Fender partners with Mattel for new Barbie Collection song lessons on Fender Play

Fender has teamed up with Mattel to create a new Barbie Collection of song lessons on its Fender Play online guitar lesson app.

The unlikely partnership was struck up to promote the new Netflix film, Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams, and allows aspiring young guitarists to learn to play songs from the film – picking up some key skills and techniques along the way.

Furthermore, the deal stipulates that anyone who purchases a Barbie doll inspired by a guitar-playing character will also get three months of free Fender Play lessons via a QR code sticker on the box.

“At Fender, we already work with and support an increasingly wide array of incredibly talented women in music," Fender CMO Evan Jones told Variety. 

"With that said, we believe it’s important for young aspiring musicians to see themselves in the heroes they look up to. We want young women to see they can be anything – whether that’s a guitar player, songwriter, producer or any other career – in the music industry.”

The Barbie Collection will feature step-by-step guided video lessons for two songs from the special – See You at the Finish Line and Before Us. The lessons will be taught by Fender Play instructors Abby Hwong and Sydney Ellen.

Just as with any typical Fender Play lesson, students can learn the Barbie Collection songs at their own pace, with the ability to pause, rewind and track their progress.

Jones added that Fender is also open to working with other, similar brands "to further support young, aspiring players and women in music.”