NICK CANNON TO HOST NICKELODEON’S LIP SYNC BATTLE SHORTIES
SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION JOJO SIWA TAPPED AS CANNON’S SIDEKICK
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BURBANK–Aug. 1, 2017– Nickelodeon announced today that multi-faceted entertainer Nick Cannon will take the mic as host of Lip Sync Battle Shorties, a spinoff of Spike’s Emmy-nominated global phenomenon, Lip Sync Battle. Joining him to provide commentary on each performance is breakout star and social media sensation JoJo Siwa, who will serve as Cannon’s sidekick. The 10-episode series, which features real-life kids lip-syncing pop songs in celebration of their favorite artists, will premiere in early 2018, with Halloween and holiday specials set to air later this year.
Photo: Buchan/Variety/REX/Shutterstock
“I'm excited to host the first season of Lip Sync Battle Shorties. It’s always a pleasure to work with my family at Nickelodeon. It's going to be a lot of fun watching the kids lip-sync their favorite songs and perform like their favorites artists,” said host Nick Cannon.
“Nick Cannon grew up on Nickelodeon and into one of the best hosts and comedic actors on TV. Along with his passion for music, he brings with him such an amazing understanding and enthusiasm for kid performers. We feel very lucky to have Nick at the helm of Shorties, we're ready to rock!,” said executive producers Casey Patterson and Jay Peterson.
“With Nick Cannon at the helm, every episode of Lip Sync Battle Shorties will be an over-the-top Nickelodeon event, with real kids in the driver’s seat, battling head-to-head in the ultimate competition show,” said Bronwen O’Keefe, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Live Action and Movies.
Nickelodeon premiered an hour-long Lip Sync Battle Shorties special in December 2016, which posted double-and triple digit gains with kids and drew more than two million total viewers (Live+7). Content from the special has garnered over 20 million views on Nickelodeon’s YouTube channel to date.
Created and executive produced by Casey Patterson Entertainment and Matador Content, Lip Sync Battle Shorties lets three talented real-life kid participants personalize their performances, allowing them to make decisions on all creative elements, from song and costume selection, to choreography and staging. Each episode will also feature the Shorties Dance Crew, a 10-person, in-house backup crew who has mastered all styles of dance from breakdancing to ballroom, and conclude with a special celebrity appearance and final performance from all the kids.
Based on the pop culture phenomenon of lip-sync battling, the original Spike Lip Sync Battle series features celebrities going head to head--lip-syncing the song of their choice--battling for the coolest bragging rights on the planet. The series is a ratings and multiplatform superstar for Spike and is the most-watched original series in the network’s history. The award-winning and Emmy-nominated series is executive produced by Casey Patterson, Jay Peterson of Matador Content, John Krasinski, Stephen Merchant and Eight Million Plus Productions. James Sunderland will serve as executive producer and showrunner.
Nick Cannon has entertained audiences in film, on television, on record, onstage and online for nearly 20 years. The talented artist continues to dominate all facets of entertainment as a comedian, host, actor, writer, director, executive producer, deejay, philanthropist and children’s book author.
Breakout-star and social media sensation JoJo Siwa inked an overall talent agreement with Nickelodeon, a global consumer products program and will star in her upcoming TV special, JoJo Siwa: My World, airing on Nickelodeon on Aug. 12, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).
The two-time Emmy®-nominated Lip Sync Battle on Spike TV is a global multiplatform powerhouse than can be seen in over 140 countries worldwide. The critically-acclaimed series has delivered over one billion cross-platform views since launch, over two million YouTube Channel subscribers, over two million fans on Facebook, and is the most watched original series in Spike history.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 38th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids’ basic cable network for 22 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA,VIAB).
Also, via Billboard:
Nick Cannon on New Nickelodeon Series 'Lip Sync Battle Shorties': 'It's All About the Kids'
Perpetual kid at heart Nick Cannon will take the mic as host of Nickelodeon’s just-announced Lip Sync Battle Shorties, a spin-off of sister network Spike’s Lip Sync Battle series, and Cannon tells Billboard working with the young performers is what excites him the most.
"It's all about the kids. To be able to tap into these young people who are obviously beyond talented and have just bounds of energy… I feel like you just kind of turn on the camera and let them do their thing," he says.
The 10-episode series, which features kids lip-syncing pop songs, will premiere in early 2018, with Halloween and holiday specials set to air later this year. Joining Cannon to provide commentary on each performance is 14-year-old social media maven JoJo Siwa.
Cannon has a long history with Nickelodeon, starting on All That back in 1999 as a teenager and serving as host of the network's Halo Awards and currently as chairman of TeenNick and a creative consultant. This is certainly not Cannon's first hosting rodeo either: He's been in the judge's seat on series including NBC's America's Got Talent and Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon and MTV improv series Wild N Out. Although he recognizes the airwaves are rife with music shows, he says there's room for all.
"I do feel like there are some similarities among some of the shows, but it’s all in perspective. Each network has their vision, and everyone really feels like there's enough room to play. We've seen the Idols, the Got Talents, the Voices, and now we're seeing the Lip Sync Battles. We can have Wild N Out and [new TBS series] Drop the Mic," he says. "Audiences can see people display their talent -- that’s ultimately what entertainment is about. You can take it all the way back to the vaudeville days and Ed Sullivan. People just love to see talented people onstage."
Cannon is also putting his own music center stage. He tells Billboard he’s about to start shooting the video for single "Dream Girl," featuring Jeremih, Quavo and Ty Money. "It’s not going to be the typical just guys in a club standing around a bunch of pretty girls," he teases. "Being able to direct, I like getting a little creative and use my music videos as places to explore and do different things."
The video is slated to drop in September, Cannon says, around the time Republic will release Model Music, Cannon’s latest project, which he describes as a mixtape of songs "that will make every woman feel like a supermodel."
Timed to coincide with New York Fashion Week, "It’s really like a laid-back vibe," Cannon says. "I wanted to build a body of work where I can just inspire women and make everybody feel good when they listen."
--Ends--
More Nick: Jace Norman, JoJo Siwa and Daniella Perkins to Star in New Nickelodeon TV Movie "Inside Voice"!
Additional source: Variety.
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