This four-year-old Dundas boy is the youngest Juno Award nominee ever
Besides being absolutely adorable, Dundas resident Romeo Nicassio is the youngest person ever to be nominated for a Juno Award.
Behind that fresh face, toothy grin and long blond hair, is a four-year-old recording and video star. At the age of three, he cut his first album Romeo Eats, Vol. 1," and it earned him a nomination for children's album of the year. It's a set of songs aimed at introducing children to healthy fruits and vegetables, even the weird-looking ones.
All right, Romeo had some help. He is the youngest son of Sarah Blackwood and Gianni Nicassio, the husband-and-wife team at the core of internationally renowned pop band Walk Off The Earth.
And, to be honest, it's Sarah, Gianni and the rest of Walk Off The Earth, including longtime member Joel Cassady, who do the heavy lifting on the album's seven tracks about sushi, durian fruit, dragon fruit, mangosteen, avocado, soursop and cacao. Romeo's vocals tend to serve as punctation to the foody lyrics.
Although Romeo's role on the record is limited, he is the unquestioned star of the delightful video series that accompanies the album. You can find the videos either on the Romeoeats.com website or by searching Romeo Eats" on YouTube.
Buon Appetito," little Romeo beams on one video just before biting into a kiwi fruit, hairy peel and all. Pappa Gianni is the main cook in the family and plays the role of straight man to Romeo's irresistible hamming before the camera.
Romeo wasn't yet two years old when Sarah and Gianni noticed something odd about him. Unlike his two older brothers (Giorgio, 10, and Luigi, 8), Romeo would eat just about any fruit or vegetable put in front of him, the more exotic, the better. He would gobble it up and ask for more, hairy peel and all.
One of our goals is to normalize all these fruits," Gianni says in an interview from Costa Rica where the family is holidaying before returning to their home in Dundas to attend the Juno Awards which take place May 15 in Toronto. Mangosteen, for example, is by far the best fruit in the grocery store. It tastes like a tropical candy. Our goal is not only to educate kids but adults as well."
Gianni started posting Romeo's eating sessions to Instagram and Walk Off The Earth's sizeable fan base ate them up. When the pandemic struck and the band was unable to tour, Gianni and Sarah decided to do something more with Romeo's passion for food.
Using Ikea furniture, they set up a makeshift kitchen in the band's Hamilton studio, with the intent of filming Romeo as he learns about the joys of eating exotic fruits and vegetables.
When we were blessed with the time to focus on the project, we took it to the next level because we can't help ourselves," says Sarah. Then we decided, when we were doing the audio, that it would be cool to write some original songs that go along with the episodes. Initially, they were going to be like Baby Shark' style, but then of course, just like the production of the show, we brought the music to the next level, because we just can't help ourselves."
Except for the foody lyrics and the occasional shout-out from Romeo, the sound is very much in line with the sophisticated pop that Walk Off The Earth has become known for. The band's fan base seems to approve.
Parents are really enjoying the music," Sarah adds. They're actually thanking us."
Romeo doesn't intend to be a one-hit wonder. Walk Off The Earth has already released a followup album Romeo Eats, Vol. 2" and a third instalment is on its way. There's even talk of a spinoff series.
Maybe it will be Romeo Cooks,'" says Gianni. He loves to cook. Or maybe, Romeo Grows.' He's learning how to grow tomatoes. If he wants to make videos, we'll help him do that, and, if he doesn't, we won't."
Romeo Eats" represents Walk Off The Earth's 12th Juno nomination since forming in Burlington in 2006, winning one in 2016 for Group of the Year. Romeo isn't quite sure what a Juno is, but he realizes he's been nominated for something.
He knows it's an award, and he keeps asking when the big party is going to be," his mother says.
Meanwhile, Walk Off The Earth has released a new single - Bet on Me" - in preparation for their first big tour in two years with stops including Toronto's Budweiser Stage on June 18 and New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall on June 23.