Beloved kids' musician Laurie Berkner, a Princeton native, invites families to welcome 2025 with her new music video, "Happy New Year." Laurie hopes everyone will join the Conga line and celebrate the New Year each time they watch this video. The danceable Afro-Caribbean beat will have kids partying no matter where they are. Grab a pot and spoon, be part of the rhythm section, and count down to midnight!
“I wrote the song 'Happy New Year' in 2020 in the midst of the COVID pandemic,” explained Berkner. “The words at the end – 'Happy New Year, it's gonna be a good year!' – have so much significance for me. I remember feeling scared and sad and deeply wishing the next year would bring joy and comfort. I wanted to be able to put those feelings of hope and longing for things to get better in the new year into the music. I also wanted to share New Year's traditions from my own family like banging on pots, using noisemakers, and dancing in a Conga line! "
Recognized as “the queen of kids’ music” by People magazine, Laurie Berkner is a singer, songwriter, lyricist, author, and founder of Two Tomatoes Records, LLC. With more than 1 billion total streams, an average of more than 22 million monthly streams, more than 500 million YouTube channel views, and millions of albums, songs, and DVDs sold, Laurie’s songs have become beloved classics for children worldwide.
Business Insider dubbed Laurie “the gold standard of the children’s music world.” As a leader and innovator in children’s music and entertainment for more than 25 years, Laurie has released 16 bestselling, award-winning albums, was the first recording artist to ever appear in music videos on Noggin, appeared regularly on the network’s Jack’s Big Music Show, and helped develop the short form animated musical preschool series Sing It, Laurie! on Sprout TV, now Universal Kids, Laurie has authored several picture books based on her songs and has created two Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen series with Audible Studios, who released them as 10-chapter audio books through the Audible Originals brand. She has written the music and lyrics for three children’s musicals originally produced Off-Broadway by New York City Children’s Theater and now presented regionally. Laurie has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the White House, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, among many other prestigious venues.
What sets Laurie apart? She displays an instinctive understanding of children’s natural rhythms and energy, which keeps kids enraptured and brings parents and caregivers happily along for the ride. Laurie finds inspiration in her audience. “I want to create songs that matter for children,” she says. “I was singing once and saw a four-year-old girl shut her eyes and start swaying to the music. I thought, ‘That’s the reason I got into music.’ It keeps me wanting to do more.”
Laurie Berkner has received tremendous critical acclaim. USA Today named Laurie “the undisputed queen of kindie rock.” The New York Times dubbed her “the Adele of the preschool crowd.” The Wall Street Journal called Laurie “one of the most popular children’s performers in America … her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grownups.” NPR’s All Things Considered declared, “Laurie Berkner is like a goddess to these children.”
Upcoming Shows
Jan. 19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre
Feb. 16 - Owings Mills, MD - Gordon Center for Performing Arts
March 1 - Princeton, NJ - McCarter Theatre Center
March 22 - Hartford, CT - The Bushnell
March 29 - Rochester, NY - Theater at Innovation Square
March 30 - Albany, NY - The Egg
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