Aiden Adams is one of those people who can make you question what you’re doing with your life: He’s published six books, written three poems, crafted three songs (one of which is streaming on Spotify) and is a social media influencer.
Oh, and he’s 7 years old.
For Thanksgiving, Aiden is encouraging his followers — he has more than 10,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel — to donate money, food or time to help families struggling with inflation-driven spikes in holiday food prices.
“It is very important to be thankful for what you have and to share your time and money to help others in need and make others happy,” he said in a video interview from his home in Bethesda, Maryland, with his father, Neal, at his side.
Sporting a bow tie, Aiden said the guitar is his favorite instrument to communicate a message of unity to people at the holidays.
“I like to write and sing songs with positive messages to help people,” he said, shifting in his chair excitedly as he reached for a guitar that’s almost as big as he is.
The pint-sized singer-songwriter says he begins each composition by humming a melody, then writing the lyrics and harmonizing chords on the guitar.
“Lyrics are just like poetry,” he said.
Before getting into writing poems and composing songs, Aiden already was writing inspirational children’s books that his parents self-published on Amazon.
Nearly half a lifetime ago, Aiden, then 4 years old, asked his parents to let him write his first book — about sheep in New York City. Mr. Adams says he told his son no, pointing out that there are no sheep in the city.
Aiden shot back that there are sheep in New York City, “if you use your imagination.”
“If you use your imagination, you can make anything come true,” Aiden said of his book’s message, smiling broadly.
That book — “There Are No Sheep in New York City!” — came out in February 2019.
Mr. Adams, who has drawn the illustrations for most of the books, said he has become his son’s “little helper” and publicist.
“I just go by what he wants. He works hard and has a goal in mind,” said Mr. Adams, 48.
But the songs, which have attracted hundreds of thousands of views online, have proven to be Aiden’s biggest success so far.
His first music video, the 2-minute “I Love You Earth,” has garnered 672,000 views on YouTube since he posted it in March.
Aiden is the third of four children. Mr. Adams said he and his wife had encouraged Aiden’s older siblings to play musical instruments, but they hadn’t expected Aiden himself to take so much interest in the guitar at such a young age.
“I didn’t think he was going to fall in love with it,” Mr. Adams said.
He said he posts all of his son’s videos on a website and on the YouTube channel. He also posts content from time to time on Twitter and Instagram.
Aiden’s latest video, “Planting Veggies,” depicts him wearing overalls on a farm as he showcases ways to end world hunger. It has garnered 103,400 views since he posted it a few weeks ago.
The young troubadour said he wants to inspire people to make the world a better place and to set aside money to help people in need during the holidays.
“I love to see a big smile,” Aiden said, throwing his arms out to the sides.
Looking ahead, he said he already has the melodies and ideas in his head for two more songs with positive messages.
“You can sing a song or just say the words,” Aiden said to explain the popularity of his songs.
But his father said school and playtime may delay their release until after the holidays.
“He’s in second grade,” Mr. Adams noted, laughing.
• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.
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