"Baby Ninja"
AWARD-WINNING ALBUM - with accompanying COMIC BOOK!
“Young children especially will love the flippant, exuberant songs about babies who do amazing things. Pop, Americana, African rhythm, and a touch of Japanese cultural flair make Baby Ninja an exciting cross-cultural fusion. The music album CD comes with an accompanying, full-color comic book with a whimsical story inspired by the song lyrics, about Baby Ninja's efforts to be the very best ninja she can be! Baby Ninja is fantastic fun for little ones, highly recommended."
- Midwest Book Review
"Baby Ninja" Comic Book
READ ALONG WITH THE SONG! 40-page Paperback: "Baby Ninja" Comic Book, Volume 1 is an origin story infused with a Southwestern, retro-martial-arts spy vibe underscored by this takeaway: Never underestimate the very real power of a baby!
Independently published by Kelli Welli and co-created with illustrator Belén Toscano.
Take a little bit of pop, a pinch of Americana, and a dash of African rhythm, add in a taste of Cajun flavor, a touch of country and western with a Japanese flair, (and some dirty socks), and you have what fans have come to expect from Kelli Welli: originality, personality, a dose of the ridiculous, and lots and lots of love. The 16 tracks on Baby Ninja explode with Kelli Welli’s creativity and include contributions from fellow kids' artists and talented friends Uncle Jumbo, Claudia Robin Gunn, Nanny Nikki, Stacey Peasley, and the album’s co-producer and multi-instrumentalist, Bryan Daste.
Preview "Baby Ninja" comic
ORDER HERE
• $20 w/ CD or $14 w/ digital download code
LISTEN
A QUICK PREVIEW OF ALL TRACKS HERE...
Click to email Kelli with your quantity and address and pay by Venmo or other method
"Robots Don't Tell Jokes"
“There must be something in the water in the Pacific Northwest. Kelli Welli joins the host of notable talents from the region, such as Red Yarn, Johnny Bregar, and Recess Monkey.” - Jeff Cohen, GeekDad
"A kiddie record with true Rocky & Bullwinkle for adults sensibilities, you really have to have a necrotic heart not to get a kick out of this no matter who you are. Totally cool.” - Midwest Record
"A cheerful children's album mixing country, opera, Irish punk, and much more into a playful, lovably funny collection of original songs. Witty, goofy, and just plain fun... a choice pick for stay- at-home fun, car trips, and public library children's music collections. Highly recommended!" - Midwest Book Review
Take a little bit pop, a little bit country, a little bit opera, and a dash of Irish punk. Add in some zydeco, a soupçon of animal ciphering, a stinky shoe, and a nursery rhyme in Japanese, and you have what fans have come to expect from Kelli Welli: originality, personality, and a healthy dose of absurdity. This album is smart, fun, and made, as always...
for kids and the people who love them.
IMPORTANT QUESTION...
Will you take my stinky shoe?
Watch the award-winning stop-motion video for "Robots Don't Tell Jokes"
Single! "Rainbow Love Song"
An upbeat, empowering anthem about all the colors of love and joy that come with living a life filled with abundant variety, acceptance, and gratitude. Made with these amazing artists and friends: Red Yarn, Flor Bromley, Kymberly Stewart, Twinkle Time, James Dallas, Elena Moon Park, Claudia Robin Gunn, Maddy Heart, and Bryan Daste.
Watch the new video, featuring my kids and so many fun little friends! And download free coloring pages to go along with the song - enjoy, friends!
Kelli Welli - Let's Go, Pistachio!
A smart, fun, hilarious and award-winning album, full of whimsy and wordplay. The perfect antidote to stressful times.
"I love the clean country-folk-rock production, the interplay of acoustic instruments, Kelli's unique voice, and the hilarious subjects of the songs."
- Red Yarn
“There are a lot of silly songs out there for kids. They’ve been around for a long time because, well, kids are silly. There are silly songs that are smart-silly, but usually a lot of stupid-silly. And not funny stupid. Just, stupid. Making a truly funny, and good, silly song is almost as challenging as writing a serious song... Enter Kelli Welli who writes silly songs that fall in the category of smart, funny-silly songs.”
– Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl
"Deserves its own spot on any critic’s list of the year’s top new family albums."
- Phil's Picks
Ooh La La Too Doo Na Na Oop Bop Oop Bop Ribbit
A compilation of favorite Kelli Welli sing-a-long and storytelling songs, along with some new tunes, and the lullabies she wrote during her first year as a new mom to twins.
"Ooh La La Too Doo Na Na Oop Bop Oop Bop Ribbit... certainly the most fun album title I've gotten this year!"
- Radio Active Kids
“Very well done... a wonderful sense of silliness for little ones... joyous music for the whole family to enjoy. Good-humored and good-hearted.”
– NAPPA Awards
"You make a good monkey. Congratulations on a fun, heartfelt album. 'You make me feel like the future's filled with love and hope and laughter...' wonderful line. Among so many others."
- Dave Kinnoin
"The MOST fun dog mama and twin mama I know! Always full of smiles, hope, dance and song!"
