Nickelodeon Inks Deal with Scooter Braun's SB Projects for 'The BeatBuds' Animated Preschool Series

NICKELODEON INKS DEAL WITH SCOOTER BRAUN’S SB PROJECTS

FOR THE BEATBUDS ANIMATED PRESCHOOL SERIES

Share it: @NickJr #TheBeatBuds

BURBANK, Calif.–April 9, 2020–Nickelodeon has inked a deal with Scooter Braun’s SB Projects to bring the musical stylings of The BeatBuds to TV with a brand-new animated preschool series based on the popular kids’ music duo. Each episode of The BeatBuds (working title) will follow the musical adventures of Jonny, Matty and the rest of the ‘Buds, and feature an original song. Written by Evan Sinclair (Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, The Aquabats! Super Show!), The BeatBuds short-form series (10 episodes) will begin production this summer and premiere on Nickelodeon’s preschool platforms in 2021.

“My young daughter’s love for The BeatBuds turned me into a bona fide super fan, and now they’re pretty much our whole family’s go-to soundtrack,” said Brian Robbins, President, Kids & Family Entertainment, ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks. “I’m really happy to be working with Scooter Braun to bring them to Nickelodeon for a series that our audience is going to totally love.”

“The BeatBuds are all my kids listen to and from the first time I saw them perform at a birthday party, I knew they could become one of the biggest kids acts,” said SB Projects founder and Executive Producer Scooter Braun. “This is going to be a really fun show the entire family can enjoy together, soon everyone will be singing along to The BeatBuds songs.”

Jonathan Jonah and Matthew Shapiro, the performance duo who created The BeatBuds in 2012 added, "Energizing families through music is what The BeatBuds is all about. We have created a community like no other in which kids and parents are truly connected to us and our music. When we got the chance to create an animated series with Nickelodeon and Scooter, our excitement soared because we can bring The BeatBuds to the world. Let’s jam!"

Formed in 2012, the BeatBuds are best friends and musical partners Jonathan Jonah and Matthew Shapiro, who have been playing together since the age of six. Their energetic shows aim to introduce young kids to the “to the pure joy and educational benefits of music.” Their modern, almost indie-rock sound also resonates with adults. Among their toddler-approved hits are the songs “Gravity,” “Sam the Garbage Man” and “When the Rain Falls Down.” The duo count Kim Kardashian West, Pink, Fergie and Braun among their famous fans.

The BeatBuds is executive produced by Scooter Braun and Scott Manson on behalf of SB Projects. Production of The BeatBuds for Nickelodeon is overseen by Eryk Casemiro, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Preschool.

The BeatBuds joins a list of upcoming shows at Nickelodeon that also includes SpongeBob SquarePants prequel Kamp Koral, animated series Big Nate and live-action shows Side Hustle and The Astronauts.


The series order comes as Nickelodeon is experiencing a ratings surge. Networks, overall, have seen higher ratings due to more people staying in due to the coronavirus quarantine. Since mid-March (3/16), the preschool block on Nickelodeon is up 23% vs. prior four weeks and ahead of year ago levels by +7% among preschoolers. Nick Jr. is up 20% with K2-5 from the previous four weeks; March was the highest-rated month among preschoolers since March 2019.

About The BeatBuds

Best friends and musical partners since the age of six, Jonathan Jonah and Matthew Shapiro, a.k.a. Jonny Jingles and Matty Maracas, are The BeatBuds. Their mission is to create and perform rockin’ children’s music designed for the whole family to enjoy. Through educationally based, catchy tunes and an interactive music experience, the ‘Buds seamlessly entertain, educate, and bring families together to create memories that last a lifetime.

About SB Projects

Founded by Scooter Braun, SB Projects is a diversified entertainment and media company with ventures at the intersection of music, film, technology, brands, culture, and social good. In addition to managing a roster of some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, J. Balvin, Idina Minzel, Demi Lovato, Ashley Graham and Tori Kelly, SB Projects has grown their film and television division to include a robust slate of projects including the “Dave” for FXX/Hulu, CBS’ “Scorpion,” “The Giver,” and “Never Say Never,” which remains one of the highest grossing music documentaries in domestic box-office history. The company also has several projects in active development including "Anna K" for HBOMax, an untitled K-Pop film for Fox, and "A Taste of Power,” among many others. In addition, SB Projects recently signed a multi-year, first-look television deal with Amazon Studios to develop scripted and unscripted projects.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st 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 brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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The BeatBuds are following in the footsteps of other fan-favorite family bands such as The Wiggles and I see them having the same sort of success with all the merchandise.

