Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Head of Kids Audio Content Verdell Walker Explains Spotify's Partnership With CoComelon-and Introduces Four Exciting New Shows for Families

18/01/2022

Image credit: Moonbug Entertainment

You've definitely heard of CoComelon if you have a toddler. (It's the number one kids channel on YouTube, for those without kiddos.) CoComelon videos are filled with catchy songs and energetic, colorful stories featuring a kid named J.J. and his friends on various adventures-from show-and-tell to bedtime and beyond. Now, the brand is venturing into the audio medium as CoComelon comes together with Spotify in an exclusive multiyear agreement.

Spotify will partner with CoComelon producer Moonbug Entertainment for a new podcast, CoComelon Story Time, as well as a mix of other original and exclusive homegrown shows. Bringing Moonbug Entertainment's shows to Spotify provides an unparalleled opportunity for families to experience their favorite characters in a brand-new way.

Image credit: Moonbug Entertainment

Since the launch of our stand-alone Spotify Kids app, Spotify has offered compelling and age-appropriate audio content for parents and their children. Through this new partnership, we're releasing unique podcast content specifically created for families to enjoy together. An array of exciting stories will debut to parents within the Family and Kids Hub on the main Spotify app, as well as on the Spotify Kids app, exclusive to Spotify Premium Family subscribers.

As Head of Kids Audio Content at Spotify, Verdell Walker is responsible for establishing and managing the audio content that serves families. We have a mission of being the number one audio platform in the world, and a big part of that is making sure that we have something for everyone, she explained to For the Record. No matter how old or young you are.

Read on for more from our conversation.

Why is it so important for Spotify to create content that appeals to families? There's so much empty space in the world of spoken word audio for families. There's a lot of kids music, yes, and audiobook versions of kids books, but there's a dearth of high-quality audio content out there for parents to enjoy with their children.

With homegrown shows for families, we have an opportunity to create a gold standard for audio that parents will turn to when it comes to playing podcasts with their children. We know that parents are often looking for ways to reduce screen time, so we want to elevate audio to a place where parents will think of it as an option alongside other forms of entertaining and educational media.

There is so much flexibility in this audio experience in terms of stories, characters, formats, narrative structures-and we can really push the envelope when it comes to what spoken word audio can mean. It's a happy medium between entertainment and education, and it's a way to engage together.

How will working with CoComelon and Moonbug Entertainment help Spotify grow these content offerings? CoComelon is one of the most recognizable IPs on earth. This partnership with Moonbug allows us to leverage really beloved stories that delight families, and it also signals to the broader world, to parents, to creators, that we are serious in this space. We are working with recognizable brands and making a splash with names that parents recognize and trust. This partnership and these stories are a new way for new and existing CoComelon fans to interact with this brand in a creative way.

Tell us a bit about the upcoming homegrown shows. CoComelon Story Time, which is launching on January 24, includes 42 beloved storybook classics with a CoComelon twist. The stories teach positive life lessons and provide families with playful and educational content that they can enjoy together. It's going to be available in four languages, including U.S. and U.K. English, Spanish, German, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Gardenkeeper Gus, probably my favorite show in the slate, is launching on January 31. It's designed for families with younger children, and it's a quiet and contemplative preschool podcast that follows six-year-old Gus and his squirrel best friend, Rel, as they explore and understand the endless and larger-than-life garden behind his family home.

100 Cinderellas, launching on February 14 and designed for families with younger children, is an anthology series of Cinderella stories from around the world and is suitable for bedtime. If you have children or know someone who has children, you know bedtime is a particular source of pain and frustration! We're releasing this story in two different formats-one that is 30-minutes all the way through, and the other is in shorter parts so you can listen to it over a number of nights and choose which is best for your bedtime.

Deep Blue Sea, launching on February 28, is a fun underwater adventure with two characters named Marina and Reef. Listeners will visit an underwater, oceanic laboratory, Sea Lab Alpha, with an impeccable view of sea life and get to learn about sharks, whales, and more. I'm excited for listeners to learn how to protect the ocean and be good stewards of the ocean.

What are some of your favorite stories from when you were a child? I loved the Redwall series. Catherine, Called Birdy. I was also into Masters of the Universe, particularly She-Ra. When I was a kid, I would run around the house with a toy sword announcing, I have the power of the universe; I am She-Ra! It was so empowering to me. I have watched every episode of the revival and it is incredible. When I got older I loved Totally Spies, Kim Possible . . . you can sense a trend-I love stories with powerful women.

Can't wait for new CoComelon spoken word audio content to come to Spotify? Catch the trailer below.

