Grammy-Winner Joanie Leeds Shares Loving New Single, “Bubby”

Today, American Songwriter is proud to premiere the new single and accompanying new music video for the song, “Bubby”, from Grammy Award-winner Joanie Leeds. The new song comes ahead of Leeds’ forthcoming new LP, Ageless: 100 Years Young, which is set to drop on Friday. It will be Leeds’ twelfth children’s album to date.

We caught up with Leeds to talk with her about the new single and LP, which is a tribute to her grandmother, Sylvia Furshman Nusinov, who turns 100 years old… today! “She’s the heart of our family, and her boundless optimism, musical spirit, and zest for life have inspired this album,” says Leeds.

Check out more on the song, LP, and family inspiration below.

American Songwriter: Hi Joanie! So, let me ask… Why kids’ music? What about this style of songwriting resonates with you? 

Joanie Leeds: When I first started writing music for kids, I was deeply inspired by the children I was teaching in the classroom. At the time, I noticed a real lack of fun, age-appropriate music that truly spoke to kids—and their grown-ups. I was leading parent-child play programs, school music classes, and playgroups all over Manhattan, and even launched a birthday party business in my early 20s. Parents in my classes started asking, “Can you write a song about putting on a coat?” or “What about a dinosaur song?” So I began writing custom songs with a playful, personal twist. The coat song mentions my hometown of Miami as a sunny escape from snowy winters, and the dinosaur eats a bagel on the Upper West Side before catching a Broadway show.

As I watched how these songs resonated with kids—and how different age groups could process increasingly complex themes—I began exploring deeper topics through storytelling: environmental stewardship, animal rights, holidays, gender equality, banned books, and connecting with your ancestors. Now, with 12 children’s albums and nearly two decades of genre-spanning music under my belt, it’s incredibly humbling to reflect on the thousands of families who have grown up listening to these songs.

AS: Is there a favorite story you have of a song impacting a kid in a special way? 

Joanie Leeds: I’ve heard so many incredible stories over the years. Parents have sent me photos of their little ones fast asleep in their cribs, hugging my album like a beloved stuffed animal. I’ve seen videos of kids literally jumping on chairs with excitement when my CD arrived in the mail, pictures of kids dressed up as me for Halloween with a mini guitar—it never gets old! I’ve also had parents tell me their two-year-old can now spell the word “GREEN” thanks to my song “I Wanna Be Green.”

A story I hear a lot is about kids learning who Ruth Bader Ginsburg is through my GRAMMY-winning album All the Ladies, which makes me so proud. But what always feels extra special is when parents tell me they listen to my music even when their kids aren’t in the car. Knowing that my music resonates with both children and adults is the greatest compliment I could ever receive.

AS: You won a Grammy for your kids’ music songwriting. How did you celebrate that recognition? 

Joanie Leeds: Winning a Grammy was an unforgettable moment—and it’s something I’ll never take for granted. Being recognized by my musical peers in that way was deeply meaningful. I celebrated with friends and family at the time, but honestly, I’m still celebrating! All the Ladies, my 9th album, came out at just the right moment—an anthem for gender equality and female empowerment that resonated across generations. 

AS: Tell me the story behind “Bubby” and how it fits into the new LP?  

Joanie Leeds: I’m incredibly lucky to be celebrating my Bubby’s 100th birthday this August. (“Bubby” means grandmother in Yiddish.) In honor of her extraordinary life—and her optimistic, joyful, and endlessly curious outlook—I dug into her favorite sayings, songs, quotes, and stories to inspire 10 brand-new “song babies.”

Ageless: 100 Years Young, my 12th children’s album, comes out August 15, just in time for her centennial celebration. Bubby has always had a sharp and curious mind—back in the ’90s, she tracked down long-lost relatives through some very impressive internet sleuthing, using a letter her father gave her decades earlier. She also has a legendary sweet tooth, which may or may not have made it onto the album, too.

What makes this project even more special is that I recorded it with my 10-year-old daughter. She sings harmonies, duets, and even her very first solo, making this my most personal and intergenerational album to date. “Bubby” is a love letter to grandmothers of all backgrounds. I wanted to include as many of the beautiful names we use for “grandma” around the world as I could fit—though there are still plenty more to add! I even put out a call for fans to share photos of their own grandmothers, which became part of the “Bubby” music video.

AS: What do you love most about who you are as an artist right now? 

Joanie Leeds: I’m extremely cognizant of the shift happening in the world right now—and the patterns from history that seem to be playing out in real time. I understand that simply writing about my Jewish heritage can feel bold in this climate. Not because the material is controversial (it’s not), but because children’s music rarely makes space for culturally specific stories. And that’s exactly why I do it.

I want to carve out space for ancestry, resilience, and truth through my music. It’s still silly and sweet, but it lives alongside deeper conversations—ones kids and parents can have in healthy, meaningful ways. Kids are capable of so much more than we often give them credit for. They ask big questions. They notice what’s happening in the world. And I believe they deserve songs that meet them where they are—with heart, humor, and honesty.

So yeah, maybe I’ve got a big ol’ case of the “f*ck-its”—but really, it’s just clarity. Clarity as a songwriter, as an artist, and as a woman in her mid-40s. I know what I want to say, and I’m not afraid to say it. At this point, I think my audience knows they’re not getting songs about rainbows and bunnies anymore—this time, they’re getting songs about the complexities of growing older, stories from my family… and most of all, they’re getting to meet my BUBBY!

Photo by Michelle Rose Photo / Courtesy Joanie Leeds