Lisette St. Louis was in the middle of teaching a music class when the message came through that the kids album she helped create had been nominated for a Juno.

“It was very surreal,” St. Louis said upon receiving the news from co-creator Kalya Ramu. “You’re like, ‘let’s just throw our hat in the ring’. Then we qualified!”

Hip Kids Music is one of five albums vying for the top prize at this year’s Juno awards taking place on March 29 in Hamilton.

Despite being up against Canadian music hip hop giant Maestro Fresh Wes who also made a children’s album, St. Louis said Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1 is a little different.

She explained the album encourages children do more than just listen, exposing them to a wider range of sounds and structures. The album blends elements of jazz, blues and classical styles.

“I think we underestimate the power of how music can get in there,” she said, referring to how deeply children absorb what they hear.

Shaped by her experience in the classroom, St. Louis said it aims to challenge the idea that children need simplified music.

From an idea to an album

The project started during the pandemic, when St. Louis and Ramu began working on what they thought would be a children’s TV show.

Both musicians had backgrounds in teaching, which helped shape the direction of the project.

“We let the teaching inform how we wanted to write the album,” she said. “We structured the album kind of looking at how you teach music theory to begin.”

That approach carried into the final product.

Expanding the children’s music genre

The project was produced by Grammy-winning musician and producer Drew Jurecka, with contributions from an all-Canadian group of performers.

For drummer Ian McKay, who performs on the album, jazz brings an energy that helps make the music engaging for younger audiences.

“Although jazz can be thought of as very serious, it can also be very accessible,” he said. “It can be very danceable, fun and even humorous and silly at times.”

He hopes kids will hear challenging music, like jazz, and have their curiosity peaked.

“Whatever you expose them to at a young age — they’re sponges,” he said. “Why not give them the building blocks to understand a language like music?”

‘Music connects us’

With the Juno nomination, the group is now looking at how to reach listeners beyond their immediate circle. While the album is designed with children in mind, McKay said its appeal extends to anyone who loves music.

“It’s not just for kids — everybody can enjoy it,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to make, music that’s accessible to everybody.”

St. Louis said Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1 is just the beginning, with plans for a second volume and future projects, including an app to help families bring more music into the home.

The group will perform at the Junior Junos on March 28 and will learn the results of the 2026 Juno Awards on March 29.