YouTube Originals Kids & Family announces the launch of Behind the Beats, a new animated pop music anthology series produced by TeamTO and 22D Music Group in partnership with France Télévisions. Episodes 1 ‒ 4 will debut on Friday, 18th November on the YouTube Originals channel and the YouTube Kids app.
Behind the Beats (26 x 5’) is an animated series for families that tells the stories of how talented musicians with incredibly different styles came together, revealing the often-unexpected origins of new musical genres. Who knew the beats of these original tunes still reverberate in today’s pop music?! Using funky, dynamic animated storytelling with our lively narrators, the series explores the stories behind movements such as New Wave, Rock’n’Roll, G-Funk, Reggae, Electro Pop and Trap. Episode examples, which feature three songs each, include Punk Meets Disco (how Blondie paved the way to the New Wave) and Gangsta Rap Meets P-Funk (how Snoop Dogg paved the way to G-Funk).
Produced in a modern music video/video game graphic style, Behind the Beats offers more than just a unique point of view on great musical moments – it inspires viewers to explore their own creativity, showcasing how many artists started their careers in unusual ways.
“This new animated musical series from TeamTO hits a sweet spot for family co-viewing, filling a gap for parents who want to watch something together with their kids that they actually will enjoy,” said Craig Hunter, Global Head of Kids & Family Originals for YouTube. “This series has it all, it’s educational, inspiring and just fun to watch for anyone who loves and appreciates music.”
Pierre Siracusa, Director of Youth Programming and Animation, France Télévisions, added, “Behind the Beats tells us about the history of pop music as it has never been told before. It brings together different contemporary music trends, while also bringing together almost every generation. This original French creation will be launched exclusively on france.tv on November 19 and on France Télévisions at the end of the year.”
Corinne Kouper, SVP of Production and Development, TeamTO, commented “When we discovered this project, we dreamed of bringing it to both a local and an international audience, so we are genuinely thrilled to be partnering with both YouTube and France Télévisions. We cannot imagine a better way to launch this series on both digital platforms and public broadcasters, all made possible by the incredible resources and expertise of the 22D Music Group.”
The musical content, including the central, challenging element of clearing artist rights, was led by 22D Music Group.
The theme song is Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards’ iconic “We Are Family,” with its infectious groove and inclusive lyrics, revisited by Yeti Beats in collaboration with Nile Rodgers himself and featuring the timeless flow of Snoop Dogg and vocals by Sheléa so that eras and styles collide to create something new.
Created by Baptiste Jaquemet, Behind the Beats is produced by Corinne Kouper (TeamTO) and Emmanuel Deletang (22D MusicMedia Group). Craig Hunter, Global Head of Kids & Family Originals for YouTube, is creative lead from YouTube on the series with Zoë Di Stefano as creative executive. Creative lead at France Télévisions is Pierre Siracusa.