A new animated series is coming to Netflix this month that celebrates the music of Motown, a style of soul music popularized in the 1960s under Berry Gordy’s record label, Motown Record Corporation.
The animated series, entitled Motown Magic, reimagines Motown music by classic artists such as Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Lionel Richie, The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson. The series features over 50 Motown songs that have been rerecorded by artists such as Ne-Yo, Skylar Grey, and Trombone Shorty.
The official synopsis for Motown Magic posted on Netflix is as follows:
“Imaginative boy Ben transforms his city by bringing colorful street art to life, armed with a magic paintbrush— and the classic sounds of Motown.”
Motown Magic was created by Josh Wakely, who is also known for the Emmy-winning Netflix series Beat Bugs, which is based on music by The Beatles. Smokey Robinson, an executive producer for the series, had this to say about revisiting the classic soul music featured in Motown Magic:
“It’s exciting to see these timeless classics reimagined through extraordinary animation and heartfelt stories while still honoring the roots of the music.”
The official trailer for Netflix’s Motown Magic can be seen here. Motown Magic premieres on Netflix November 20th!