Hey there, music lovers! Ms. Emily here, and I’m thrilled to share the story behind a very special song: “Fireflies.” You might know it as a gentle tune from the Panda Collection, but it’s also a lullaby that’s very close to my heart. My husband, Zac Evans, who also teaches at TMC, and I wrote it together! We even recorded it ourselves, with me singing and Zac playing all the instruments. So, “Fireflies” isn’t just a song for us; it’s a piece of our story.
As many of you know, lullabies are more than just sweet songs. Singing lullabies to your children creates a beautiful bonding experience. Making them part of your nightly routine is a wonderful way to share the magic of music with your little ones and create a peaceful end to each day. When Zac and I decided to write “Fireflies,” we wanted to capture that exact feeling – a song meant to be sung to our future child.
Emily and Zac
Before I joined The Music Class team back in 2016, I was a pre-kindergarten teacher at Primrose. Every afternoon, naptime was part of the routine. Most of my little students drifted off to sleep easily, but there was always one sweet girl who needed a little extra help – some gentle pats and a soft song. When Zac and I started writing “Fireflies,” I couldn’t help but think of her and those quiet naptime moments.
We wanted to write a song that felt like those warm summer evenings when families wind down together. We thought back to our own childhood memories of chasing fireflies in the backyard as dusk settled. From that image, Zac created the beautiful guitar melody, and I began to weave the story into the lyrics. Once we had the basic structure of the song, Zac added all the other wonderful instrumental layers you hear in the recording: bass, clarinet, flute, mandolin, and piano. I have to take a moment to brag about my incredibly talented husband! Zac can play all of those instruments and so many more. Interestingly, his main instrument, the saxophone, didn’t even make it into “Fireflies”! (Though you can hear his saxophone on another TMC song, “I’m A Little Panda”…) Okay, bragging over! Back to our story…
Emily and Elizabeth
Once we were happy with our demo of “Fireflies,” we shared it with Mr. Rob. He had a brilliant idea that made the song even more special. He suggested adding a verse from a child’s perspective and including a child singer! This idea filled my heart with joy. It was easy to draw inspiration from my student at Primrose, and the lyrics for the little girl’s verse just flowed out of me. And I knew immediately which Music Class student would be perfect to sing it! I’ve known the Wallace Family since I started teaching Music Class, and I’ve watched Elisabeth Wallace grow into a fantastic young musician through TMC, TMC Big Kids, and TMC Keyboard. We asked her to sing the girl’s verse, and she did an absolutely amazing job! I was there when she recorded her part, and I actually teared up when she started singing. We even captured some of our time in the studio recording “Fireflies,” which is a memory I truly treasure.
Zac and I truly hope that our personal story inspires you to bring lullabies into your everyday life. They can become such a special and meaningful part of your day, and they offer so many benefits for your child’s musical development. “Fireflies Song” is more than just a tune; it’s a moment of connection, love, and shared musicality.
