This browser does not support the Video element.
Megan Piphus Peace's journey to Sesame Street
What started as an internship in March 2020 evolved into a permanent role as the voice of Gabrielle, a 6-year-old, "fun-loving" Black Muppet who likes singing, dancing, animals and nature.
NEW YORK - Sesame Street will return next week for its 55th season, featuring a star-studded lineup of musicians including SZA, Chris Stapleton, Noah Kahan, Reneé Rapp and Samara Joy.
The upcoming season will also focus on lessons in emotional well-being.
When does ‘Sesame Street’ return?
It debuts Jan. 16 on MAX with new episodes releasing every Thursday. "Sesame Street" will also be available on PBS stations and to stream on PBS Kids in the fall.
Who's going to be some of the guests?
No one is more excited than Elmo himself.
"There's a lot to learn from music — yeah, timing and harmonies and melody and different styles and different cultures," the 3 1/2-year-old monster told The Associated Press. "It's really cool! We've got a lot of wonderful people come and do some music with us on ‘Sesame Street,' like Miss Reneé Rapp and SZA! Chris Stapleton, Noah Kahan, Samara Joy — lots of great people!"
RELATED: Actor Steve Guttenberg helped neighbors evacuate from Palisades Fire
Songs double as life lessons on "Sesame Street," from an alt-R&B-pop track about gratitude with SZA to an acoustic number about feelings with Rapp.
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Sesame Street Characters (L-R) Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby attend HBO Premiere of Sesame Street's The Magical Wand Chase at the Metrograph on November 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic …
"SZA is really cool — really talented. And ‘gratitude’ was a new word for Elmo, too. So, Elmo learned all about gratitude with SZA," he said.
"Elmo was feeling really, really happy after his playdate with Miss Reneé. It was a really beautiful song. She's got a great voice and Elmo hopes she comes back soon."
As for the secret to a great "Sesame Street" song? According to Tony - and Grammy-winning composer, producer and "Sesame Street" music director Bill Sherman, its "earworms on earworms."
RELATED: Spotify's Playlist in a Bottle: How to see your 2024 music time capsule
"If the verse is an earworm, so is the chorus. Mostly in pop music, the chorus is the earworm, and the verses are just a bunch of jumble." The difference, he explains, is that pop songs are about three and a half minutes long. Children's music is about a minute and a half. "You only have a very finite amount of time to do what you got to do."
Usually, writers on the show provide Sherman and his team of songwriters with a script and lyrics detailing the lesson of each episode, as well as the name of the musical guest. Then they get to work, composing music true to the genre and spirit of each artist.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Sesame Street's Cookie Monster & Elmo join Cameo Kids
Elmo and Cookie Monster are the first "Sesame Street" characters to join the platform. (Credit: Cameo via PR Newswire)
Those musical guests take different levels of involvement, but the result is always awe-inspiring.
Other highlights from this season include Kahan performing a foot-stomping folk song about music and feelings, Joy using jazz improvisation to teach a lesson in taking turns and a country ode to music and friends courtesy of Stapleton.
"Chris Stapleton really wanted to write his own song," says Sherman, and so the pair hopped on a Zoom and wrote a song together, Stapleton with his guitar in tow, ideas flowing. "It was really one of the most surreal two-hour Zooms that I really ever had in my life."
Joy took a different approach. "Samara Joy insisted on singing live," says Sherman. "It very rarely happens on ‘Sesame Street.’ I can only count, like, a few times. So, there was like Stevie Wonder back in the day, which is a classic. And there’s like Billy Joel, there’s John Legend, there’s a couple people that actually sing live. But Samara insisted on it."
Her reasoning was simple. "She said, ‘Well, this whole episode is about improvisation and thinking on your toes. And so, if it’s prerecorded, that’s the opposite of what we’re trying to teach.’"
Elmo to focus on emotional well-being
If there is a theme that connects all these performances to one another, it's a spirit of connection. At least, that's Elmo's theory: "Elmo thinks that music brings people together, you know? And some people who like some things and some people who like other things can kind of come together because they like the same kind of music. And that's kind of cool!"
There've been no shortage of great musical guests across the show's five decade run. So, who would they like to see pay a visit in the future? "Miss Taylor Swift! Maybe she could revisit her ‘Red’ era?" chimes in Elmo. That's his favorite of her albums.
"But also, Elmo would love to sing with Miss Beyoncé. Destiny's Child was on ‘Sesame Street,’ so Elmo would love to have her back."