Interview: Meet Bobs & Lolo!
Posted by: Sara Hodge on: 2010-09-23 Permanent Link: Interview: Meet Bobs & Lolo!
Bobs & LoLo are bringing their trademark songs and contagious smiles to Ontario this November! We’ve got the inside scoop on the tour, the music, the singers…and how your child can meet them in person! Oh- and did we mention this fabulous contest? It’s all here on Mums ‘n Chums!
Robyn Hardy (Bobs) and Lorraine Pond (LoLo) are still pinching themselves after all the high notes they’ve hit over the last year. With a recent Parents’ Choice Gold Award, 2010 Juno nominee honours and regular spots on Canada’s national preschool network, Treehouse TV, Bobs & LoLo are quickly becoming household names with families across the country. Now this self-managed, westcoast children’s music duo is taking their live show on the road. Bobs & LoLo will soon take to the stage in the Ontario communities of Guelph, London and Brampton for some action packed, musical adventures that the whole family will enjoy.
About Bobs & Lolo:
Bobs & LoLo use music, movement and make-believe to share stories and experiences that both entertain and educate, while ultimately teaching children to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet. Their programming places an emphasis on celebrating the values of healthy-living and aims to inspire young audiences with an awareness and appreciation for the natural world.
One on One with Bobs & LoLo- a Mums ‘n Chums Exclusive!
We recently asked some of our members what they’d like to know most about Bobs & LoLo. Not only did Lorraine and Robyn graciously accept our interview, they answered every question with the same enthusiasm we’ve come to know from watching their videos. Here are their responses:
M’nC: How did you meet each other?
B&L: We first connected at a Girl Guide camp on Vancouver Island when we were kids. After a fun-filled weekend of campfire sing-alongs, silliness and laughter, our friendship was sealed! While we remained at different elementary schools, we ended up filtering into the same high school in grade 9. Our friendship continued to grow from there and we began to singing together in the school choir as well as studying piano with the same music teacher.
M’nC: What made you decide to collaborate and how did you come up with the idea for “Bobs & LoLo”?
B&L: Bobs & LoLo evolved from our friendship and a mutual interest in working with children. “Bobs & LoLo” were actually our nicknames in high school, so we were B&L long before songwriting and children’s entertainment was introduced to our lives. Before we started our musical adventures, Robyn (Bobs) was teaching elementary school prior to which she had completed a degree in linguistics at the University of Victoria and a Bachelor of Education at UBC. Lorraine (LoLo) previously worked in the fields of environmental education and non-profit fund development. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Human Kinetics (Exercise Science) from UBC. Songwriting and performing really started out as a side project for us – we never dreamed it would lead to running our own small business much less national television!
M’nC: How did you get started and how did you get your break in television?
B&L: Our very first show was in the Spring of 2003 at an event hosted by the Vancouver Aquarium for patients from the BC Children’s Hospital. We had only written 5 songs at that point and we volunteered to basically sing them over & over again throughout the event. That first performance opportunity led to us doing lots of local birthday parties…which eventually led to our first CD…which then led to bigger shows…and so on. Our biggest “break” to date has definitely been the broadcast of our music videos on Treehouse TV. We feel so fortunate to have been able to get our On Your Feet DVD in front of the right folks in Toronto! The opportunity to connect with families across the country through Canada’s national preschool network has been amazing. We’re hoping this is just the start, and we’ll be able to keep things go, go, growing in the upcoming years.
M’nC: How do you come up with the lyrics?
B&L: We usually just try to tell a story with the songs and the lyrics and music come together naturally. It’s a really organic process for us. We don’t follow a formula or have a real system for songwriting. Writing the lyrics is a fun creative process that we like to do together. Sometimes the final version of a song is completely different then what we started with and other times we come up with something that works right away.
M’nC: Do either of you have kids of your own? If so, how do you find balance between your family life and your sudden popularity?
B&L: No kids of our own – yet! Having our own children is definitely something we (and our hubbies) would both love to see happen. In a best case scenerio, we’d get preggo at the same time, keep performing as long as we’re able and then take a little break from the stage while we focus on being new moms. We’d eventually love to be able to take our families on the road with us and continue performing as much as possible. We do recognize that timing things right and coming up with a plan that works for both of us (and spouses) could be our most challenging, albeit exciting collaboration to date!
M’nC: Is there anything else you’d like us to know?
B&L: We get a lot of motivation and encouragement from our fans. We’re very active on Facebook , Twitter and MySpace, and we also regularly blog about stories from the road and current news updates. We invite Moms and families to connect with us online through one (or more!) of these social media sites – we love the personal connection and it’s an extra treat when families send photos or share stories of their own. For info on how to reach us, our live show schedule, music and more, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com
See Bobs & LoLo LIVE on their upcoming Ontario tour dates!
Bobs & LoLo – the dynamic, dancing duo regularly featured on Treehouse TV – are excited to bring their action packed, musical adventures to Ontario! Dedicated to connecting kids to the natural world with music, movement and make-believe, Bobs & LoLo’s energetic and interactive show is sure to have kids on their feet singing and dancing along before the first song is finished. Featuring award-winning, original music from their three albums (Action Packed, Musical Adventures and Sea Notes), Bobs & LoLo aim to inspire audiences to care about themselves, their neighbours and the planet!
Ontario Tour dates and information are as follows:
Guelph
Date: October 31, 2010
Time: 2pm
Location: River Run Centre (35 Woolwich Street)
Tickets: $15
How to buy: Online at the River Run Centre website
Brampton
Date: November 7, 2010
Time: 2pm (doors open at 1:30pm)
Location: Lester B. Pearson Theatre (150 Central Park Drive, Brampton, ON)
Tickets: $15
How to buy: Available by phone at (905) 874-2800 or by clicking here or in person at the Box Office
WIN!: Enter our contest here to win two tickets to the Brampton show, as well as a prize pack full of awesome Bobs & LoLo goodies!
London
Date: November 6, 2010
Time: 11am & 2pm
Location: Aeolian Hall (795 Dundas Street)
Tickets: $15
How to buy: Online at the Aeolian Hall website
For more information about Bobs & Lolo and their tour schedule, please visit www.bobsandlolo.com
Comments? Click here to leave one, we’ll post comments below the article.
blog comments powered by Disqus
