Go Go Stop -Music & Movement for Kids, an upbeat new album from Montréal’s beloved children’s artist Shawny, offers kids and families messages of inclusivity and empathy while encouraging them to have fun, use their imaginations, and move to the music. Go Go Stop – Music & Movement for Kids will be released on May 16, 2025.

A former elementary school music teacher who is now a full-time children’s musician, Shawny brings more than 20 years’ experience with kids to the table. He is so in touch with his inner child that children instantly recognize him as a big, goofy friend! Shawny strives to create a safe space where kids can be as silly, imaginative, and energetic as they wish. He also has a deep respect for children; his warm-hearted pop-rock music is catchy but never condescending.

“With Go Go Stop – Music & Movement for Kids, I wanted to record the most playful, engaging album I could possibly make,” says Shawny. “Every song is a ‘go-to’ from my live performances, the kind of song that’s guaranteed to get children participating and moving a lot. When I play these songs in person, children light up and move so happily and freely! I wanted to capture that exuberance so listeners will feel the same joy that kids and I share at my shows. I hope this music not only makes everyone want to get up and move, but also gives them a sense of warmth and belonging. I believe in learning self-love, acceptance, and kindness at an early age. The younger we are when we learn these things, the easier it will be to fight hatred within ourselves and toward others as we go through life.”

Go Go Stop – Music & Movement for Kids blends full-on silliness with rich inner themes. Some songs are just for fun, like “Little Bubbles,” a catchy earworm about the joys of popping bubbles on a sunny day, and “Go Go Stop,” a fast-paced, pop-country freeze dance tune. The more profound, Sesame Street-influenced “So Different” and the joyful “Rainbow Parade” (featuring guest ensemble Strawbitty Yops) celebrate differences and inclusivity.

Other highlights include the funk and hip-hop influenced “Here Comes The Sharks!” where kids are asked to use their imaginations and physicality as they swim away from not one, not two, not three, but four mischievous, hungry sea creatures. (Grown-ups may notice a nod to John Williams’ “Theme from ‘Jaws‘” in this number.) Free from those sneaky sharks, kids soar from sea to sky, flying their airplanes with the help of pilot Shawny in the exciting “In My Airplane.” In the rollicking “Pirate Life,” listeners are encouraged to act, move, and, most of all, sing like pirates, which involves many loud proclamations of “Arrggh” and “Yo-ho-ho”! These pirates may look like pirates and sail on a ship, but they also practice good hygiene, primarily drink lemonade, and don’t make anyone walk the plank!

Born and raised in Montréal, Shawny played guitar and sang in a variety of bands throughout his 20s while also working as an elementary school music teacher. However, it wasn’t until the onset of the COVID-19 lockdowns in March 2020 that he began writing and performing music specifically for children, to help his students cope. Thrilled to see the positive effect his original music had on these kids during their online music sessions, Shawny took things a step further and created his own YouTube channel, Shawny Kids Music, which currently showcases more than 70 videos and has received over a million views. The warm reception to his videos inspired Shawny to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time recording artist and live performer for kids.

Shawny’s debut album, It’s So Sunny (2023), addresses themes of kindness, acceptance, and socio-emotional learning. In 2023, Shawny’s song “The Day The Colours Went Away” from It’s So Sunny was honored in Australia as Favourite Canadian Song in the Funky Kids Radio 3rd annual Global Children’s Entertainment Awards. Shawny was then named National Artist of the Year in the Funky Kids Radio 4th Annual Global Children’s Entertainment Awards. His music has been featured on radio shows and podcasts like Radio Active Kids,The Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl, The Children’s Hour, and New Zealand-based Suzy & Friends. Shawny maintains a busy schedule of performances at daycares, elementary schools, libraries, festivals, and public and private events.

A graduate of McGill University with a Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language, Shawny cites influences as diverse as Ray Davies of The Kinks, Dolly Parton, Pete Seeger, Robin Williams, Funkadelic, Talking Heads, The B-52s, Raffi, and Kermit the Frog!

Go Go Stop – Music & Movement for Kids will be available for digital download on Bandcamp and will stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, and Deezer, starting May 16, 2025. It will be available for purchase on CD on Shawny’s website and at his live shows.