"Brave. Kind. Me." arrives August 30, giving families and educators a new way to help children explore belonging, empathy, friendship, and self-expression through music
-- "Brave. Kind. Me." arrives August 30, giving families and educators a new way to help children explore belonging, empathy, friendship, and self-expression through music
In a world where children are navigating increasingly complex emotional and social challenges, music can give families and educators a simple way to start important conversations.
On August 30, In Harmony Music releases Brave. Kind. Me., a new album created to do exactly that: give children songs they want to sing while giving the adults around them meaningful tools to explore empathy, inclusion, friendship, confidence, and self-expression.
For founder Justine Chadly, the album represents more than a new collection of children's music. It is the latest expression of a philosophy she has developed over more than two decades working directly with children, families and educators: music should not simply teach children what to do—it should help them discover who they are.
Co-created with Creative Director Tom Foote, the drummer, producer and composer behind Rhythm Kids, Brave. Kind. Me. brings a songwriter’s sensibility to children’s music, with emotionally resonant songs: tracks tackle empathy, inclusion, friendship and self-expression with the same care an artist would bring to writing for adults, then wrap those ideas in melodies designed to stay with children long after the song ends.
Foote has spent decades composing, performing, and producing music for children and educators around the world, and that global musical range shows up across the record. The album moves fluidly between styles, creating a collection that families can enjoy together while educators can bring into the classroom.
"We're not trying to make music that children simply consume," Chadly and Foote say. "We're creating music they can live inside."
That approach is also resonating with musicians who have experienced the album firsthand. Pat Loomis, a Boston-based musician, saxophonist, and recording artist who played on several tracks, describes the project as a standout in the children's music and music education space.
"I've played on several tracks on the recent album, Brave. Kind. Me., and have listened to ALL of your music. You all have raised the bar in children's music and music education. The songs are well written, well sung, well produced, and well arranged. What else could you ask for!"
Pat Loomis
Musician, Saxophonist, Recording Artist
Boston, MA
Music Made for Real Life—At Home and in the Classroom
What separates Brave. Kind. Me. from a standard children's record is where it came from.
Rather than writing in a studio and hoping the songs would resonate, the In Harmony team spent time in schools: sitting in on classes, talking with teachers, and observing how children actually navigate conflict, difference, friendship, and connection.
Those experiences became songs that families and educators can use as starting points for conversations.
We All Belong explores sameness and difference through the lens of inclusion. My Friends turns the everyday challenges of sharing, turn-taking, and friendship into something children can sing. A Little Bit of Love introduces empathy in a way that feels natural rather than instructional.
And because childhood is also about laughter and play, Elbow Macaroni and Baila are built simply for having fun.
The goal is not to turn music into another lesson. It is to create moments where children, parents and teachers can connect.
During a recent In Harmony teaching workshop, educators picked up Elbow Macaroni, Baila, and We All Belong almost instantly, with one calling We All Belong "just so beautiful" and another predicting Elbow Macaroni would become a classroom favorite.
Families are responding to the music in much the same way.
"LET'S GO! We love them all! Seriously every single song is so good, and it's so helpful for parents."
Jodi Babbidge
UMass Lactation Director
Weston, MA
For parents, that connection is central to the album's purpose. The songs can become part of everyday family life—on the way to school, during playtime, at home, or anywhere children are naturally singing and asking questions. The music creates an opportunity to reinforce ideas like kindness, belonging, and emotional expression without making those conversations feel forced.
A Full-Circle Moment for Justine Chadly
The album's most personal detail may be its credits.
Several of the featured artists on Brave. Kind. Me. are former students of Chadly's, now grown and making music of their own.
For an educator whose goal was never simply to produce a perfect performance, but to help children discover their own creative voice, having those students return as collaborators represents a full-circle moment.
It also speaks to the kind of impact Chadly has been working toward since she founded In Harmony Music in 2003.
Her work has always centered on the belief that children learn through connection, creativity, movement, and play. Brave. Kind. Me. carries that philosophy beyond the classroom and into the lives of families and communities.
Building a Larger Community Around Children's Well-Being
That mission also extends through the nonprofit In Harmony Foundation, which brings the organization's approach to schools, libraries, therapists, and community partners supporting children through isolation, trauma, and disconnection.
As those partnerships grow, the album becomes one part of a broader effort: giving the adults who surround children—parents, teachers, caregivers and community leaders—accessible ways to encourage connection and emotional development.
For Chadly, that is ultimately the point.
The music is designed for children, but the larger conversation is for everyone who helps raise them.
Brave. Kind. Me. is available on all major platforms beginning August 30, 2026.
About In Harmony Music
Founded by Justine Chadly in 2003, In Harmony Music is a creative-arts organization that uses music, movement, and play to help children discover their own creative voice. Its developmentally grounded, trauma-informed approach centers connection and belonging as much as musicianship. That work now extends beyond the classroom through the In Harmony Foundation, supporting schools, families, and community partners working to help children feel connected, confident, and understood.
Learn more: InHarmonyMusic.com
Instagram, Facebook & YouTube: @inharmonmusicca
In Harmony Foundation Instagram & YouTube: @inharmonyfoundation
Contact Info:
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Email: Send Email
Organization: AMW
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Release ID: 89202292
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