Once the BeatBuds comes to Nick Jr. what sort of merchandise do you think will come out? I see all sorts of BeatBuds toys including plush characters, playsets, albums, sheets, clothing and all sorts of licensing deals. Looking forward to getting a taste of the BeatBuds in 2021!

From BSCkids:

The BeatBuds Talk Nickelodeon Series And More – Exclusive Interview

There is a lot of buzz around The BeatBuds and their upcoming animated show on Nickelodeon and we got the opportunity to speak to them in an exclusive interview. Both Jonny and Matty are super talented and this show is going to be a HUGE hit.

Beloved by a large and devoted fan-base of Los Angeles area families – including an impressive list of celebrities who have invited them into their homes for birthday parties and music classes – The BeatBuds look forward to starring in their own animated preschool series on Nickelodeon, with production set to begin this summer and a 2021 premiere planned.

BSKids: How did you both meet and did you both know you were destined for music at an early age?

Jonny: Matty and I met when we were 6 years old and became instant friends. Our initial bond had nothing to do with music. We were just two kids who had a lot of fun together. We lived nearby, and in those days, by the time we were 11 we were skating to each other’s houses and hanging out on our own. I found my instrument first, picking up guitar at an early age, around 6. Matty and I used to perform in school talent shows together, playing on tennis rackets instead of real instruments sometimes. We loved music. Both our families were big into music, from classical to rock. Matty chose drums at about 12 years old, and we found a spot in the basement to jam together. We probably played “Knocking On Heaven’s Door” for about 5 hours straight that first day without coming up for a drink or food. From there, we developed a musical bond separate from our bond as best friends, which just strengthened the friendship we already had and added a whole new level to it. Together, we accomplished so many of our musical goals together and got to fulfill dreams that so few ever get to experience with their best friends … touring relentlessly and seeing this great country together as we earned a career playing music. And here we are today, with families and kids of our own, still doing it, in a slightly different lane, and loving it all the same. We’re very lucky.

When did the idea for The BeatBuds happen and was it an idea you both agreed on right away?

Jonny: The idea came about organically but it wasn’t something that happened intentionally, either. Matty wasn’t touring with the band we had started together anymore because he was busy being a dad and husband and supporting his family in a more traditional career path in the work force, but he was still my most trusted musical confidant when it came to writing and recording for that band, regardless of the fact that he no longer played in it. He was also recovering from a severe back injury at that time and playing Mr. Mom to his then 6 month old daughter, and taking her to different classes like gym, music, etc. He’d stop by my home studio, sometimes with his daughter, where I’d be recording or hanging out with my nephews who were just a bit older than her at that time. We’d all play the instruments in the studio, record the kids’ voices, and just have fun with music. One day, Matty played me some of the music from the music class he was taking with his daughter. Sadly, I wasn’t very impressed. My sister then brought in the CD from the music class that her kids were involved in. Again, I wasn’t very enthusiastic about what I was hearing. Matty and I had a moment … we decided to make some music that the kids AND we adults could enjoy listening to AND creating, together. We had no intentions of birthing The BeatBuds at that time. All we set out to do was to have some fun and make some music with our families that we liked a little more than what was currently available to them. So we did. In the weeks that followed, my sister asked me to burn 10 CDs for her friends. Then Matt’s wife asked me to burn another 10 for their friends. Word started to spread, and Matty saw an opportunity. He asked me if I’d co-write and record some more songs, and I agreed. We still didn’t have a name or any real intentions, although I think Matt’s wheels were starting to turn. By this time we had 7 songs, and they were starting to circulate around the community. I remember leaving on tour for Europe with the band and coming home after 7 weeks away and having 20 messages from Matty. At that time, I used to just put my phone off until I got back to the States and catch up on messages when I returned home. All 20 messages were regarding a birthday party. I called Matty back from my layover at JFK and told him that I had just gotten done playing festivals throughout Europe for crowds of 5-10,000 people, and there was little chance I was interested in performing at a birthday party. After some coaxing from my best bud, he got me to agree. We played the party a few weeks later as a two-piece, after figuring out how to make these songs rock and what the approach would be to keep the kids entertained. We were a hit! Before we left the birthday party we had 3 more inquiries, but we still didn’t have a name! I wasn’t sure this was a career move for me because I was focused on rock ‘n roll, but Matty was ready for a transition. As I said, he was coming off of a pretty major back injury and needed to pivot his career. I’m not sure that he saw this as a new career, but I do know that he saw an opportunity outside of just creating some rockin’ songs that we could potentially make a few bucks on. One thing was undeniable, and that was the fact that there was a desire from the public for what we were doing. We wrote another 3 songs and came up with a name … The BeatBuds. We threw together a quick website selling the album and listing our birthday availability, and we were off to the races. Our weekends booked up pretty quickly, and before we knew it we had a full time business on our hands. Matty embraced it. I was a bit reluctant at first, but I was ready for a chang,e too. Plus, I got to make music and hang out with my best bud again every single day … what could be better?

