Wyclef Jean to Perform Live at 2023 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards
The Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards, hosted by The Toy Foundation™ (TTF), is fast approaching. The event will occur on Friday, September 29, at Cipriani’s 42nd Street in Manhattan just in time to kick off the 2023 Toy Fair. The TOTY Awards is a celebration of the best-of-the-best in toys and the event will even feature an auction with prizes ranging from restaurant gift cards to expensive ride-ons and more!
One of the highlights of the evening will be an exclusive performance by Wyclef Jean, a three-time Grammy Award winner and the songwriter of the mega-hit titled “Hips Don’t Lie.” The celebration will also name the top toys, people, and campaigns in the toy industry, whilst paying tribute to industry icons; the event also serves as an enormous fundraiser that supports TTF’s work to deliver the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need.
“Giving back to the community and inspiring the next generation has always been a priority of mine,” Wyclef explained via an exclusive interview. “As a child, musical play was incredibly important in shaping who I am today. Anything I could make music with, I played with. I’m also lucky to grow up in a musical family, with access to drums and guitar that I played with more and more as I grew older. When The Toy Foundation reached out and shared their mission I was immediately on board. I’m excited to support their work in bringing the power of play to all children to inspire, comfort, and help them find their own voice just as play helped me find mine. I’m amazed by all the toys nominated for the 2023 Toy of the Year Awards finalists, that will be my shopping list for this coming holiday season. The action figures have so many amazing details and characteristics. The games are so much more than the board games I knew of growing up. The STEAM toys even bring out my inner scientist.”
Pamela Mastrota, the Executive Director of The Toy Foundation, seconded Wyclef’s excitement about the awards ceremony. She enjoys partnering with toy companies of all sizes. “The Toy Foundation’s mission to unite to collective philanthropy of our industry for the benefit of all children in need,” Pamela stated via a recent exclusive interview. “The more we join together the greater impact we can have in making sure every child experiences the incredible joy the toy industry works to create every day through play. Additionally, seeing the incredibly creativity and imagination that shines through in our finalist list. Every year I’m amazed and this year is no exception. More than ever are toy companies pushing boundaries and advancing the world of play, which then delivers extraordinary benefits to all children and adults. I look forward to finding out who the winners are.”
When pressed about her own childhood experiences with favorite toys, Pamela stated: “My core childhood memories are spending time outside and creating play with my siblings, neighbors, and anyone else who was around that day. Whether it was running through the sprinkler, playing with our shadows, or inventing a brand-new game, the bonds we formed, and experiences created — all through the power of play — have resulted in lifelong benefits. Of course, I had toys, but none stood out like creating my own play outside. I’m excited to return in-person to do just that, connect with industry colleagues in-person. I’m eager to share how The Toy Foundation’s mission and service to the industry has evolved over the last two years and have our message resonate at a deeper level that in-person meeting offers. The return of an in-person Toy of the Year Awards is also exciting as we return to New York City after three years in a fresh, fun way that the entire industry looks forward to attending. Get ready for a night of prestigious awards, impactful mission moments, an auction of truly stand-out items, and headline performance from Grammy Award-winner Wyclef Jean.”