A child who will not say “more” at lunch sings it at bedtime, three times, with actions. The song that did that came from your notebook.
Tatako is hiring a Songwriter to write songs for the octopus and his friends: counting songs, hello songs, songs about what happens at bath time. This is project work, booked song by song with the Music Producer. Songs are released under the Tatako name, and every lyric is written by you, in your own words.
About Tatako
Tatako is a first-words app for families raising a child with two languages. A lesson takes about five minutes, there is nothing to read, and a small round octopus keeps everyone company. He has eight arms, no socks, and usually loses count at seven.
The language of home stays the language of home. Tatako adds a second one on top, at a toddler’s pace, from the very first words. A guide voice can explain what to do, and you can switch it off whenever you like. Every lesson has three small steps: Hear it, say it. Touch it. Name it. In the last step the picture comes back without the word, and the child names it first.
We started with English: first words and phrases, from “hello” and “mommy” to colors, animals and what the teacher says at preschool. More languages are on the way. Tatako works in the browser on any phone or tablet.
The role
- Remote project work, open to candidates anywhere in the world
- Native or near-native English
- An agreement signed before you start: your work is made for Tatako, Inc. and its rights go to the company in writing
By the end of your first project, a finished song of yours has a demo, a dated lyric sheet and a chorus the whole studio cannot stop singing.
What you will do
- Write original lyrics and melodies around one simple idea, with a chorus a child can join by the second time through.
- Give each song its own reason to exist: a new tempo, a new joke, a new shape, never the same tune with different words.
- Put the word that matters at the center, repeated so it can be heard clearly, said slowly and sung back.
- Write for voices the characters already have, from the tiniest to the most pompous.
- Record simple demos: your own voice and one instrument are enough to show the song.
- Keep every draft with its date, and bring only your own lines and tunes: no borrowed phrases and no sound-alikes.
- Work with the series writer so a song can grow out of an episode, and with the composer so it belongs to the same world.
What you bring
- 3+ years writing songs that were recorded or performed, for children or for anyone else.
- A gift for hooks: tunes a small voice can reach and a tired parent does not mind hearing again.
- Clean, singable English with real rhyme and natural stress.
- A sense of humor that a child gets at once and a parent gets a second later.
- Comfort with notes: you can rewrite a verse without taking it personally.
- The habit of finishing: demos arrive on the agreed date.
Bonus points
- You have worked in a preschool, led a music class or sung with small children.
- You can also write the same song in a second language so that it still sings.
Why you will love it
- Songs with a job: each one hands a child a word to use at home.
- Characters with built-in comedy to write for.
- An audience that will ask for your song again, immediately, and then again.
How to apply
Meet the octopus at tatako.com, then email join@tatako.com with your LinkedIn profile or portfolio. Make sure it shows a song you wrote, with its lyric sheet.
If your experience matches the role, our team will get in touch to discuss next steps.