When did you feel like this could be a real success story?

Jonny: Our story is still being written, and we’re excited to see what the next chapters have in store for us. But we can definitely say that we noticed things starting to take off when one birthday turned into two, then three, then four … and before we knew it we had more than we could handle for just the two of us. So we started to hire other musicians to help meet the demand. I’d go perform with a drummer, and Matty would go perform with a guitar player. We then brought on even more musicians to help meet the demand. Prior to the stay-home mandate due to the coronavirus, the business was fulfilling upwards of 100 shows each month. So we don’t know if that’s a success story or not, but we do know that people were/are connecting to the music. We get a lot of emails from parents that say, “After I drop the kids off at school I leave the BeatBuds music playing in the car on the way home.” That’s our favorite compliment because it shows us that we did what we set out to do, which was to make true family music that everyone in the family can enjoy, not just the kids. To us, that’s a success in itself.

How did you meet Scooter Braun and then get the pitch for the show on Nickelodeon?

Matty: We met Scooter because he and his kids were fans of the music. He approached us and told us how much he appreciated what we did, and told us that on many occasions our music helped soothe his son in difficult times. And he said, as a father, he really appreciated that, and it earned us some free advice if we ever wanted it. Well, the time came and we wanted it! Our relationship with him continued to develop over time because he was a client. We performed for his son’s birthday, and they were involved in one of our in-home jam session weekly classes. He knew we saw a bigger picture, and Scooter ALWAYS sees a bigger picture … our visions aligned, and he proposed a partnership. It all made sense and we went for it!

The Nickelodeon pitch is something we always saw as part of the brand’s bigger picture. We always saw an animated Jonny and Matty telling our story of friendship and music through our songs, using music as a vehicle to educate and entertain. Scooter and Nickelodeon are helping make that a reality. For us to be surrounded by such a fantastic team, makes us so happy! We can’t wait for everyone to see this show on Nickelodeon!

What has been your favorite fan interaction story?

Jonny: My favorite story is meeting Henry Winkler, “The Fonz.” We’ve been lucky and have performed for a lot of celebrity clientele, but I had no idea we were walking into The Fonz’s home for that particular ongoing weekly gig. We rang the bell, and when he opened it, I was so taken aback, the only thing that came to my mind to say was….. “Ayyyyyyyy!” I felt pretty foolish, but he was the most welcoming, kindest, sweetest man. He and his family were just so warm. It got to the point where, after a few weeks of our ongoing class there, we could go through their fridge for Cokes and candy without having to ask permission. What an amazing family!

Matty: One of my favorite stories is when we were getting ready to perform one of our many fun birthday parties, and we walked into the house to set up, and it’s literally dressed up like a top notch rock ‘n roll club inside. We are not just talkin’ a mini-stage and a backdrop, we‘re talking a full-on stage, BeatBuds banner, sound system, merch booth (homemade), backstage passes, craft services, and a totally rock ‘n roll, BeatBuds gear-decked-out mom, dad, and child. I’ve played some pretty nerve racking show scenarios in my past musical life but I’ve never been so nervous!! We all rocked out together, and it was killer! This is just one example that really stands out in my mind of our committed fans, but the point is that so many of our fans feel such a strong connection to us, as we do to them. Obviously, how far they can take it in a party planning sense is pretty amazing, but what’s really happening here is a true love and support of The BeatBuds. I couldn’t ask for anything more than that.

