The Squeezetoy girl is back! Kim Esty, one of Canada’s pop dance idols, has just released her new album: The Best of Kim Esty. It contains some new songs and hits from over the years in a career that started in the late 80’s. The singer does indeed produce sugary cute music, and it is no surprise she is remembered for causing the “Rubber Ducky Phenomenon.” She is a Toronto native who started singing in high school and went on to create some very popular dance club hits. Many featured on this CD including “Summer in the Street” and “Squeezetoy,” which are still radio and dance club favorites.

When she was a teenager she showed up at a CHIN picnic to sing before an audience for the first time in her life. After lining up and going on stage, she recalls, “It was a little bit disappointing. There was nobody there!” She had been scheduled too early in the day and there were few people present for the Toronto community event. This is in sharp contrast to the success of her later career of signing autographed rubber duckies and delighting dancers all over the world. Success soon came with the song “Summer in the Street.”

But her greatest successes came when she joined up with the Canadian remix trio The Boomtang Boys and the single “Squeezetoy.” It earned her the name the “Squeezetoy Girl,” not just because of the track title but because the song and video seem to have popularized the rubber duckie which appears and also sings, or squeaks, in the video. “Squeezetoy” debuted on the Greatest Hits Boomtang Boys album- Volume One in 1999 and it achieved Gold status in Canada. The song debuted and remained at # 1 on Billboard’s Canada Singles Chart for four weeks. An accomplishment only achieved by Shania Twain and Alanis Morrisette.

The story of the rubber duckies actually began when the Boomtang Boys noticed that they were annoyed when a dog in their studio kept playing with a rubber duckie. The idea soon struck them to use that sound in a song. At one point on tour Kim and the gang found themselves throwing the things back and forth with fans in the audience. Concert organizers ruled that it would probably be too dangerous in future for the group to instigate throwing the duckies as part of their act.

Kim noticed that with the success of her cutesy music while touring that there were many young people in the audience. She decided that she would produce something more directly for this demographic. The result was The Kartoon Kids where she is the singing voice for many of the cartoon characters.

With help from various Toronto remix masters, Kim’s powerpuff image came back when Barry Harris along with Rachid Wehbi, creator of the ‘Queer Eye for a Straight Guy theme song, were involved in the production of her 2005 release Variety Show. It’s the kind of music you might also find compiled onto other dance floor albums such as Dance Mix International released in 1997.

A favorite of hers for the new album: “He Doesn’t Like Me… (He Likes My Brother),’ was made with help from Rachid Wehbi, and is surely to be a popular Madonna-esque song. She says, “I wanted to do something different and personal. I think it’s happened to a lot of girls.” Well, that might be true, but from what I’ve seen of the video, if you encounter a guy in a club wearing a green sparkly opera mask, and no shirt, you shouldn’t be too surprised if he’s gay.

There is no question that Kim Esty is an underrated Canadian pop singer. Perhaps never achieving the success she might have in a larger market. But her catchy hits will continue to be played in dance clubs around the world. If you’re a fan of iconic Canadian summer tunes or you have to throw a party for some tweenie girls, then this album would be a great one to pick-up.

Track Listing:
Pictures
Summer in the Street
He Doesn't Like Me - Whisper Twins vs SBD  remix
Gigolo
Heartbreaker
Takin it Day by Day
Yummy Yummy Yummy
Squeezetoy
Gilligan
Maybe
Dancin’ with Myself
He Doesn't Like me - Original Mix
Funky Little Beat
You Got me Movin
Your Loves Feels like Dynamite
Make You Mine
Careless Whisper