In the middle of 2022 we met children’s book author and teacher Alyssa Altamirano on Instagram. We were curious about the book she had just published: the cover was really lovely, and the message seemed promising. So we bought a copy.
We were astounded! It was such a well-written (and a rhyming!) book, and the message was uplifting without being completely saccharine. The beautiful art wasn’t just limited to the cover, it leapt out on every page.
So we had an idea. Why not turn the book into a song? BJ, always up for a creative challenge, had idly come up with a chorus and verse. While on vacation in DC, he recorded the chorus and the first verse in his hotel room and emailed it to Alyssa. She loved it.
A few weeks later, BJ completed writing the whole song and Shayne record the vocals.
We sent the final version over to Alyssa, and she had someone make a lyric video for it. She uses the video in her classes, and she teaches kids the song. While they’re learning a fun and catchy song, they’re also absorbing the wonderful message of her words. That they are ambitious. That they are mindful and optimistic. That they are truly amazing.
What was amazing about this whole process was that, while we were collaborating on this project, we had never actually met Alyssa until months after the song was completed. We really loved the serendipity and collaborative spirit of this entire project.
We wish Alyssa all the success the world can muster!