You’re never too young to be creative. Children under the age of 13, however, are too young to join popular video-sharing platform TikTok. So Lego and Universal Music Group teamed up for a kid-friendly solution.
Lego Vidiyo invites kids ages seven through 10 to a “playful and innovative music video maker experience designed to celebrate and expand children’s creativity and passion for music,” according to a joint press release.
Accessed through a mashup of physical elements and minifigures, music, augmented reality, and a mobile app, the platform boasts an “immersive, positive, and safe social experience” for all users. Parents and guardians will be happy to hear verified adult consent and external moderation of all uploaded content is required.
“Through this innovative global partnership—with the power of music and play harnessed to support early development of creativity—children around the globe will be able to express themselves as they stage, direct, perform, and share their music videos,” Olivier Robert-Murphy, executive vice president of Universal Music Group and Brands, said in a statement. “Lego Vidiyo is a great way for millions of kids to discover new music and get closer to their favorite artists while learning and connecting through play.”
To get started, choose from a library of contemporary and classic songs, add customizable minifigs, and set the stage—be it your bedroom, backyard, or a brick-built model; in three seconds, your location is scanned and the production countdown begins.
No music video is complete, though, without special effects. Place up to 12 BeatBits squares onto the scanning stage to trigger dance moves and audio and video effects like confetti showers, X-ray vision, DJ scratching, and character breakdancing in a 60-second performance. Recordings can be edited down to five-, 10-, 15-, or 20-second shareable clips.
The first Lego Vidiyo products are set to hit shelves in most countries on March 1. Fresh tunes, creative challenges, and inspirational content will be added regularly.
“We want to feed the imagination of the next generation of creatives, providing a new canvas for kids to creatively express themselves,” Lego Group chief product and marketing officer Julia Goldin said. “We know children are always chasing new ways to experiment creatively, and Lego Vidiyo is here to help all kids with a passion for music unleash their creativity through Lego building and music video production. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.”
