My Little Pony is arguably one of popular culture’s most enduring manufacturers, and in 2023, it’s celebrating 40 years of friendship and magic.
Remixed in dimension and coloration after the 1981 My Fairly Pony fell quick in inspiring younger consumers, the My Little Pony model took off with the discharge of some Gen1 ponies in 1983, adopted by TV specials, shorts and animated collection bearing the toy line’s titular title. By the mid- to late-80s, the ponies had turn into a fixture of the youngsters’s media and toy trade.
Within the 4 a long time — and 4 extra pony generations — since, the Hasbro model’s limitless enchantment has led to extra toys, reveals, motion pictures and video games. In consequence, My Little Pony has left an imprint on a number of generations, from the youngsters of the synths-era to right this moment’s present TikTokers.
To assist rejoice that cross-generational enchantment, Jessica Vaughn, head of sync at Venice Music and the founder and president of Head Bitch Music — a full-service music manufacturing home that has labored on collection like Bridgerton, Felony Minds, Melrose Place, FBoy Island, Chucky, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts — has remixed the My Little Pony basic theme for followers younger and older.
Via two EPs that includes greater than 20 mixed remixes, Vaughn — who can also be concerned with Web3 Music Rights Group, a nonprofit centered on honest and equitable licensing agreements and copyrights within the Web3 area — has delivered a collection of thematic spins that aren’t solely on the disposal of Hasbro, however My Little Pony followers the world over.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Vaughn, who’s a singer-songwriter in her personal proper, about crafting music that not solely seize My Little Pony’s steadfast themes of friendship and magic, however pay tribute to its distinctive eras. She additionally discusses making music for manufacturers within the social media age, creating music for younger audiences, and the way Web3 applied sciences and AI are reshaping the trendy music trade.
You launched two EPs in July — a six-track compilation of sped-up and lo-fi remixes and instrumental, in addition to a second 14-track assortment that includes acoustic, ’80s and ’90s remixes. What impressed these?
I’ve been working with Hasbro on and off since 2014. I’ve labored on Jem and the Holograms, the My Little Pony spin-off the Equestria Women, Littlest Pet Store. Any small animal or an animal that turns into an actual lady, I’m your lady. (Laughs.) Hasbro had approached us about serving to with a number of the advertising supplies round My Little Pony. I’m such a fan. I really feel prefer it’s so empowering. It was a present that as a younger little one I actually associated to, so once they requested me to reimagine a number of the songs, I used to be like, “Completely.” The primary EP is all the primary ’80s theme. There’s been totally different iterations of that theme — we’re on Era 5 now — so it’s been by a whole lot of modifications.
It was a very thrilling mission, as a result of we obtained a ton of wonderful feminine creators concerned in addition to the bronies, the producers that we labored with. We obtained to do a ’90s pop model, an ’80s remix. It was simply a whole lot of nostalgic moments, in addition to some fashionable touches. But it surely happened organically. I spoke to the top of music [at Hasbro] and we put our heads collectively to determine what would audiences need to work together with. We had the one theme sped up, as that’s what Gen Z children and youthful need, after which a complete reimagined EP. However we’re going to be performing some extra My Little Pony throughout a whole lot of enjoyable generations.
You have been clearly attempting to faucet into the generational variety of the My Little Pony fan base. How did you discover the suitable sound to characterize these generations?
We talked so much about how we join to every technology of Pony followers. I used to be born within the ’80s, so I actually grew up on the ponies within the ’90s. I’m really the one who’s singing on the ’90s girl-pop model as a result of doing a Britney [Spears] theme is simple having grown up on that. However we didn’t need to alienate newer followers that may not be so conscious of the ’90s and the ’80s. We needed them to even be like, “That is foolish. That is enjoyable. I need to submit about this.” So irrespective of the fashion — clearly we’re catering to that nostalgia — we labored to not alienate those who may need grown up with totally different variations of the ponies, and in addition totally different eras of music.
You’re additionally at all times interested by the mother and father. What I like about Hasbro a lot is that I actually consider they work in a very holistic approach. There are the children, the followers with no children, and there are the mother and father. At any time when I strategy something, whether or not it is sort of a re-imagination of a preexisting catalog music or an authentic music, I strive to consider all of the listeners. I don’t need to depart anybody out as a result of music is meant to resonate with you. It’s alleged to make you’re feeling much less alone. If you happen to’re making one thing that’s alienating, you’re lacking the purpose of this magical universe, for my part.
What would you say makes the My Little Pony theme distinctive? And what components of the unique have been you keen to play with? What would possibly you haven’t needed to alter?
There’s positively motifs within the music. In direction of the top, there are three notes, and we have been actually going forwards and backwards with Hasbro on this. Do we have to hold it? Do we have to lose it? Sure notes are at all times going to be recognizable throughout the board, it doesn’t matter what manufacturers you’re engaged on. Individuals simply affiliate it with that. So that they have been actually adamant about conserving it, and I used to be attempting to make it work inside solely having 30 seconds or solely having 60 seconds. However then additionally with the motif, how are we going to do the ’80s remix with that? Is {that a} guitar half? Is {that a} voice, a synth? There are specific components within the theme, particularly the ’80s theme, which can be so iconic. It’s very child-like, the voices. Clearly, there’s some grownup combine with this high-pitched voice. However you’ll be able to’t inform if it’s like quite a few characters or only one character.