And in the meantime, get your fill with CoComelon songs, all in one place.
LINK: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-01-18/head-of-kids-audio-content-ver...
See more stories from spotify

Europe Stories

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

12/01/2026

Comedian and actor Michael Fry becomes the first celebrity to exit Dancing with the Stars

For the first time in the nine-year history of Dancing with the Stars, the first...

10/01/2026

Golden Week Nominees Night Celebrates a Podcasting Milestone

This year, podcasts are making their Golden Globes debut with a new category honoring the medium's leading shows and creators. To mark the occasion, Spotify...

09/01/2026

RT delivers another record year in 2025, bringing Ireland together with national moments

RT Player has 157 million streams, up 10% year-on-year An increase on 2024, RT...

09/01/2026

2FM announces line-up of Rising Artists for 2026

RT 2FM has today announced the highly anticipated list of 2FM Rising Artists for 2026, kicking off 2FM Rising week for the eighth year on The Tracy Clifford Sh...

09/01/2026

RT to Host the 2026 RTS Ireland Awards

RT to Host the 2026 RTS Ireland Awards Thursday, 16 April 2026 | Dublin Royal Convention Centre The RTS Ireland Television Awards 2026 | Gradaim RTS 2026 | R...

08/01/2026

How disinformation is shaping Sudan's conflict: a new report

An evidence-based analysis on disinformation and information manipulation in Sudan's ongoing conflict is published today. (January 8th 2026). Thomson Found...

08/01/2026

One Year In: How Creators Are Growing Their Shows and Connecting With Audiences Through the Spotify Partner Program

In 2025 we launched the Spotify Partner Program to give creators more ways to tu...

08/01/2026

Spotify Toasts to the Future of Podcasting With Creators at Our New Sycamore Studios

On Wednesday in Los Angeles, Spotify welcomed creators and press to a brunch cel...

08/01/2026

TSA awards Rohde & Schwarz contract for advanced airport screening ahead of Soccer World Cup 2026

TSA awards Rohde & Schwarz contract for advanced airport screening ahead of Socc...

08/01/2026

Sound on Sound Magazine reviews CORE+ technology

The review looks back at DPA's miniature microphone development over the years. It compares the evolving technologies from the original mics through CORE an...

08/01/2026

Comscore Launches Audio Targeting and Measurement Capabilities with The Trade Desk, Helping to Unlock Incremental Reach for Advertisers

Comscore Launches Audio Targeting and Measurement Capabilities with The Trade De...

08/01/2026

Parents of murdered Irish woman Kirsty Ward speak out People need to know his name

Tonight, on RT Prime Time at 9:35pm on RT One and RT Player Tonight, Prime T...

08/01/2026

It's The Late Late Show Trad Special

The Late Late Show celebrates the very best of traditional Irish music with its first-ever full special dedicated entirely to the tradition Lisa Canny | Kevin...

08/01/2026

DANCING WITH THE STARS - WHO WILL BE THE VICTIM OF THE EARLIEST EVER SERIES ELIMINATION?

It will be murder on the dancefloor when Dancing with the Stars returns this S...

07/01/2026

A Defining Moment for Podcasts: Spotify Kicks Off Week of Festivities After Contributing More Than $10 Billion to the Industry

Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...

07/01/2026

Introducing Listening Activity and Request to Jam in Messages on Spotify

We know people use Spotify not just to listen, but to share the songs, podcasts, and audiobooks they love with their friends and family. When we launched Messag...

07/01/2026

Go Inside Spotify Sycamore Studios, Our New State-of-the-Art Podcast Studio in Hollywood

This week, all eyes are on the podcast industry as the Golden Globes recognizes ...

07/01/2026

Making It Easier for Video Podcasters to Earn on Spotify

Podcasts are stepping onto a new stage this week as the Golden Globes recognize the medium for the first time. To mark this milestone moment, we're hosting ...

06/01/2026

Spotify Celebrates Podcasting's Big Moment Ahead of First-Ever Golden Globes Category

Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...

06/01/2026

Spotify's New Gov Ball Experience Turns the 2026 Lineup Into a Personalized Data Story for Every Fan

Lorde. A$AP Rocky. JENNIE. Baby Keem. KATSEYE. That's just a taste of who...

06/01/2026

Channel 4 and UKTV Deliver Unmissable Entertainment and More Choice for Viewers

Channel 4 and UKTV are giving viewers even more reasons to stream, with UKTV's U service set to feature thousands of hours of free, unmissable and bingeable...

