The founders and owners of Kidz Bop are Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. Although Elise Ecklund, a content creator famous for her music-related content on social media, has been speculated to be related to the owners of the children’s music group, there is no truth in this.
Kidz Bop creates compilation music albums in which young people perform kid-friendly recordings of popular songs that frequently make it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Having gained global recognition, there has been growing curiosity about who owned Kidz Bop. Read on as we provide answers to the question and the reason why it became so important.
Who Are The Founders and Owners Of Kidz Bop?
The founders of Kidz Bop are Cliff Chenfeld, an American music executive, and Craig Balsam, an American entrepreneur. The duo met each other during their years at New York University, where they studied law. They eventually graduated from the university, practiced law for a few years, and then ventured into music.
Taking the path of entertainment and all that goes with it, they established Razor and Tie, which later had Kid Bop as its subsidiary. Razor and Tie has become one of the top independent music labels globally recognized for movie musicals, biopics, animated features, and documentaries.
After Razor and Tie was established in 1990, it focused on reissues and compilation of albums, which were directly marketed using television spots. The company recorded its initial success with the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s newly released albums. These albums are from different successful musicians like Marshall Crenshaw, Williams, Graham Parker, and Dar Williams.
Kidz Bop Was Founded in 2001
In 2001, Craig Balsam and Cliff Chenfeld upgraded Razor & Tie by creating Kidz Bop. Kidz Bop features young vocalists, dancers, singers, and performers between the ages of 9 and 12 interested in pop songs.
With over 16 million albums sold and 22 of their albums debuting in the Top 10 on the Billboard charts, Kidz Bop holds the record for the highest number of Top 10 debuts since 2016. Combining their achievements so far with those of Razor & Tie, they have successfully sold over 45 million albums, videos, and singles.
Ten years in a row, from 2010 to 2020, The Kidz Bop Kids have been ranked as the No. 1 Kids’ Album Artist by Billboard. Kidz Bop 26, which was released on July 15, 2014, was the series’ forty-first album to reach the Billboard 200 list.
Kidz Bob Expanded Outside America in 2017
In February 2017, Kidz Bob made its first international expansion outside of America as it launched its UK version. This gave the company an opportunity to introduce a new lineup of British Kids that are interested in pop music. At that time, they partnered with Universal Music Group, Crown Talent and Media Group, ITV, and the Creative Artists Agency, which aided them in the episode of the star search show titled The Big Audition.
They further expanded to other parts of the world after their success in the UK. The Kidz Bop released over six albums in Germany before 2022; likewise, in France, they had their first entrance in 2021 and launched the Kidz Bop in 2022. In 2021, they also moved to Mexico, where they had their first lineup of Spanish-speaking Kidz Bop kids
Who Is Cliff Chenfeld, The Co-founder of Kidz Bop?
Cliff Chenfeld was born and raised in Ohio, United States; however, the date, month, and year of his birth have remained under wraps. Though little is known about his birth details, some reports say he was born in the 1960s. Meanwhile, it is obvious that he prefers to be private with his background, as nothing is known about his parents, siblings, and immediate family.
His breakthrough into the limelight came as a result of his joint establishment of Kidz Bop with Craig Balsam. Furthermore, reports show that Cliff Chenfeld is also an executive producer who has produced a few movies. Some of the movies to his credit include Serious Moonlight, Joan Baez: How Sweet The Sound, Concussion, Women Who Kill, and No Pay Nudity. In 2019, Cliff Chenfeld further became a partner with Wonderbus Music Festival and WonderStuck in Ohio.
Meet Craig Balsam, The Founder of Kidz Bop
Craig Balsam is an entertainment industry entrepreneur who was born in Newark, New Jersey, but grew up in Millburn, New Jersey. Just like his partner, Cliff Chenfeld, there is no available information regarding his date, month, or year of birth. Details about his family, including the names and occupations of his parents and siblings, are scarce.
Craig Balsam earned a degree in Law from New York University. Upon graduation, he began practicing law, and after some time, he ventured into theatre and film production. Today, the producer has a couple of theatre productions to his credit, including Hadestown and What the Constitution Means To Me.
He was also the lead producer of the 2016 Olivier Award-winning film Hangmen. Craig Balsam, as an executive producer, is credited for In How Sweet The Sound, The Last Five Years, and Women Who Kill.
Not only does the producer have a flourishing career, but he also has a wonderful family. He is married to Jodi Balsam, an associate professor of Clinical Law and also the Director of Externship Programs at Brooklyn Law School.
Who Is The CEO of Kidz Bop?
Sasha Junk is the CEO and president of Kidz Bop. She was appointed in April 2020 under the direct supervision of Concord’s chief label executive, Tom Whalley. Sasha was given the appointment a few months before Kidz Bop had its 20th anniversary.
Prior to her appointment as president and CEO of the label, Victor Zeraya was the former president of the label. However, as Sasha was appointed to the position, he was elevated to chief Revenue Officer, where he now fully serves.
Is Elise Ecklund the Owner of Kidz Bop?
Elise Ecklund is neither the owner nor CEO of Kidz Bop. The songwriter and YouTuber is also not in any way related to the founders of the children’s music group. She began hitting the headlines after she reportedly uploaded a joke on her social media handle, claiming to be the CEO of Kidz Bop.
The Youtuber further helped the false rumor escalate by uploading a youtube video that was misunderstood by the public as a confirmation that she was the owner of Kidz Bop.
Elise Ecklund uploaded a funny video on her Twitter account showing the false internet report that she was the CEO of Kidz Bop on June 5, 2022. However, the truth remains that she is not the CEO or the owner of the brand, nor does she have any relationship with them.
Who Is Elise Ecklund?
Elise Ecklund is an American singer, composer, and YouTube personality who was born on February 18, 1997. She became famous for writing songs based on the hateful feedback she received from her uploaded videos. The song I Suffer More by Ecklund, which lasts less than a second, is also among the shortest songs ever recorded and is available on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms.
The songwriter graduated with a degree in marketing from a college at John Brown University, which is in Siloam Springs. Her very first YouTube video is an online guitar Tutorial, which is a guide on how to play Youth by Troye Sivan on the 30th of March 2016.
FAQs About Kidz Bop
Which Genres of Music Does Kidz Bop Record?
Kidz Bop records any hit pop music that is of large interest to kids.
Who Are the Kids That Make Up the Kidz Bop?
There are no particular kids that make up the Kidz Bop, as the brand organizes a countrywide casting call every year to select a new set of exceptional young singers and performers.
Does Kidz Bop Have Several Albums Per Year?
Yes, Kidz Bop has a restricted number of albums of three to release every year. Each year they ensure not to release more than three albums.
Where Can One Check If Kidz Bop Is Coming To Their Location?
Every year, Kidz Bop goes on more than 60 live shows in different cities. To know if the label will be in your location anytime soon, it is advised that one should look it up on their site.