- Hoot-n-Annie
videos
THiS iS ME
Photo and header photo by: Alia Rose
Kelli Caldwell writes and performs for children as Kelli Welli and has been called “The Pixar of Children’s songwriters” for her award-winning work and commitment to keeping even the silliest of songs super smart, with full respect for kids’ brains. Kelli draws upon her unique upbringing to create songs that often defy categorization. Kelli’s wide-ranging songwriting is clever, fun, often hilarious, sometimes reflective and deeply sweet. Always genuine. Kelli has released four full albums and can be heard on SiriusXM Kids Place Live. Kelli’s "Robots Don't Tell Jokes" album was released through 8 Pound Gorilla Records, a division of 800 Pound Gorilla Records in Nashville.
Kelli’s first self-made stop-motion animated music video has been included in over 30 film festivals world-wide, including the Sonoma Film Festival, San Diego Comic Con, Children’s Film Festival of Seattle, Academy Award qualifying festival AIFVF, and Portland’s one-of-a-kind gem, the Hollywood Theatre at PDX Airport. In 2023, Kelli was awarded the Rookie Award for best first-time filmmaker by the International Mobile Film Festival.
Kelli’s been called, “hysterically and superbly talented” by fellow artists and parents often say, “This is music I can actually listen to over and over… and over… and still enjoy!” Alongside her wonderful friends and masterful musicians, the Portland, OR based artist shares tidbits from her life as a new mom, with songs she and her twins actually use to learn and encourage, or just to have fun and laugh along with, as well as songs she has written to honor all the little people she loves.
Kelli has a Master of Publishing degree and a B.A. in Speech Communication with minors in Japanese and German. She's been a prolific writer and songwriter for over 20 years, a board member of the Portland Songwriters Association for 8 years, currently a member of the Recording Academy, Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI), West Coast Songwriters, Children's Music Network, and Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI)
Growing up, Kelli did a stint as a French clown; started kindergarten from a tent; lived in an octagon-shaped house on stilts; had a best friend named Summer Wind O'Redwoods; performed in children's musical theater; and had 50 hamsters at one point. She’s lived solo in a few parts of the world as a young adult; inline skated most of Manhattan; camped overnight at a job in NYC when her lease was up; raised angel fish from eggs and kittens with a bottle; played ice and roller hockey; and cultivated a fairly green thumb.
“Kelli Welli is a Portland kindie treasure!”
- Red Yarn
"Very much on her own pedestal, unmatched by other artists... a true testament to what happens when you listen to children, rather than suggest what children should listen to.”
- Benny Time
"Hilarious and superbly talented. Incredible albums!"
- Jessa Campbell & The Saplings
"Fun and hilarious."
- PDX Parent Magazine
"One of our favorite children's songwriters, singers, and performers in Portland. Kelli's tunes are silly, fun and absolutely so creative your kiddo will be dancing and laughing to the beat!"
- Theressa's Reading Rainbow
2024 WINNER - The John Lennon Songwriting Contest - Spring Fever
GRAND PRIZE WINNER 2021 & FINALIST 2022 - The John Lennon Songwriting Contest - Children's
2023 FINALIST (still pending) & 2022 3RD PLACE WINNER - International Songwriting Competition - Children's
2024 WINNER - Dallas Songwriters Association Song Contest - Novelty/Children's
• 2023 National Parenting Products Award
• 2023 - Top 5 PDX Parent Picks, PDX Parent Magazine
• 2023 3rd Place Winner - Dallas Songwriters Association Song Contest - Novelty/Children's
• 2023 HM - West Coast Songwriters Intl Song Contest – Children’s
• 2022 National Parenting Products Award
• 2022 Winner - West Coast Songwriters Intl Song Contest – Children’s
• 2022 Finalist - The John Lennon Songwriting Contest - Children's
• 2022 Semi-finalist - Dallas Songwriters Association Song Contest - Novelty/Children's
• 2022 HM - SongDoor Songwriting Contest - Country
• 2022 HM - Mid-Atlantic Song Contest - Children's
2021 GRAND PRIZE WINNER - The John Lennon Songwriting Contest - Children's
• 2021 Finalist - International Songwriting Competition
• 2021 National Parenting Products Award
• 2021 Mom's Choice Gold Award
• 2021 Winner - West Coast Songwriters Intl Song Contest – Children’s
• 2021 Finalist - Great American Song Contest - Special Music
• 2021 Semi-finalist - UK Songwriting Contest - Children's & Christmas
• 2021 Semi-finalist - Dallas Songwriters Association Song Contest - Novelty/Children's
• 2021 HM - SongDoor Songwriting Competition - Country
• 2021 HM - Mid-Atlantic Song Contest - Children's
• 2020 Finalist - International Songwriting Competition - Children's
• 2020 National Parenting Products Award
• 2020 Winner - West Coast Songwriters Intl Song Contest – Best Children’s Song
• 2020 - Top 5 PDX Parent Picks, PDX Parent Magazine
• 2020 Finalist - Great American Song Contest - Lyrics
• 2020 HM - SongDoor Songwriting Competition - SoftRock
• 2019 Finalist - International Songwriting Competition - Children's
• 2019 Winner - West Coast Songwriters Intl Song Contest – Best Children’s Song
• 2019 HM - SongDoor Songwriting Competition - Pop
• 2018 Finalist - Local Roots Annual Song Contest – Americana
• 2014 HM - Artist in Music Awards - Pop
Photo by Chuck Masi
Download free activities and coloring pages to go along with the music. Fun!
contact me
hello at kelliwelli.com
503.476.5300
kelliwelli.com
press contact: Waldmania PR - elizabeth at waldmaniapr.com
also see Kelli's grownup music at...
kellicaldwell.com