WELCOME TO

Empowering youth through songwriting and helping kids find their voice.

Songs for kids, tweens and teens.

Jackie Bristow’s creative songwriting programme, SongCatcher, was created at the end of 2020. Like so many others, Jackie’s world was turned upside down due to the Covid-19 global pandemic and through this change this positive creative songwriting programme was developed.

What started out as a one-day songwriting workshop very quickly became something bigger, developing into the creative songwriting programme – SongCatcher.

Jackie is sharing 20 years of professional writing and recording experience while teaching young songwriters to tap into their creative side to write music.

In 2022, Jackie become a brand ambassador for Youthtown New Zealand and they have partnered with SongCatcher.

“Songwriting is about connection and I love that I am able to share my experience to connect, inspire and help children find their voice and learn the craft of songwriting.”

~ Jackie Bristow

WHAT IS SONGCATCHER?

SongCatcher – Stage One – is a songwriting programme focused on children 7 to 11 years old, teaching small groups how to write a song and express themselves through songwriting and singing.

There is nothing like creating something new – it’s exciting, freeing and uplifting. It gives these kids a voice and opens their imagination. These songwriting groups bring children from different backgrounds together as they learn the art of songwriting and collaboration, while forming bonds and new friendships.

SongCatcher – Stage Two – is focused on one-to-one songwriting, mentoring and artist development. The aim is to create and release music for tweens to early teens. Our vision is to create a platform for writing and developing their songwriting craft, singing and performance skills… the end goal being to release their own music under their unique artist name.

Tweens and teens need music that speaks to them – songs that are appropriate for them to sing themselves. This is for their well-being by expressing their feelings through music.

These voices can speak to others of that age and help them process their feelings.

Location – Queenstown & Wānaka

OUR MOTIVATION:

Music can help children express feelings in a way speaking cannot, and songwriting takes it a step further. Songwriting is a form of expression and self-discovery that can offer emotional support and stability.

OUR VISION:

Well-being!
Inspire and encourage our youth.
Invest in artistic development to empower and give children the songwriting tools to inspire and learn.
Encourage the next generation of songwriters who will write songs for our future world.

OUTCOMES:

Confidence building • Collaboration • Friendship • Emotional stability • Expanding imagination • Self belief • Discovering a new talent • Empowerment • Fun • Learning a craft • Singing your own songs • Finding meaning in music • Learning to rhyme • Developing stories • Bonding with others • Live performance

JACKIE B. & THE MINI BAND • SUMMERTIME

Out Feb 07 2024, catch the feeling of summer with this sparkling new collection of original songs from Jackie B & the Mini Band, featuring imaginative tunes for kids by a new cast of young songwriters from the SongCatcher programme.

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY NZ ON AIR

TRACKLIST:
5 original tracks to keep the fun and joy of summer all year long!

Summertime
Dreamcatcher
Into the Deep
Rainbow Flowers
Spooky Hollywood

All songs in the project were written by Jackie Bristow, Freya Jeffery, Lacey Bristow, Charlotte Martin and Edie Yandall performing as Jackie B and the Mini Band. Produced by Mark Punch & Jackie Bristow. Mixed by Mark Punch, Mastered by Nash Chambers. Video for Summertime Animated and Directed by Edmund Iffland.

LISTEN NOW!

YOUTHTOWN COMPILATION, Vol. 1

SongCatcher and Youthtown are thrilled to announce the release of the SongCatcher / Youthtown EP Volume 1 on November 21, 2023!

Listen to the EP on your favourite outlet HERE or by clicking on the album cover.

Creator and founder of SongCatcher, Jackie Bristow, has been mentoring a host of young songwriting talent from the Central Lakes District who feature in this collection, singing their own songs and writing songs that connect with their own age group. All songs have been written though Jackie’s creative songwriting programme SongCatcher.

Jackie says “it was super-exciting for the kids to write songs they’re connected to for their age group, although these gorgeous pop songs have genuine crossover appeal for adults too. I have designed SongCatcher to be a ‘find your happy place’ and I am so proud of the girls and these songs.”

