 2023?
My goal is to enjoy this stage of the album cycle – promoting and performing these songs. It’s an adjustment after a few years of writing and recording and generally hermit-ing as many of us did during the height of the pandemic. I am so excited to finally release these songs into the world. The support I’ve received for the first singles has been so moving. It is an honour to be included in the soundtrack of a child’s life, and I am extremely grateful.
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