Back to the Sandbox: Catching Up with Michael “Smidi” Smith and Scott Krippayne
While each were already accomplished music creators, both with an impressive body of celebrated work behind them and a sterling roster of collaborators, when composer/producer Michael “Smidi” Smith and songwriter/producer Scott Krippayne came together in 2013 to fuse their talents for the theme of a scruffy little project for kids called PAW Patrol, they suspected they’d started something special. The massive success and industry accolades confirmed that suspicion and kickstarted a creative partnership that has lasted over a decade.
That first success led the duo to work on a variety of other kids’ projects, such as writing over 130 songs for the animated TV series Blaze and the Monster Machines, as well as launching Pep and Perk, an educational music project designed to foster a positive self-image in children. After four acclaimed EP’s and a full-length LP, Helping Out, a brand-new Pep and Perk album, It’s Cool To Be A Kid, drops in June.
BMI caught up with the two Emmy-winning creators to find out more about the new project and what sustains their musical partnership.
Your latest Pep and Perk project is called It’s Cool to Be a Kid. How did this record come together?
Scott: It’s Cool To Be A Kid is a collection of songs that celebrates the amazing and wonderful things about being a kid. So, we dove back into our own childhoods and thought about what we loved and also pulled from what we watched our own kids enjoy from a parental perspective. Musically, we’re having fun and making music we like. We also had the opportunity to collaborate with some incredible artists on this new project – huge shout outs to Mega Ran, Peabod, and Yvette Rodriguez-Nacer - they helped take these songs to another level!
As your own children have grown, how have your parenting experiences informed the work you do as a creative duo? Since your audience is primarily children, do you road-test potential material with your own kids?
Scott: Some of the Pep & Perk songs have come directly from our parenting experience – songs we wish we had for transition times, or phrases we said when our kids were young. We’re also surveying other parents (and kids) as well on songs and topics that could be helpful. And I try to keep my eyes and ears open anytime I’m around kids, and inevitably a few new ideas for songs will arise.
Smidi: My 10-year-old daughter has been our biggest fan since the first Pep and Perk song. She gets to be one of the first to give us feedback and I love it when she gets excited about our music. On our latest album, she was able to sing on “Getting Ready For The Game.” This song was inspired by one of our friend’s daughters who suggested that we do a song around this concept. It was so fun for us to get these kids directly involved with this project.
Your groundbreaking work for PAW Patrol helped make it the #1 most-watched kids’ show on Netflix in the second half of 2025, racking up 344 million hours. Did you have any idea this show would be so popular? And what keeps you inspired?
Scott: Wow! That’s the first I’d heard about the Netflix viewing numbers – love it!!! I don’t think we had any idea what was to come when we took a shot at the theme song 13+ years ago. We were grateful that our song was chosen and certainly hoped the show would be successful, but it’s gone far beyond any hopes I’d had back in the day. It’s been a fun ride to see how PAW Patrol has become a part of the culture – and to watch kids around the world connect with the show and brand. As for what keeps me inspired… a lot of it is watching how kids enjoy life – trying to see the world through their eyes and remembering how it felt to be a kid and just get lost in play. Songwriting and making music can really feel quite similar to playing in the sandbox.
Smidi: Seeing the success of Paw Patrol over the years has been nothing short of incredible. I don’t think that anyone could have predicted how many people have been touched by this show all over the world. To say that this has been a gift is an understatement. The success of Paw Patrol led to so many other wonderful projects in the Children’s Music space. Particularly Blaze and the Monster Machines on Nickelodeon. Working on that show for so many years kept me inspired. Scott and I wrote and produced over 130 songs for that program over 8 seasons. Tons of catchy, educational STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) songs to teach viewers about physical science and math concepts.
You have both worked and achieved great success with a wide array of music creators from multiple genres, and you have the awards to prove it. What keeps you coming back to children’s music? What is it about this particular genre that keeps you motivated?
Scott: The opportunity to make kids smile is a big part of it for me. Music has been such a huge part of my life as far back as I can remember – so trying to write songs that help connect families together has been a joy.
Smidi:ccHaving three kids of my own has been a big part of it. When my teenage boys were little, I wanted to create songs they’d hear after school on TV. They weren’t especially interested in the mainstream pop music I was writing at the time. I also share Scott’s thoughts above, and I’d add that the people we get to work with in the kids’ space are truly incredible. The warmth in our day-to-day interactions — with TV executives, live show producers, and our wonderful team at Platoon — is something really special. I also want to give a shoutout to Tara Steward, our A&R representative at Platoon. She and her entire team are amazing, and we feel incredibly lucky to have their support.
What’s next for you both beyond this album?
Scott: We’ll continue to build the Pep and Perk brand, certainly some more music, and hopefully branching into other mediums as well. I’ve also been working on some piano instrumental songs that I’ll likely release later this year. Beyond that, who knows… but we’ll be ready!!
Smidi: We’re continuing to develop Pep and Perk as a music project, and who knows what could come next. There’s always the possibility of expanding into an animated series or even a live show. We were involved in all of the Paw Patrol Live! touring productions, so creating something similar for Pep and Perk could be an exciting avenue to explore. It’s also nice to own our brand — it gives us the flexibility to pursue different opportunities if the right one comes along.
What advice would you give to aspiring music creators?
Scott: Keep creating, keep growing, keep having fun. And cultivate good relationships – if you’re building a strong community, opportunities will come - and you’ll have people by your side to celebrate (and commiserate) with along the way. Every good thing that’s happened for me in music is because of relationships. It’s not always a straight line, but it’s fun to look back over the years and see the how connections weaved together in ways I never would’ve dreamed.
Smidi: Create, create, create! Don’t be afraid to fail. I always tell my students to “fail fast” so they can move on to the next — and potentially better — idea. It’s also important to learn how to record your ideas. There are so many great free or affordable programs available now, like GarageBand, BandLab, and Waveform. These tools are fun to use, and it can be incredibly encouraging to hear your music come to life.
Can you tell us about your relationship with BMI?
Scott: I’ve been with BMI for the past two decades and it’s been amazing. More than a dozen people have championed different aspects of my music career over the years. Friends in Nashville, New York, and LA have all been helpful in building connections and offering encouragement. So I’m very, very, very grateful!!!
Smidi: I’ve been a BMI member since my early college years, and one of the greatest honors of my career has been receiving three BMI Film & TV Awards with Scott for our work in children’s music.
I also lecture in the Music Production department at USC, and the resources BMI has provided to both me and my students have been nothing short of incredible. In particular, Alex Bostelman, Tracie Verlinde, and of course Barbara Cane have supported me, my company, and my students in countless ways over the years — through networking opportunities, special event support, feedback sessions, and more.
Having that kind of support as both a writer and educator has been truly invaluable.
It’s Cool To Be A Kid by Pep and Perk will be released on June 12. Click here for more.
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