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

Most recent headlines

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 ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

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...

29/05/2026

InfoComm 2026: NDI Demos NDI 6.3, Hands-On Presentation About Educational Integrations

With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...

29/05/2026

Bell Media Inks New Long-Term Media Rights Deal for Broadcast, Streaming of the Canadian Football League

Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...

29/05/2026

Spring 2026 TV Survey: Vertical Live Matters. The Bigger Story Is Context

Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format Ring Digital's Sprin...

29/05/2026

Germanys Berliner Ensemble Bolsters Backstage Infrastructure With Riedel Stage Systems

Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...

29/05/2026

InfoComm 2026: Solid State Logic Spotlights TCA Tour, Live V6.2 Software, New SSL Live Trade-in Program

Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...

29/05/2026

Gerald Jerry Pierce, Architect of Modern Digital Cinema, Passes Away at Age 73

Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...

29/05/2026

CBS Sports Becomes New Home of Barclays Women's Super League Thorough 2029-2030

Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...

29/05/2026

Calrec Scales ImPulseV to Empower Broadcasters With Greater Choice in Virtualized Workflows

Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...

29/05/2026

Switzerlands Canal Alpha Streamlines Playout to Delivery With Harmonic

Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...

29/05/2026

InfoComm 2026: PTZOptics Showcases Intelligent Video Ecosystem

PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...

29/05/2026

Arizona's Family Sports Debuts Direct-to-Consumer Streaming App

Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...

29/05/2026

DAZN Brings The Canadian Football Leagues Saturday Night Football to the Masses in New Media Rights Deal

Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...

29/05/2026

Comcast Business Supports Advanced Technology Infrastructure at Levi's Stadium for Fan Experience, Venue Operations

Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...

29/05/2026

College Sports-Production Community Gathers in Atlanta for 2026 SVG College Summit

In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...

29/05/2026

TBT Reaches Two-Year Extension With FOX Sports for New-Look $2 Million Tournament

The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...

29/05/2026

Roku Expands Premium Subscriptions Experience with FOX One

Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...

29/05/2026

CBS Sports UEFA Champions League Today Studio Show Heads Budapest for Final as Transcontinental Popularity Grows

In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...

29/05/2026

Ratings Roundup: NBA, NHL Playoffs and Indy 500 Photo Finish Power a Record-Setting Week

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...

29/05/2026

Your Summer 2026 Soundtrack? Spotify's Predictions Are In

The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...

29/05/2026

Akai Pro unveil the MPC Live III Retro

New retro-inspired MPC announced There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...

29/05/2026

Bjooks Beat Gems Kickstarter continues

Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...

29/05/2026

Genelec update Aural ID

Binaural monitoring application improved Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...

29/05/2026

IMSTA FESTA 2026

6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...

29/05/2026

Remembering Gerald Jerry Pierce, Architect of Modern Digital Cinema

Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...

29/05/2026

Roku Unveils Redesigned TV Home Screen

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Sinclair and AMP Sports to Launch Style of Play' Podcast

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

TV Pharma Ads Are Getting Longer, VAB Says

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality

Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality Kate Luvis May 29, 2026 0 Comments Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...

29/05/2026

Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio

Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton May 29, 2026 0 Comments Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...

29/05/2026

FCC Reminds Broadcasters of Their Public Interest Obligations

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Roku Unveils New TV Home Screen

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Sinclair and AMP Sports Announce New 'Style of Play' Podcast

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Study: YouTube Leads Global Streaming Ad Growth

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

TV Pharma Ads Are Getting Longer, According to VAB

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration

At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...

29/05/2026

Audiences Are Everywhere. Your Ad Strategy Should Be Too.

Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...

29/05/2026

Rosie Jones's Disability Comedy Extravaganza returns with another new lineup of eight comics

Youtube exclusive special drops today Watch now UKTV today announces another e...

29/05/2026

The Official Trailer of 'Physical 100' Italy, on Netflix From September 11

Back to All News The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...

29/05/2026

Super Garden 2026 winner revealed

At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill Co. Meath has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026. Sean is the youngest ever contestant and winner...

29/05/2026

May 28, 2026

Experimental HIV vaccine achieves a long-sought goal In a first for the field, all non-human primates given a new series of vaccines generated antibodies capabl...

28/05/2026

How Thomson's Climate Crisis Toolkit is helping journalists tell the climate story

Thomsons Climate Crisis Toolkit is already being put to work, helping journalist...

28/05/2026

Matt Gangl and Pete Macheska on FOX MLB's Huge Night and Unforgettable Postseason Run

FOX Sports' MLB coverage dominated the night at the 47th Annual Sports Emmy ...

28/05/2026

FOX's Mike Davies and Team on Win as Outstanding Technical Team for 2025 World Series

One of the most memorable postseasons in baseball history would have had no memo...

28/05/2026

NBC Sports' Rob Hyland Reflects on an Unforgettable Sunday Night Football Season

NBC's Sunday Night Football is among the most-decorated and most-watched pro...

28/05/2026

Prime Video's John Ward and Mike Francis on Groundbreaking NBA on Prime Video Studio

The 2026 Sports Emmys marked a watershed moment for Prime Video Sports. After bu...