ZhuZhu Pets® Music Featuring Savannah Outen and Thia Megia Debuts on Zhu-niverse™ Float in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade®

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- An audience of over 45 million people will kick off the release of the debut Quest for Zhu™ soundtrack from the internationally popular ZhuZhu Pets® at the 85th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® on Thursday, November 24th, 2011.  Live musical performances aboard the Zhu-niverse™ float by up-and-coming star Savannah Outen and over 100 individually selected young performers will introduce the world to the ZhuZhu Pets'® music.  The 14-song ZhuZhu Pets - Quest for Zhu™ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which also features American Idol finalist Thia Megia, will be available for purchase in stores and online on November 21st  (UPC 815046011008, suggested retail price $12.98.)

Singing the movie's theme song "No Place Like Here" live on the Zhu-niverse™ float is 19-year-old Savannah Outen (http://www.SavannahOuten.com.)  Savannah began singing and writing at an early age, posting her first music videos on YouTube in 2007.  Since then her videos have garnered a following of 377,000 subscribers and over 77 million views on YouTube.  Voted a Top 10 breakout artist of 2011 by Radio Disney fans, Savannah's singles "Goodbyes" and "Be Original," were among her top performing songs on the station.  Outen is no stranger to live performances, having sung the "National Anthem" at a number of high profile events, and she will be joined on the Zhu-niverse™ float by 132 young performers, ages 12-16, cast from over 1,000 auditionees by Camp Broadway®, an award-winning theater arts education company (http://www.CampBroadway.com.)

"We're excited to have such great talent bring our ZhuZhu Pets music to life," commented James Russell Hornsby, CEO of Cepia, LLC and creator of ZhuZhu Pets. "Both Savannah and Thia are talented young performers who our ZhuZhu fans can relate to."

The 14-song ZhuZhu Pets - Quest for Zhu™ soundtrack features eight decade-spanning, already-proven chart-topping hit singles, chosen for their cross-generational appeal, plus four original songs penned specifically for the movie, all recorded in the unique voices of America's favorite hamsters.  Many of the soundtrack's songs, including "No Place Like Here" and "One Day," will have promotional music videos featuring movie footage and performances by the ZhuZhu Pets®, including the Jackson 5's "ABC."  

Savannah Outen's "No Place Like Here" is one of two featured artist singles and bonus tracks on the ZhuZhu Pets - Quest for Zhu™ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.  The other single, the tender ballad "One Day," is performed by American Idol finalist Thia Megia (http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season_10/thia_megia/.)  At just 16-years-old, Thia has written, composed, choreographed and performed for over 10 years in front of audiences ranging in scope from intimate to worldwide.  Following her 47-city American Idol (Season 10) U.S. tour and press junket this summer, Thia welcomed the opportunity to go into the studio to be part of the ZhuZhu Pets® debut album.

"In conjunction with Cepia, we've created a great collection of songs - some original and some terrific classics - which will be enjoyed by kids of all ages including parents and grandparents," says Chuck Gullo, Co-Managing Partner of ITZ Entertainment.  "We are also very proud to also be associated with two incredible artists on this soundtrack, Thia Megia and Savannah Outen, not only for their talent but for the wholesome quality they bring to the project and the label."

ZhuZhu Pets - Quest for Zhu™ Track Listing

1. ABC  [made famous by The Jackson 5]
2. Celebration  [made famous by Kool & The Gang]
3. One Day - performed by Pipsqueak
4. No Place Like Here - performed by Windy Wagner [opening credits]
5. Chunk's Story (The Surf Song)  [Zhu Zhu Original]
6. I'll Be Around  [made famous by The Spinners]
7. What I Like About You  [made famous by The Romantics]
8. You're My Best Friend  [made famous by Queen]
9. Let's Groove  [made famous by Earth, Wind and Fire]
10. Who Says  [made famous by Selena Gomez]
11. Dynamite  [made famous by Taio Cruz]
12. Put Your Hands Up  [Zhu Zhu Original]
13. No Place Like Here - Savannah Outen
14. One Day – Thia Megia

All songs performed by the ZhuZhu Pets® except where indicated otherwise

ZhuZhu Pets - Quest for Zhu™ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (UPC 815046011008, suggested retail price $12.98) is available through ITZ Entertainment, distributed by Fontana Distribution/Universal Music and will be on sale November 21, 2011, in both CD and digital formats.  "No Place Like Here" by Savannah Outen, "One Fine Day" by Thia Megia and The Jackson 5's "ABC" as performed by the ZhuZhu Pets® will also be available for individual digital purchase (suggested list price $0.99 each.)

About ZhuZhu Pets®

Since launching in 2009, ZhuZhu Pets® toys have clinched multiple awards and spawned a global "Zhu-natic" fanbase.  ZhuZhu Pets® are sold in more than 65 countries worldwide and have won "Toy of the Year" awards in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Russia, Norway, Brazil and Czech Republic.  Universal Studios Home Entertainment recently released ZhuZhu Pets® Quest for Zhu™, the first-ever ZhuZhu Pets® movie, on DVD and digital download to 30 million fans of the ZhuZhu Pets® line of toys.  ZhuZhu Pets: Quest for Zhu™ movie (http://questforzhu.com) marks the first time fans see their favorite characters come to life in the Zhu-niverse™, and this year's debut Zhu-niverse™ float will introduce these same fans to the ZhuZhu Pets® music.

About In The Zone Entertainment

In The Zone Entertainment Group LLC aka ITZ Entertainment (http://InTheZoneEntertainment.com) is an international entertainment company specializing in servicing families, kids and tweens (ages 4-12) with music content desired by the customer and listener base established by Radio Disney.  Founded in 2011 by entertainment industry veterans Craig Sussman and Chuck Gullo, ITZ Entertainment is currently marketing and distributing movie soundtracks related to the ZhuZhu Pets®, the "#1 Toy of the Year" in 2010 with an installed fanbase of over 30 million households.  Future projects will include themed albums based on established brands, soundtracks from animated and live action films, video games and television, and solo albums by new recording artists in conjunction with these projects.

About Cepia LLC

Headquartered in St Louis, Mo., Cepia LLC is a privately held company that manufactures toys and games for children of all ages. The company was founded on the premise that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Ingenuity, creativity, playfulness and passion are the heart of Cepia and everything it creates. Cepia's toy building enterprises include: Glo-e, ZhuZhu Pets®, Kung Zhu™, ZhuZhu Princess™, ZhuZhu Babies™, ZhuZhu Puppies™, DaGeDar™ and Xia Xia™.  ZhuZhu Pets® have received top honor Toy of the Year recognition in five countries, including 2010 "Toy of the Year," "Most Innovative Toy" and "Best Girls Toy" at the 2010 TOTY Awards in the U.S. All toys from Cepia LLC are sold globally through national chain retail outlets and independent toy stores. For more information, please visit http://www.cepiallc.com and http://www.zhuniverse.com.

MEDIA CONTACT
Kate Dockins, ITZ Entertainment
518-312-0116
http://InTheZoneEntertainment.com
[email protected]

SOURCE Cepia LLC