NICKELODEON UNVEILS FIRST ORIGINAL ANIMATED SERIES FOR YOUTUBE, KID COWBOY
Created by Grammy and Golden Globe Nominated Songwriter Freddy Wexler, Kid Cowboy is Set to Debut Friday, Jan. 24
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HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Jan. 24, 2025 -- Preschoolers will saddle up for a wild ride as Nickelodeon unveils Kid Cowboy, its first original animated series for YouTube, centering on a guitar-playing kid hero who champions for justice in a futuristic world. Debuting Friday, Jan. 24, on Nickelodeon's Blaze and the Monster Machines YouTube channel, the music-driven, Spanish language-infused series is produced by Nickelodeon Unscripted & Digital Studio, created by Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated songwriter and producer Freddy Wexler, and executive produced by Wexler and 19-time Grammy Award winner Emilio Estefan. Kid Cowboy marks Nickelodeon's first original animated series specially developed for YouTube, with new content rolling out regularly across the brand's ecosystem of preschool channels, which are designated as Made for Kids on the platform.
Kid Cowboy follows the escapades of the title character, as he keeps watch over the diverse, futuristic kid world of Esperanza, fighting for good in the name of The Cowboy Code--Be Brave! Be Kind! Be True! Riding his mechanical flying Robohorse Sundance, alongside his mejor amiga (best friend) Luna, Kid is always ready to save the day. Through the use of immersive Spanish language and interactive play-along adventures, Kid Cowboy invites preschoolers to use critical thinking and solve missions alongside Kid and Luna. The dynamic duo shines as a team, collaborating and supporting each other while they stand up for what's right.
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"Over the past five years, we have invested to build one of the strongest and largest YouTube networks in the industry. While this allows us to support our iconic franchises, it also allows us to introduce new IP where the largest share of kids are," said Ashley Kaplan, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Unscripted & Digital Franchise Studio. "We are excited to partner with visionary creator Freddy Wexler to bring the vibrant, musical world of Kid Cowboy to life--launching a new era of characters and content that resonates deeply with the next generation of kids across the globe."
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"Kid Cowboy is a futuristic playground of flying robo-horses, incredible music, and a cast of kids as diverse and dynamic as the stories they're living," said Wexler. "The move to premiere it on YouTube signals a strategic pivot to meet audiences where they are—on digital-first platforms—while setting a new standard for how franchises are born. Kid Cowboy isn't just a show; it's a reimagining of cowboy culture and a new blueprint for how kids' entertainment can evolve in a world dominated by streaming and short-form content."
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"Growing up, I never saw kids like me in Westerns, and this series changes that," said Estefan. "Through the adventures of Kid and Luna, I hope children everywhere see themselves reflected on screen, while also learning the values of bravery, kindness, and staying true to themselves. I was so happy when Freddy called me to be a part of this incredible experience."
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Kid Cowboy is produced by Nickelodeon Unscripted & Digital Studio and created by Freddy Wexler. Wexler and 19-time Grammy Award winner Emilio Estefan serve as executive producers and principal composers. Production for the Nickelodeon Unscripted & Digital Studio is overseen by Ashley Kaplan, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Unscripted & Digital Franchise Studio; Eliza Hart, Vice President, Preschool Development; Marc Cantone, Vice President, Preschool Digital Content; and Kyle Cushman, Senior Vice President, Strategy.
ABOUT FREDDY WEXLER
Freddy Wexler is a visionary storyteller at the intersection of music, film, television, and other media. A Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated songwriter and producer with 11 Billboard #1s, Wexler's work includes hit songs recorded by global superstars like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, BlackPink, Billy Joel, Post Malone, Robbie Williams, Selena Gomez, Rosé, Demi Lovato, Tiesto, Avicii, Martin Garrix, and the Jonas Brothers, as well as groundbreaking projects in film, TV, animation, and theater. Kid Cowboy joins his growing multi-media slate, which includes the previously announced Coach Keith (Orion/Amazon), Soul Superhero (Westbrook), Grace (Disney), and Everett Green (Random House). With Kid Cowboy, Wexler once again showcases his ability to create music-driven franchises that inspire, entertain, and leave a lasting impact.
ABOUT EMILIO ESTEFAN
Emilio Estefan is a world-renowned music, television, and film producer who has been instrumental in shaping, developing, and directing the careers of his superstar wife, Gloria, as well as Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and Jon Secada, among many others. A Cuban immigrant, he is the recipient of 19 Grammy Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He's written music for some of the most iconic film soundtracks, including The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, and Evita. He's produced the Super Bowl Halftime Show, the Kennedy Center Awards, and the Latin Grammy's, which he helped create. He is Executive Producer of the Tony-Award nominated smash Broadway musical, On Your Feet! Most recently, the Library of Congress honored Emilio and Gloria with the distinguished Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. According to NPR, "the Estefans are the Jay and Bey of Latin music."
