Avocado Smash, a charming trio made up of classical singer Jo, pianist Su, and dancer Fatima, not so much “smashed” onto the Sydney children’s music scene last year, as sang, strummed, keyboarded, and danced on with their bright and sensitive songs for kids aged 2 – 7. They appear this year at the Sydney Fringe Festival, and Miss 6, Miss 2, and I had the chance to see their show. (*We attended as guests of Avocado Smash)
Over the 40 minutes, Avocado Smash – dressed in distinctively bright jumpsuits – had the kids engaged with songs about kid-favorites like food, feelings, and animals. They built an immediate rapport with the audience (bubbles at the beginning are always a smart move to get the littlies crowd right onto your side!). I watched my kids dancing along and listening intently. I wondered if it might have been a tad young for Miss 6, but when I asked what her favorite song was, she told me, “I liked all of them.” Miss 2, whose favorite moment was “Tata, the tiger from Sumatra,” was clear with her praise, as well. When I found her at the end of the show, I asked her if she’d loved it. She threw her arms in the air and said, “LOVED IT!”.
Avocado Smash perform again as part of the Sydney Fringe at 2p.m. on September 29 at Hurstville Entertainment Centre. Find tickets here.
We asked Avocado Smash a few questions to get to know them and their thoughts on music and children. Meet Avocado Smash!
Hello! Please tell us a bit about Avocado Smash and your music.
Avocado Smash is a children’s music group, making fresh and funky tunes for families with kids aged 2 – 7 years. Our music is all about expressing and celebrating the wonderful diversity and complexity of life. We sing songs in different languages, we broach topics that are a bit tricky or sticky and we do it all through music that we think families will love! There’s ‘Snap Goes the Gecko’, for instance, incorporating Bahasa Indonesia, ‘I Like to Eat Rice with My Hands’, which playfully looks at how different cultures enjoy food and ‘I Ride My Bike,’ a universal favourite.
What can families expect from an Avocado Smash show?
A musical bonanza! In our shows, we travel around the world together, dancing along to West African beats, stopping by Sri Lanka to meet an elephant, then journeying to South Korea to learn about a tadpole who yearns to become a frog. Our next show is at the Sydney Fringe Festival, and it features the three of us lead performers, Fatima – a dancer, Su – a classical pianist and myself Jo – a classical singer and music educator. We bring a lot of female-powered energy to the stage, we love to share our creative passions with our audiences, whether it’s hip hop dancing or opera singing, and we have a whole lot of fun together on stage!
What do you think kids get from seeing live music?
It’s an immersive experience. To be surrounded in live sound, there’s nothing like it. You enter a world in which you are an active agent. That’s the most exciting part of our shows – kids are not just audience members – they are part of the story, helping us shape the experience, singing with us, dancing, discovering wonderful new things together like how different cultures eat rice, or what the names of children in Sumatra might be, or expressing together what it looks like when we get angry or sad.
For us as performers its exhilarating, because we have a unique experience every time we do a show – and that is because of the electric energy that comes from performing live.
What has performing for kids taught you?
Anything can happen – so embrace it. Mistakes, mishaps and silliness are where the magic happens!
Children know best and they will make sure you know that too. I’ve gone into shows thinking that one song or another will be an amazing hit, and another one I’m ready to cut – then I’ll be absolutely proven wrong.
Do you have any tips for families who would like to get more music into their family lives?
I’d say sing at home, whenever you can. Everyone has a voice, everyone can sing. Singing isn’t about ability but about expression! If children are going to grow up believing this, it starts with us! Why not have 10 minutes of singing time before dinner when you put on your favourite playlist and sing and dance along as a family!
Follow Avocado Smash on Facebook and Instagram.
Buy tickets for their September 29 Sydney Fringe show at the Hurstville Entertainment Centre here.
