Twenty-year music industry veteran and former Head of A&R at G.O.O.D. Music, Ricky Anderson announces the launch of the new animated musical video series, The Tunies. Produced by Neko Productions, the series is now available globally on YouTube. The new series offers families the opportunity to enjoy song and dance together while reinforcing social-emotional lessons.
The Tunies follows an animated preschool musical group that share fundamental messages while offering families a way to enjoy song together. Lead character Avery and his diverse group of friends Rex, Bella, Rio, Frankie and Bianca welcome you to join the crew as they dance and sing about key foundational and educational topics such as: manners, picking up after yourself, staying safe and more! His fun-loving friends are a mix of anthropomorphic animals and kids that blend fantasy with real life.
Launched only two months ago, The Tunies has already amassed nearly 6 million views and well over 100,000 watch hours, gaining the interest of A-listers including Christina Milian, Jimmie Allen, 2 Chainz and Pusha T.
“As a father of three, I find myself having to listen to children’s music — oftentimes on repeat! I couldn’t believe that there was nothing better out there for families to enjoy together. I saw an opportunity to reimagine the genre, taking my skills and knowledge in the industry, to create music and video that the entire family can actually enjoy together, while still focused on everyday routines and children’s development,” said Anderson.
The Tunies team is composed of leading music industry talent, including Grammy-nominated producers HazeBanga and Ahmad Muhhamad, who have worked with Selena Gomez, Mariah Carey, MIA and Beyoncé. In addition to musical talent, partners include content and licensing expert Jacqueline Vong (Playology International), formerly recognized for work on The Wiggles and Peppa Pig, award-winning YouTube specialists Little Dot Studios and pop-culture and ecommerce partner CultureFly.
The CGI animation is brought to life by the team at Neko Productions. The studio boasts notable credits in the children’s space, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Marvel’s Avengers, Monster High and Barbie.
“As soon as I heard about this project and the story behind it I knew we had to be a part of it,” said Lirit Rosenzweig Topaz, Executive Producer for Neko Productions. “At Neko, we put our heart and soul in every project. We wanted to bring Avery and his friends to life in an appealing and fun way. Being a parent myself it is important to create engaging educational content for kids and families to watch.”
Moving forward with purpose, Anderson is launching The Avery Chase Foundation alongside The Tunies later this year, to honor his late son Avery. A portion of The Tunies proceeds will go back to providing support to parents and families who have lost their children.
New episodes of The Tunies launch every week on YouTube. Follow Avery and the band on Facebook, Instagram and thetunies.com.
