The Bright Siders create music that supports the mental health of kids and the grownups who love them.
Their debut album, A Mind of Your Own, features an all-star cast of musicians and actors including Ed Helms, The War & Treaty, Punch Brothers, Gaby Moreno, Joey Ryan, Kaîa Kater, Oh Pep!, Zara Bode and Aaron Jonah Lewis,. Written and produced by child psychiatrist Dr. Kari Groff, songwriter Kristin Andreassen, and Grammy Award-winning instrumentalist Chris Eldridge, the album speaks to big emotional issues we all face — like sadness, anger, moving to a new school, learning to stand up to bullying behaviors, transforming a fear of the dark, or feeling simply overjoyed.
Winner of a National Parenting Product Award and chosen as one of the year’s three best children’s music releases by the American Library Association, A Mind of Your Own can be heard wherever you stream your music. For additional psychological background, parenting tips and conversation-starters from Dr. Groff, we encourage you to purchase the CD or vinyl.
Live performances are available for a variety of settings including school assemblies, libraries, museums, music festivals, and music venues with programming geared toward kids and families. The Bright Siders weave music into interactive conversations about naming and working with emotions. Our shows are ideal for kids ages K-4, though we also love to create custom workshops and experiences that also include parents, teachers, caregivers and older siblings.
Please join us as listeners, and please consider sharing with the families, schools and therapists in your circle. Follow us on Instagram @thebrightsidersmusic for thoughtful parenting conversations led by Dr. Groff.
We’re honored to be able to share this journey with you. – The Bright Siders
"With all the uncertainty floating around the future, the musical world that The Bright Siders are creating is an invaluable expression of strength, unity and hope. With debut singles as good as this, their story is surely just beginning." — American Songwriter
The carefully crafted, star-studded debut album A Mind of Your Own has arrived at the right time to support the mental health of children and their families. Released via Smithsonian Folkways Recordings on CD, LP, and digital formats, the album invites listeners to think deeply about empathy and self-compassion as they navigate the beauty and complexity of their emotional lives. Learn More →
WATCH “VICTOR & THE GREAT PAUSE” with your kids here:
This 20-minute illustrated audiobook and its accompanying discussion guide were created to help kids and families process the emotions that have come up throughout the pandemic. Appropriate for elementary aged children, “Victor and the Great Pause” describes New York City in the early days of Covid-19, as seen through the eyes of a clever and kind-hearted stray dog named Victor. Now, for the anniversary of the beginning of quarantine, it’s read aloud by Brooklyn-based musician Akie Bermiss (Lake Street Dive), with drawings by Taylor Ashton and original music by Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers).
Dr. Kari Groff wrote a companion guidebook to the “Victor” story called “Compassion in the Pandemic: Conversation Starters for Parents, Teachers and Kids”. Get your free copy when you join our email list (or just drop us a line if you’re already on the list!). THANK YOU!