SongCatcher, supported by Youthtown, aims to empower children and young people, supporting emerging artists through songwriting experiences to help build their creative identity through music.

More of our journey so far…

Jackie B and the Mini Band was created with the first songwriting group of the workshops in 2020. In a 19-week series of workshops held in Queenstown through Turn Up The Music, Jackie mentored the group of seven kids aged 7 to 10. They were taught to collaborate on lyric writing and melody composition and under Jackie’s guidance they wrote 8 original songs. The vocals were then recorded in the Arrowtown Church over five days by studio engineer Steve Roberts.

The debut project was a true international production: the backing music was recorded and produced by Mark Punch in Nashville and the album was mastered at Studios 301 in Sydney and Sterling Sound in Nashville. Jackie B and the Mini Band was formally signed to US children’s record label 8 Pound Gorilla Records in 2021. This included a Christmas single release, as well a five track EP called “Shooting Star” in early 2022.

You can listen to “Shooting Star” on your favourite outlet HERE or by clicking on the cover.

In 2022, SongCatcher expanded to workshops in Wānaka. It has been a very productive and create time. We are excited to announce that there will be a volume 2 of Jackie B and the Mini Band, written and recorded with four young girls aged between 9 and 11 years old. Jackie B and the Mini Band are currently in the studio, working on their EP entitled “Summertime.”

Jackie B and the Mini Band’s “Shooting Star” EP and forthcoming music is proudly supported by NZonAir.

SCHOLARSHIPS!

The debut SongCatcher / YouthTown compilation is coming soon.

SongCatcher recording scholarship was awarded to seven students between the ages of seven and thirteen years old. A seven track compilation is currently being produced by Jackie Bristow and Mark Punch. All the songs have been written and recorded through the program in 2022.

We will be introducing our talented young songwriters and announcing the SongCatcher/ Youthtown NZ compilation release date soon.

SongCatcher scholarships for 2023:

Taylah Miller and Freya Jeffery have been awarded a full year scholarship.

CHECK OUT WHAT THEY’RE SAYING!

READ VOXY.NZ YOUTHTOWN ARTICLE

What Parents Are Saying:

“It has been an amazing journey since Taylah started with Jackie. I feel words can’t express how important this opportunity has been to us. Not only has Taylah thrived in her ability and knowledge but it has been a saviour in her confidence and self-esteem.’ Jackie is amazing.”

~ Katrina Preston

“We’ve loved watching this group develop these gorgeous songs, record them and perform them live. Ivy has been so fortunate to be part of this fun group and learn under the creative teaching of Jackie. Ivy has developed confidence beyond our dreams in music writing, singing and performing, and is already confident in writing her own songs. We can’t wait to see what the future brings her with these new skills.”

~ Kyle McKenzie

“What a fantastic opportunity for the kids to record their own songs professionally ! Jackie made it such an easy process from the outside for the girls so that they had lots of fun doing it.”

~ Kirsty Freeman

“The songwriters group led by Jackie has led my 10 year old daughter to develop great skills in musical composition, working in a group, increasing her confidence in performance and in playing music. It has made a huge difference to the way she sees herself! Thanks, we really have appreciated the opportunity so much.”

~ Monse Benoit

“My daughter has thrived under the guidance of Jackie in both songwriting and singing. She inspires the kids and always keeps it fun.”

~ Katrina Preston

What The Kids Are Saying:

“Being in the group with Jackie has been such fun and a great opportunity to make new friends there. It’s been heap’s of of joy and laughter. I love being in a group of passionate girls that have big imaginations! I love the songs we have written. They are so cool and I love singing with all the other girls and Jackie”

~ Taylah

“I really enjoyed that I got to share my ideas with Jackie lots, and then she helped turn them into songs it was really cool seeing and learning about all the equipment in the studio that was 7 used because I did not know any of that before.”

~ Saige

“It’s really cool and creative. I like doing the singing with Jackie and new friends and performing our songs that we wrote and have fun.”

~ Nia

“I enjoyed the whole thing! Learning how to record a song was interesting and fun.”

~ Ivy

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to record our songs that we wrote together. It was so fun! I loved singing together.”

~ Francessa