Claudia Robin Gunn

Claudia Robin Gunn is one of the nation’s most beloved children’s music creators and a much-admired Howick performance artist and community contributor.

She says her new album Firefly is a sweet and smart collection of kids’ songs highlighting values such as courage, perseverance, optimism, teamwork, and self-belief.

“Take some powerful messages you want your kids to grow up with, shake them in the musical blender with a bunch of sweet and spicy ingredients, and make them into songs about things that go together like dancing lettuces and best friend superheroes battling the school bullies. Fun, thoughtful, memorable, hummable.

“Fireflies have evolved to create their own biological light sources using a chemical reaction involving luciferase, oxygen, and ATP. Take that as a metaphor to signify the inner glow in every child, powered by love and belief in themselves, and you have the essence of this children’s music album, Firefly.”

Firefly was crafted across the seas in a studio collaboration with producer and featured artist, Grammy Award winner Dean Jones.

“We began in late 2021 with a single Little by Little and then progressed, much like the song suggests, inch by inch until we had this album done. My lead vocals and harmonies, plus demo guitars, were tracked here in New Zealand at the Little Wild Music Studio, while all instrumentation and arrangements were engineered and produced by Dean at No Parking Studios in New York,” Claudia says.

“Alan Douches at West West Side took the mastering honours for both the digital release and upcoming vinyl run. Jason Sarubbi features on bass for Hope is a Verb, and Jessica and Tony Jones contribute sax for Winning.

“I’m delighted to also have worked with two artists I respect and appreciate, Suzi Shelton and Little Miss Ann, sharing lead vocals on the song Colours.

“Suzi and Ann both recorded their vocals from their bases, respectively in Chicago and Brooklyn. I designed the album covers.”

NZ On Air supported the creation of Firefly through the New Music Kids programme.

Firefly is available on limited edition vinyl, printed at Holiday Records in Auckland. Flying Out will be stocking it. Firefly is also available on download at www.claudiarobingunn.com and streaming everywhere.