Hip Kids Music is a Canadian educational music group created by performers and educators Kalya Ramu and Lisette St. Louis. Based in Ontario, the duo has performed together for over a decade as members of The Bettys, bringing jazz and swing to stages across Canada and the U.S. In 2022, they launched Hip Kids Music to combine their love of jazz with their passion for teaching.
Their debut album, Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1, is an 11-track collection of original songs designed to introduce children (ages 0–9) to core musical concepts through jazz, swing, and blues. With topics like rhythm, pitch, musical instruments, note types, and ear training, the album offers a fun and engaging introduction to music fundamentals. The instrumentation and arrangements are crafted to expand children’s listening experiences beyond what’s typical in pop or kids TV, offering a joyful and affordable alternative—or complement—to traditional music education.
Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1 was produced by Drew Jurecka, recorded by Chris Stringer at Union Sound (Toronto), and mastered by Justin Gray. It features an all-Canadian cast of musicians and original songs written by Ramu and St. Louis. Supported by the Ontario Arts Council, the album was released on all platforms on February 28, 2025.