Sleepless Son Inspires ​Lullaby Belle Amie, ​A Father’s Musical Plea for Peaceful Sleep

Enveloping Album of Original Lullabies To Calm Listeners of All Ages

Motivated by many wakeful nights and a baby who struggled to find sleep, ​The Vaka Studio Society ​presents an album of original lullabies and gentle melodies created by singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and new father ​Thomas Kuecks, ​entitled ​Lullaby Belle Amie. ​Crafted with immense devotion to every detail, the record features the natural magic of acoustic music and tender lyrics intended to carry children and other restless souls to a deep and peaceful sleep.

“When my son Bellamy was born, it quickly became clear that sleep was a thing of the past for our entire family,” says singer-songwriter and project creator Thomas Kuecks. “We tried white noise, hypnotic sounds, classic lullabies, and sleep training techniques to calm and relax him but he fought stillness and sleep with vigour! My wife, Nina, was the most impacted by this seemingly permanent disruption to our sleeping habits, so I embarked on what becmase a two year project producing an album of lullabies. That’s two nearly-sleepless-new-parent-years, of course. The album I envisioned would not only help my son to find the rest we so desperately needed but also reflect the values of earnestly and wholehearted trust that are so important to our family. ​Lullaby Belle Amie ​isn’t just about putting a child to sleep, but also about cultivating a sense of safety, belonging and unconditional love within the listener.”

Lullaby Belle Amie ​begins with seven original lullabies and a rhyming story called “Bellamy’s Tale,” and concludes with instrumental versions of each song so that listeners can sing along. Tremendous love and care has gone into each and every lyric and note on the album. The rhyming story, read by 35 year veteran kindergarten teacher (and Bellamy’s grandmother) Paula Foot, features a musical backdrop and encourages early language development. Peaceful transitions between songs invite calmness and support settling as the album seamlessly descends through the musical keys. A delicate volume reduction through the instrumental tracks ensures a gentle resting of the final note.

The entire album is a family labour of love. All music and lyrics are by ​Thomas Kuecks, ​who also produced the project. Thomas’s older sister ​Elissa Barron’s ​calming and delicate voice is featured on the majority of the tracks. Thomas’s twin brother ​James Kuecks​ also contributed original music to “Bellamy’s Tale” and co-wrote the track “Dream Song.” Thomas’s younger sister ​Jennifer Kuecks​ co-wrote the song “Heart of Mine.” Thomas’s wife ​Nina Foot ​and mother-in-law​ Paula Foot​ co-wrote the original rhyming story. Other professional musicians featured on the album are: ​Jennie Stevens​ on classical harp; ​Daniel Edmunds​ on acoustic guitar; and ​David Lane​ creates perfect descending transitions on piano between songs.