Yo Gabba GabbaLand!, much like its predecessor Yo Gabba Gabba!, incorporates music as a fundamental part of the series. One fun aspect is the wide variety of artists and groups the series attracts. In the upcoming season, acts such as Ziggy Marley, Sleigh Bells, Santigold, and more are set to appear. Recently, we spoke with executive producers and co-creators Scott Schultz and Christian Jacobs about the process of selecting and bringing all the musical performers onto the show.
Both are no stranger to the music scene. Jacobs is the front man to The Aquabats while Schultz has worked behind the scenes with the ska band. They are big fans themselves and appreciate different genres. That’s why when it comes to musical guests, they cast a wide net based off of their big list of performers they have compiled since the original iteration of the series. Then, as Jacobs said, “Usually, with Yo Gabba Gabba, it’s so magic all the time, the right people show up for the right reasons.”
Schultz added, “We’re not leaning on who’s the biggest celebrity power. Who’s the biggest star that has a single now. We’re like, who wants to show up and be here for the kids with their heart and have fun in Yo Gabba GabbaLand!, and the line is around the block if you know what I mean.”
For example, Santigold’s appearance on the show was a long process almost 20 years in the making. “With Santigold, we tried for years to get her on the old show but the timing is just good now because she’s got two pre-schooler boys and they watch the show together and they love the show,” Jacobs said. “She was in her 20s just hitting the scene with her first album when we wanted her to be on the show before but just could never make it work. Now she’s a mom and she’s bringing that energy to the show, and that’s exactly how it works out.”
What’s the secret to creating catchy Yo Gabba GabbaLand! music? Schultz believes it’s in the process between their creative team and the guest artists.
“I would categorize it as extremely, extremely collaborative. So much more than other TV shows, and I think that’s what brings the Gabba magic is that we have the heart of music. We love music.” He continued, “We don’t try to micromanage it. We just offer and we work with great musicians who write pre-school friendly lyrics. And then bands, they just come out of the woodwork. Musicians. Artists. It’s totally collaborative. Everyone kinda leaves their ego at the table and presents for the kids. From my point of view, it’s just magic happening. I’m not forcing it or controlling it.”
Yo Gabba GabbaLand! season two premieres Friday, January 30, on Apple TV+.
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