What are each of your favorite songs you have performed and why? What days theme do you enjoy the most?

Jonny: My favorite song to perform is “Get Outside and Rock” from our Vol. 3 album because it’s not far off from the style and sound of what we used to do in our rock band together. It brings me back to being on stage with Matty as a teenager at The House of Blues on the Sunset Strip playing for a sold-out crowd. My favorite day on our YouTube Live show is Fan Friday because I love the fan voting aspect where the fans decide what song we play, and we have to be on our toes and ready to play whatever song they choose.

Matty: I have to agree with Jonny on both. Fan Friday is the most interactive part of our show and interactivity has always been one of The BeatBuds’ most important characteristics.

What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you?

Matty: We’re both music students with music degrees and a background in music education. People may also be surprised to know that Jonny was an accomplished athlete and played professionally overseas just before hitting the road with Matty in the rock band and chasing that dream.

What has been the funniest mess up either live or while recording?

Matty: On our YouTube Live show our internet connection went out one time, and we just kept going for about 20 minutes, not knowing that nobody was watching. Hahahaha!

Would you say that The Wiggles were and influence at all and if so what song would you love to perform with them?

Jonny: To be completely honest, and this might be sacrilegious to say in the children’s space, we couldn’t tell you a single Wiggles song. And that’s not to be insulting or disrespectful of the hard work they put in or the talent they had, we simply never thought we’d find ourselves in this genre and landed here kind of by accident. We wrote music for our families, and we wrote the music we wanted to hear and perform for ourselves. We weren’t influenced by anyone or anything, we just kind of did what we wanted to do. That’s not to say that The Wiggles aren’t great, because they obviously have the track record to prove that they are, but I haven’t ever heard them. We’re just out here doing The BeatBuds thing, and now we’re at the point where I don’t want to focus on what anyone else is doing because I don’t want to be influenced. I feel like we have been able to carve our own path and for whatever reason, make a connection with kids and parents, and I want to continue doing that without any interference from outside influence. We’ve obviously had many influences musically that contribute to what we do. I grew up on Elvis Presley and a healthy dose of rock ‘n roll. Influence is a great thing. But from a children’s music standpoint, we haven’t been exposed to very much to have had any influence to begin with, which might be one of the reasons we’re unique in this space, so we want to try to continue on that path and blaze our own trail in this genre if we’re fortunate enough to do so.

We all know that Beatbuds toys will be coming soon, what will that mean to you and which sort of toy of your show are you looking forward to seeing?

Jonny: This is exciting, and for me, I can’t wait to see a mini Power Wheels car modeled after our song “Racer 1.” That would be awesome!

Why should we all be excited to see the animated television show from a parent end and the childrens side?

Jonny & Matty: Our show is going to educate, entertain, and be unique in so many ways, but it’s also going to be music-centric, based on our songs and music, and that’s what’s so exciting for BeatBuds fans, because that’s what they’ve connected with the most. Outside of that, we’re two best friends making new friends through the power of music. It’s a beautiful story in real life, and animated!

Big thanks to both Jonny and Matty for taking the time out of their schedule to talk to us about The BeatBuds.

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From Moms:

Exclusive: The BeatBuds Are The Band For Kids...& You May Find Yourself Jamming Too!

Matty and Jonny are two dads who love music. They became the BeatBuds to entertain kids and their parents with music both will like.

Sometimes listening to your kid's music can be torture but not when it's The BeatBuds! This rock duo is made up of some cool dads who cater to kids and their parents' musical needs.

Matthew Shapiro and Jonathan Jonah have been best friends since they were kids and have loved music their whole lives. They've been playing together for decades and even did the whole touring with a band lifestyle when they were younger. Life knocked on the door, and these two began to settle down and found a new audience: children. What makes their music different is that its rock and roll that appeals to parents too. The music has an indie feel.

They don't play just the typical happy kid songs. Their music has rhythm and they write it themselves so they're mostly playing original music which is a nice change. Currently, The BeatBuds are doing weekly YouTube Live videos to entertain kids stuck at home. Soon enough though, we'll be able to watch them at home on TV. The BeatBuds will have an animated TV show on Nickelodeon that will begin airing in 2021.

