Kidz Bop Kids bring the hits, fun, energy
Of the five Kidz Bop Kids, Bredia Santoro is known for being the “fun girl” — the one that every girl wants as her BFF.
She has a great laugh, loves all kinds of dancing and has graced the cover of American Girl magazine. Bredia also can hold her own with the boys and is known for being the burping champion in her circle. And she loves to entertain people onstage.
Bredia and her Kidz Bop bandmates may only be tweens and young teens — their ages range from 11 to 13 — but fans say they can rock like a young Kiss, only with a clean, kid-friendly version.
That's what they plan to do Sept. 27, when the Kidz Bop Kids bring the “Dream Big, Sing Loud!” Tour to the Carnegie Library Music Hall in Munhall.
“Ever since I was really little, I've always known that I wanted to perform and wanted to be onstage,” says Bredia, 12, who hails from the Chicago suburb of Crest Hill. “I'm finally being able to be onstage and make people smile. ... Through the ups and downs, it's an amazing experience.”
Kidz Bop has put out 26 albums since the initial release in 2001. The ever-changing cast of kids performs current hit pop songs, while changing the lyrics in some places to make them more kid-friendly.
“We sing a lot of today's biggest hits by kids for kids,” Bredia says. “It's a lot of energy.
The current lineup includes Bredia, Ashlynn Chong, Grant Knoche, Jayna Brown and Matt Martinez.
At the concert, when the kids sing the songs live, audience members young and old have been known to get up and sing and dance along with the group.
During the show, Bredia says the band members will call some kids onto stage and dance with some moms and dads.
“I think it's just a really kid-friendly energetic show, so it's really fun,” she says. “I also think that kids love to sing and dance with us. They like to hear other kids sing and sing along with us.”
This “Dream Big, Sing Loud!” Tour promotes “Kidz Bop 26,” released in July. Highlights from this album include the Kidz Bop version of One Direction's “Story of My Life,” “Let it Go” from the movie “Frozen,” Pharrell Williams' “Happy,” and John Legend's “All of Me.”
The Kidz Bop Kids all are homeschooled in a tour-friendly program they can use while on the road, and they meet to study together for several hours each week, Bredia says.
“School is our No. 1 priority,” she says.
Kellie B. Gormly is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at kgormly tribweb.com or 412-320-7824.