06/01/2026

An update on our Sky Mobile prices

Tuesday 6 January 2026 An update on our Sky Mobile prices Devesh Raj, Chief Operating Officer, Sky Today, we've announced some changes to the prices of ...

06/01/2026

Comscore Launches Daily Program-Level Reporting with Deduplicated Insights on Shows and Episodes across CTV and Linear TV

Comscore Launches Daily Program-Level Reporting with Deduplicated Insights on Sh...

06/01/2026

Comscore Completes Recapitalization Transaction with Preferred Stockholders Following Approval from Common Stockholders

Comscore Completes Recapitalization Transaction with Preferred Stockholders Foll...

05/01/2026

Celebrate Bad Bunny's DeB TiRAR MS FOToS' Anniversary With Playlist Cover Art Stickers and More

Bad Bunny's DeB TiRAR M S FOToS defined the sound of 2025 for listeners eve...

05/01/2026

RT waltzes into 2026 and entertains the nation as Dancing With The Stars and Room To Improve are huge hit

As the clock struck midnight and 2026 was born, so was an exciting range of new ...

05/01/2026

These Sacred Vows starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Justine Mitchell and Jason O'Mara starts Sunday 1st February 2026 on RT

These Sacred Vows starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Justine Mitchell and Jason O'...

05/01/2026

Reigning Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins scores highest points in the first episode of new series of Dancing with the Stars

DANDANCING WITH THE STARS RETURNS TO SHAKE UP SUNDAY NIGHTS Reigning Rose of Tr...

02/01/2026

New RT documentary series takes us inside one of Ireland's busiest hospitals

Any Given Day: Cork University Hospital premieres Wednesday 7 January on RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm RT will debut a powerful new six-part documentary se...

02/01/2026

All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and streaming service NOW on 10 January

Friday 2 January 2026 All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...

02/01/2026

Coming Soon to RT this New Year

Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026 New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT ...

01/01/2026

Myungsung finds a new voice with two DiGiCo Quantum 852

The Quantum 852 is situated in the 6,500-seat Seoul-based place of worship, a church which is home to a 1,000-person choir and a 50-piece orchestra. There are f...

01/01/2026

DiGiCo Quantum 338s Escape to Europe with OneRepublic

Formed in 2002, OneRepublic have enjoyed huge international success, with over 18 billion streams on Spotify alone. Their current tour, Escape to Europe, contin...

01/01/2026

UMEDA CLUB QUATTRO chooses DiGiCo Quantum 338 as in-house console

We had been using the club's previous console for the last ten years, so we researched manufacturer information very carefully, says venue audio manager Mr...

30/12/2025

Ring in the New Year with Patrick Kielty and a sparkling line-up on The Late Late Show New Year's Eve Show

Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...

29/12/2025

25 Ways Spotify Leveled Up Your Listening in 2025

From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...

24/12/2025

Shaking up Sunday nights this January Dancing with the Stars unveils the new promo for 2026

RT has unveiled an exclusive first look at the new Dancing with the Stars promo...

23/12/2025

Find Your Perfect Holiday Romance Listen With These Swoon-Worthy Audiobooks

The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...

23/12/2025

VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to Advance Next-Generation Connectivity and Digital Infrastructure

23 Dec 2025 VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...

22/12/2025

A Decade of Giving: Fest & Flauschig' Christmas Circus Celebrates Record Turnout and Generosity

For a decade, popular German podcast Fest & Flauschig has hosted an annual Chris...

22/12/2025

Sky extends PGA TOUR partnership until 2029, as Sky Sports remains the unrivalled home for golf fans in the UK and Ireland

Monday 22 December 2025 Sky extends PGA TOUR partnership until 2029, as Sky Spo...

22/12/2025

Christmas with Oliver Callan on RT

Siobh n McSweeney, Rory McIlroy, Elon Musk, Catherine Connolly, Jim Gavin, Ivan Yates and Traitor Paudie Moloney lead new characters for Callan Kicks the Year 2...

22/12/2025

Monaghan's McKenna family crowned Ireland's Fittest Family 2025

Winner announced in the picturesque surroundings of Wicklow's Avondale Tower and Treetop Walk Andrew Trimble wins the show in his first series as coach Th...

22/12/2025

RT lyric fm Choirs for Christmas 2025 Winners Announced

The 2025 winners have been announced today, Sunday 21 December, for Ireland's largest choral competition Choirs for Christmas hosted by RT lyric fm. Ove...

21/12/2025

Rory McIlroy caps stellar year by winning the RT Sport Sportsperson of the Year 2025

John Shortt named Young Sportsperson of the Year Kerry are the Team of the Year ...