We talked to both BeatBuds, Matty and Jonny, about their band, music history, what led them to children's music, and how they found success.

Moms (M): Who are The BeatBuds? Tell us about yourselves and how you met?

BeatBuds Matty (BBM): The BeatBuds are me, Matthew Shapiro (a.k.a. Matty Maracas), and Jonathan Jonah a.k.a. Jonny Jingles. We are two best friends since the age of 6 who met in school right next to a chalkboard and the bookshelf:). We had fun then, and we are still having fun today. Our early childhood consisted of a strong best friendship involving countless sleepovers, talent show performances, skateboard and bike tricks, family trips, and listening to loud music on the big stereo systems that both our dads had. I think it was the pulsing beat, the catchy melodies, and the visuals on the tape and CD artwork that always captivated us.

Soon enough we were playing our own instruments, Jonny on guitar, and myself on the drums, jamming in our living rooms and basements. From then on, we couldn’t be stopped as we had, together, found the one thing that made us complete: rocking out and rocking out together. Through years of band personnel changes and different incarnations, we stuck together and experienced some special moments as best friends and as bandmates. This connection is certainly what has led us to this point today.

(M): How long have you been around? How did the group form and what was the goal?

BBM: The BeatBuds have been around since 2012, but our business didn’t start making some real noise until late 2013. The BeatBuds was not a planned endeavor nor was it something we thought was in our future, although looking at it now, our background is the perfect fit. After years of rigorous band life and constant performing and touring throughout our 20s, it became harder for us to realize the personal goals we had started to set for ourselves as adults.

Marriage, raising a family, and the desire for stability is tough to attain while touring in a rock band. As we briefly parted ways to tend to these growing desires, our musical connection, and best friendship stayed strong. But a unique set of circumstances including a severe back injury, some unexpected time off, and some “family” time occurred within a short period that brought us back together musically in a more powerful way than ever before. It was my then-infant daughter and Jonny’s young nephews who inspired a new path for us, just as we were ready for a change in our lives. Playing “Mr. Mom” for a year as I rehabbed, taking various early age music classes, and Uncle Jonny’s cherished time with his then-early age nephews, put us in similar positions as we enjoyed the process of nurturing and enriching the children in our lives through music.

With our own extensive experience in music, our desire to have fun with each other and our kids, and our drive to expand upon the children’s music we had been hearing at the time, the immediate goal was to write a few songs for the kids we loved that we could legitimately enjoy with them. We had a blast recording three original songs, and, in a very interactive approach, incorporating Jonny’s nephew’s voices into the tracks to make them as personal as possible.

Without intent, word got out, and the songs circulated fast throughout our tight-knit community, garnering a positive response from both parents and kids. Families then demanded more music from us, and in classic band fashion we “finished the record.” Shortly after, we were asked to perform the songs at a child’s birthday party, and after convincing Jonny it was the right move for us, The BeatBuds became a real band. Reluctant to get a “band,” in the traditional sense, together to perform these songs, we wanted to keep The BeatBuds a duo as a celebration of what we created together, a personnel dynamic that’s as tight as can be, and an instrumental approach that emits simplicity and accessibility for our early age audience.

But logically, we knew that in order for these songs to come to life in a live setting we needed some help. We came up with the idea of making the kids the third member of the band by providing them with different percussion instruments to play on each song throughout the performance. It worked like a charm. The kids were engaged, the parents were smiling from ear to ear watching their kids play along, and the songs sounded awesome. It was at that moment that we knew what The BeatBuds’ mission was: To fully involve the kids in the music experience so they too can be a Beatbud and realize the joy and benefits of music-making.

M: What age group of kids are The BeatBuds for? Who would enjoy you The BeatBuds most?

BBM: The core demographic of The BeatBuds is kids aged 1 to 6 and their parents, although we do occasionally work with kids both younger and older. This age group is so special because in the scheme of life it’s a very short period, but they are some of the most formative years a child will experience and the time where seeds are planted and solid memories are made that shape their lives moving forward.

We cherish the fact that we are generally the first rock band and rock show the kids get to experience. Our goal is to ship them to the fact that music is a fantastic vehicle for creativity, self-expression, and most importantly having fun.

M: Do you have a musical background and/or training? Have you always liked to perform?