ABOUT NICKELODEON UNSCRIPTED & DIGITAL STUDIO
Nickelodeon Unscripted & Digital Studio runs one of the largest kids networks on YouTube. Across more than 50 channels with content in over 15 languages, the platform brings Nickelodeon's original franchises and characters to kids across the world. Boasting more than two billion views and 20 billion minutes of watch time each month in 2024, the award-winning studio not only celebrates Nickelodeon's iconic franchises, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and PAW Patrol, it also brings new IP to its massive audience of more than 200 million subscribers. In addition to its focus on YouTube, the studio produces award-winning podcasts, such as Nickelodeon's Goodnight Bedtime Stories and Dora's Recipe for Adventure.
ABOUT NICKELODEON
Nickelodeon, now in its 45th 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 is a part of Paramount's (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment brands.
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Kid Cowboy will launch on Nick’s Blaze and the Monster Machines YouTube channel. Should it prove successful, it would spin off into its own channel, said Ashley Kaplan, executive vp of Nickelodeon Unscripted & Digital Franchise Studio. Though Kid Cowboy initially came through Nickelodeon’s traditional development system, it eventually became the first original animated series for YouTube — which, Kaplan notes, is the prime destination for kids viewing.
“Ninety percent of all kids are on [YouTube]. It has 60 to 70 percent more reach among kids than Netflix does. Kids spend 80 minutes a day watching content there, and its influence on the biggest IP is super clear,” Kaplan told The Hollywood Reporter. “It probably has the most critical role in how kids discover shows, brands, toys, music, culture. [Paramount co-CEO and Nickelodeon chief Brian Robbins], to his credit, understood this, and he brought me here back in 2019. Since then, my team and I have worked to build out the largest YouTube network out of any kids media company.”
That network includes 53 channels with more than 200 million combined subscribers, and videos that play in more than a dozen languages. “We really focus on channels organized by genre, audience, IP,” Kaplan said. “It’s designed to help keep our biggest franchises — SpongeBob, Paw Patrol, Blaze — winning with the algorithm, while also using the flywheel to introduce new IP and lay the groundwork for the future.”
Starting Kid Cowboy on the Blaze channel (which has 6 million subscribers), Kaplan said, makes sense because both shows feature play-along adventures for their target viewers that encourage them to solve problems alongside the characters. Kid Cowboy also features some Spanish dialogue, a la Nick’s long-running Dora.
Launching the series on YouTube makes sense because of the viewing habits for Kid Cowboy’s target audience, but Kaplan sees the platform as a starting point, not the destination. Several other YouTube-first series — some based on original ideas and some on existing IP “that we still think is awesome,” as Kaplan put it — are due to roll out later in the year.
“Ultimately, our goal is not to just build large YouTube channels. It’s to build the next big kids’ franchise,” Kaplan said. “It starts on YouTube, but it goes beyond that to long form, possibly even theatrical, and into toys. I’m excited that in success, we could partner with our studio, Paramount Pictures, to see Kid Cowboy come to life in long form. That’s the dream.”
Original post:
....Nickelodeon is set to launch Kid Cowboy, a brand new short-form CG-animated Nick Jr. digital series for preschoolers!
Infused with a Latin design, Kid Cowboy follows the adventures of Kid and Luna, who are always ready to race to the rescue at the speed of light, riding their robohorses to fight evil forces. Whenever they get a cowboy call, they'll save the day the cowboy way!
The first episode of Kid Cowboy is set to premiere on Friday, January 24 on Nickelodeon's official Blaze and the Monster Machines YouTube channel.
Kid Cowboy is the second new short-form educational series for preschoolers Nickelodeon has launched this week, following Barnyard Daycare on Wednesday, January 22.
In the series premiere, "Guess the Gadget #1", Kid and Luna got a cowboy call and they're on a mission to rescue baby armadillos! Viewers are invited to help them choose the right gadget to break up BIG rocks, wrangle a rattlesnake, and more. Watch Kid and Luna race to the rescue and save these baby armadillos, the cowboy way!
Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
Shop Nickelodeon on the official Paramount Shop!
More Nick: Nickelodeon Reimagines 'The Backyardigans'!
Originally published: January 24, 2025 at 02:38 GMT.
Official Nickelodeon press release courtesy of PR Newswire; Update H/T: BroadwayWorld.
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