BBM: We were both music students and have music degrees, as well as backgrounds in music education, and we have taken and taught private music lessons. But performing has always been our forte and a passion that has only increased over time. We’ve been performing together since we were super young, participating in talent shows, school assemblies, and “battles of the bands” as young musicians. Since then we have played in nearly every type of venue imaginable in front of anywhere from 50 to 10,000 fans.

We have always enjoyed the thrill and satisfaction of live performance, and most importantly, sharing our music and energy with the fans. The BeatBuds’ live performances are the cornerstone of our brand, performing nearly 1000 shows a month (pre-COVID) with the help of our team members. Currently, performing live is how we truly get to “connect” with the kids and convey The BeatBuds' message of community, creativity, and having fun.

M: What instruments do you play? Did you guys ever play music that wasn’t aimed at children? Do you write your own music?

BBM: Jonny plays guitar, bass, and piano, and I play drums and percussion in The BeatBuds. In our past lives we have played all types of “adult” music and toured nationally and internationally doing so. Interestingly enough, we find it comedically ironic that The BeatBuds music is considered “children’s” music when the level of sophistication that we incorporate into BeatBuds songs is far greater than that of much of the “adult” music we have written and played throughout the years. Haha!

We write all our own music, with the exception of a few cover songs that help us convey our message and are “must-do” children’s songs. Because of our ability to craft a song from the ground up, we truly enjoy the unique process of watching a conceptual idea come to fruition.

M: What is the best part of being a BeatBud?

BeatBuds Jonny (BBJ): This is a tough question because being a BeatBud has changed my life and has affected so many children’s lives, so there so many answers. First and foremost, it gave me an opportunity to play music and be around my childhood best friend on a daily basis again. To be able to do that as a career is priceless. Outside of that, there’s obviously the kids and the lives we’ve touched. When we see the way our music is making a connection with all these kids, it truly moves us. To watch a child who is too young to stand, feel the rhythm and move his or her body to the beat, can’t NOT make you smile and giggle out loud.

And, to see kids who have no inhibitions just let loose and dance to our music and sing at the top of their lungs, is simply inspiring. Music is a universal language, and it crosses socioeconomic boundaries, religion, race, gender, etc. It speaks to people, and especially to children who have no interest in an image or being a part of a scene ... they simply want to be moved by the music. So when we move them, it moves us. Another great thing about being a BeatBud is what we’ve been able to accomplish for parent listeners as well. We set out to write family music, not children’s music. The number one compliment we get is, “After I drop the kids off at school, I leave The Beatbuds playing in the car all the way home,” or, “When my husband and I went out on date night the other night we blasted The Beatbuds all the way to the restaurant.”

To know that we are making music that the entire family can enjoy really makes us happy, because, as fathers and husbands with families of our own, we know how important it is to be able to enjoy enriching things as a family, together. We’re in the business of smiles, and that’s the best part about being a BeatBud.

M: What’s the best thing about performing for little kids?

BBJ: I guess I answered some of this one already, but to further expand on it, kids are the most honest critics there are. They’re not influenced by any of the things that drive pop music for teens and adults like image or popularity or being a part of a scene. Early age children just know if music moves them or if it doesn’t, and, if it does, they can’t help but show you by moving their bodies, or picking up an instrument and playing along, or singing and dancing. On the other hand, if they aren’t moved, they simply walk away.

That’s honesty, and it’s real. I remember all the years of performing music in night clubs and being told by a stranger who was working on his fifth round of shots at the bar that we were the best band he had ever heard, only to ask me what the name of the band was seven times in that same conversation and probably forgetting about us the next morning when the fog wore off.

With kids it’s different. They’re not expressing their joy for our music because they’ve been influenced by anything other than their pure love of what we just performed for them. And to be able to get that kind of pure and real reaction from kids of all walks of life is my favorite thing about performing for kids. And of course, seeing those smiles.

M: Do you have a favorite song to perform? Who writes these new song versions?

BBJ: My favorite song to perform live is a song called: “Get Outside and ROCK!” from our third album, The BeatBuds, Vol. 3. I think I love playing it so much because it’s not too unlike the kind of music Matty and I used to play together when we were rockin’ together as teenagers on the Sunset Strip to a sold-out House of Blues or Roxy Theater. It kind of takes me back to those days of energetic rock ‘n roll with my best bud, and I almost forget that we’re playing kids music.

BBM: I have to agree with Jonny there. “Get Outside and Rock” has an energy that really channels my inner rock sensibilities. I feel at home playing that song because technically it appeals to the drummer in me, but on a conceptual level, I really feel that the message it conveys is very “BeatBuds” and screams our core values. On a stylistic level I feel that song has pushed the boundaries of what a person might think about the sound of children’s music in a general sense.

M: Tell us about your upcoming Nickelodeon show? How and when can we watch it?

BBJ: We’re so thrilled to be bringing an animated BeatBuds show to television! And to do it with Nickelodeon is just the icing on the cake and the cherry on top! The show is going to be very music-centric, and it’s going to highlight adventures of The BeatBuds as we make new friends on our musical journeys. It’s going to be educational, musical, fun, fantastical, and enriching ... and we can’t wait to share it with the world! We’re shooting for a 2021 release if all goes as planned!

M: Where can we see and enjoy you guys now?

BBJ: Right now our music is available wherever you stream your music: iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, you name it, it’s probably there. We also still have physical CDs because we still like listening and owning something tangible, and we believe that there have to be others out there like us, so we offer our CDs online at our website store www.thebeatbuds.com where we also have a bunch of other really cool merchandise from books to DVDs and t-shirts and other fun stuff.

Outside of that, we’re working on building some new content on YouTube and we’ve been doing a live stream show called The BeatBuds Live. Past shows are all archived so people can watch all of the episodes. It’s kind of a variety show of sorts, where we do everything from playing original music to playing cover songs, arts and crafts, interactive voting from the fans in the live chat, to contests and giveaways. It’s a lot of fun! Those shows and lots of videos can be found on our YouTube channel: YouTube.com/TheBeatBuds. And the rest of our social media handles for IG and Facebook are pretty simple to remember, it’s just: @TheBeatBuds

M: Did either of you have children of your own? If so, are they fans, or did having your own influence the group?

BBJ: We’re both dads. Matty has two beautiful little girls, and I have one son. The kids are all big fans and love being kids to BeatBuds dads. I can tell you that my son prefers to play music over doing anything else. Our recording studio is his favorite place in the world. If you give him a choice between five minutes in our recording studio and a day at Disneyland, he’d choose the recording studio. The kids are the barometer for every new song we write. If they like an idea, we roll with it and finish it. If they don’t, we move on to something else.

Being dads to kids who are the exact age of the kids we perform to gives us a unique perspective in the kids’ space. We feel like we have a good idea of what they want to hear and experience. Plus, it’s inspiring because our families are the entire reason we started doing this in the first place ... we were making music for our families, and when we started doing it we had no intentions of it becoming a career. The fact that it has is such a blessing, and Matty and I feel so lucky. We owe that to our kids and our families. They are the entire reason we are where we are today. So, do they influence The BeatBuds? Yeah, you could definitely say they do. We’re all BeatBuds. You too!

Thank you so much Matty and Jonny! Your music is awesome and we cannot wait for your show! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

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From Hollywood Soapbox:

INTERVIEW: The BeatBuds are taking over the world — one song at a time

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year, The BeatBuds, a child-oriented party band that always brings the fun, saw their entire in-person business dry up. Matthew “Matty” Shapiro, the drummer for the outfit who goes by Matty Maracas, and Jonathan “Jonny” Jonah, the guitarist who goes by Jonny Jingles, were having a blast bringing musical enjoyment to children around the Los Angeles area. They were bringing smiles to so many people’s faces, and then the coronavirus … well, took those smiles away.

Never fear, The BeatBuds had an idea. They quickly took to YouTube Live and started offering their energetic and offbeat antics to a global audience, and those audience members — no doubt many children and parents — have responded in kind. These new fans join some of the dedicated celebrities who have shown a liking for The BeatBuds sound: Jimmy Kimmel, Kim Kardashian, Hilary Duff, Jessica Simpson, James Corden, Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake, among others, according to press notes.

This is a big time for Shapiro and Jonah for a number of reasons. As their entertainment star begins to shine for a global audience, they are also gearing for their first-ever television show — and on Nickelodeon, to boot. The preschool series will go into production soon (hopefully), with a target release date in 2021 (again, hopefully).

To tide over fans until that TV show premieres, The BeatBuds are performing live-streamed shows Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. PT on YouTube Live. Audience members can expect songs, scavenger hunts, puppet shows and movement activities.

To celebrate their new online entertainment, Hollywood Soapbox recently chatted with Shapiro and Jonah, who have been lifelong friends and performing together since the age of 6. Here’s what they had to say …

On their decision to offer their entertainment on YouTube Live …

Jonah: “We had this really thriving in-person live business. We were doing upwards of 70-80 performances a month, three-four gigs a day, every single day, six-seven days a week, and when this whole thing hit, it went down to zero instantaneously. And it wasn’t that we were scrambling to figure out what was next, but it was more the fact that we were such a constant in so many children’s lives. We were in their living rooms. We were at their birthday parties. Some of these kids were seeing us two, three, four times a week, and their lives were changed so drastically by this whole thing. And it was so different for them that we really just wanted to give them some sense of normalcy into their lives again and let them know that not everything had to be so drastically different.”

On how The BeatBuds got the virtual programming off the ground …

Jonah: “The intent behind this whole thing was it was never to be an ongoing thing … because initially when schools shut down, it was only supposed to be that week before spring break, and it wasn’t supposed to be this ongoing thing. After that, they announced it was going to be closed down for the year, but when Matt and I decided that we would do this live-stream thing, we were really just doing it as something to give the kids a sense of normalcy into their lives and let them know you can see us, we can be there with you, we can interact with you because this is something that you’ve been doing with us regularly.”

On when they realized they were now reaching a global audience …

Jonah: “When we were doing it, and we were in the throes of doing it, we started to realize that it started to have this national reach, then this global reach, and people started asking us, would you guys be willing to do a virtual birthday for us out here in Australia and on the East Coast in New York and Boston. And it kind of opened a new revenue stream for us that really wasn’t our intent with this whole live-stream show. That’s what it did. It opened up a new revenue stream for us, and we started moving forward on that task.”

On the overall mission of The BeatBuds …

Shapiro: “I think the whole idea for Jonny and I is always to get the music out to as many kids as possible, and here was a situation where everybody was in the same boat. Nobody was working. Nobody had any income. It’s almost like for a split second, we were able to put the money thing and all that aside, and just figure out how we were going to move forward being wholesome people and being parents and what would we want.”

On the inventiveness of live-stream entertainment …

Shapiro: “So here was the opportunity where we could just give all the kids everything that we wanted to give them. Obviously the live-stream is a different type of thing than what we normally would be giving them in their homes, but it was an opportunity to just give it to the world in a sense. And for me that was really fulfilling, and it continues to be fulfilling. Like Jonny said, I see it continuing in some way, just because we found the beauty in it. It wasn’t just a band-aid, although at that moment there was the element of we want to keep normalcy, but we really started to see it as woah, this is the way to give the music to the kids in a more routine type fashion. I felt pretty strongly about giving this to them and not thinking about, hey, that person, their parent had enough money to buy a birthday party, so now we can go as The BeatBuds and rock that kid. Now everybody can get The BeatBuds.”

On the plans for the Nickelodeon show …

Jonah: “We’ve been moving forward with everything with Nickelodeon because as it stands … none of that really takes any in-person manpower. Everything that we’re doing at this stage, it’s writing, it’s scripting, it’s animation. Really we don’t have to be in person for any of that as it is. I don’t think that had COVID not come around I don’t think we really would be sitting in boardrooms doing any of this stuff to begin with. We are trudging forward with that as it is, so we’re still on track. And we’re working on it.”

On the next steps for the TV show …

Jonah: “We’re reading scripts today actually and getting back to writers and our team. We are on track with that, and we’re really excited about it because it’s another way for us to bring our brand to the world. Matty and I always say we’re in the business of smiles, and we really feel that we’ve been able to give this brand on a local level to so many children and make so many children happy on a local level. And we really feel like the world deserves this because we’ve seen how happy it’s made kids locally, and we want to see this happen on a global level.”

[...]

The BeatBuds can be experienced now on YouTube Live. Their Nickelodeon show is slated for some time in 2021. Click here for more information.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Upfront 2020 Roundup!

Originally published: Thursday, April 9, 2020 at 19:46 BST.

H/T: Deadline; Additional sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, The Toy Book, BSCkids.

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