Individuals get actually hooked up to what they develop up with, so when you re-imagine it an excessive amount of, it’s nearly such as you’re taking one thing away from somebody. You must be actually aware about that. The issues that actually make the theme the theme are the motif and all of the friendship and magic. I really feel just like the lyrics are actually necessary, however there are some lyrics that you simply’re like, “Are they dated? Ought to we are saying it?” On the finish of the day, it’s that nostalgia, so we will’t change it. However we will construct upon it. The ponies and the horse and bronie [adult male] followers need to really feel secure. These motifs and the setting is actually necessary to that. So every theme remix whether or not it was ’90s, or ’80s, or acoustic, just about entered in the identical vogue. The manufacturing could change, however the melodies don’t. It’s the strategy to the melody that does. You would possibly change it a technique for the ’90s, however you then’re doing a extra acoustic model, and also you would possibly sing it extra like Taylor Swift. It’s all about the way you interpret the identical materials with out altering it.
My Little Pony debuted in a time when toy strains have been continuously tailored into TV reveals, and earlier than there have been extra restrictions round advertising to kids by the TV. Which might be why these theme songs really feel so catchy — they weren’t simply themes, they have been toy jingles. Do you’re feeling just like the My Little Pony theme embodies jingle components that make it memorable? In that case, what are they?
I work in sync and customized music, so that is one thing I take into consideration day by day. When making a theme, or perhaps a theme that already exists, that should resonate with any individual as an individual, and I truthfully do consider that Hasbro is actually good at this. After I consider My Little Pony, I consider feeling secure, being free, having associates and empowering younger ladies. That naturally lifts their model, the reveals and the flicks as a result of they’re all about that: being unbiased, leaning in your associates and dwelling on this magical world. After which going all the way in which again, all of us grew up on this, so we have already got that inside us. It’s like with any present that you simply watched again within the day. These iconic manufacturers, that’s what they should do with their themes. Irrespective of the theme, irrespective of if they modify the theme. All of it comes from the direct supply of how the preliminary viewers felt. Then they evolve, and that’s how I strategy the music. Some individuals are like, “Youngsters’s music? I don’t have children.” However I used to be a child, so I give it 100%. These are reminiscences that stick with individuals for the remainder of their lives.
As soon as individuals attain a sure age, they’ll transfer and even lose some respect for the music of their childhood reveals. However at an animation-themed Writers Guild picket, the playlist had all these children present songs that weren’t simply recognizable, however danceable. What does it take to make a superb theme for a children present?
There’s at all times a specific amount of finesse, intelligence and silliness. Identical to any TV present theme or something that accompanies music-to-picture, you actually have to consider whether or not this helps the narrative. To me, that looks like a paint by quantity state of affairs. Be enjoyable inside the strains. After I wrote the unique theme for Littlest Pet Store, that was for a little bit little bit of an older viewers — much like My Little Pony. I had such a blast doing that, as a result of a number of the references have been Fitz and the Tantrums. However how do you’re taking Fitz and the Tantrums and make it additionally common for youths, for the households which can be watching?
Going again to the My Little Pony EP songs, Hasbro and followers can have entry to them — each for enterprise and for enjoyable. How did you’re taking that into consideration when crafting them? And did you concentrate on, by way of Hasbro’s use for advertising, what would possibly carry out higher sure locations on-line and off?
The Hasbro workforce and I talked about this so much. The final word purpose for these and different releases that we’ll be doing is supporting the model and serving to engagement throughout the board, whether or not that’s for advertising elevate, or for brand spanking new individuals to find the music on TikTok after which have the ability to use it of their content material in a foolish approach or as a fan. So we did a number of the conversions as a result of there’s so many alternative methods to interact as a person with audio content material. My favourite is the ’80s remix. It’s enjoyable and foolish, and possibly it’s simply my age that makes it good for somebody like me, however, you may make a very enjoyable video to that, when you needed to submit adverts. And if Hasbro does need to run adverts for his or her model, they’ve all these totally different variations that they’ll now take a look at out, in the event that they so select. However we positively considered that — particularly the sped-up and slowed-down variations. These are clearly for [Instagram] Reels and for TikTok. We actually had them in thoughts. We studied what are individuals creating which can be slowed down and sped up. At Venice Music, we’ve a whole lot of artists that I characterize that additionally do actually wonderful on TikTok, so I had an ideal case research.
Past your work with Hasbro and different networks and reveals, you’re hooked up to a nonprofit centered on Web3 applied sciences. AI isn’t Web3 precisely, however it’s an more and more mentioned matter by way of the way it’s utilized in relation to artists and their rights. In what methods has AI impacted your work? Do you utilize it in any respect in your course of?
I co-founded a bunch referred to as the Web3 Music Rights Group with another gamers within the music licensing area out of necessity. We have been like, how will we resolve this drawback? And that is earlier than we have been in deep fake-land. We have been like, “Metaverse!” and we have been interested by NFTs — or, I suppose, we’re probably not calling them NFTs anymore as a result of that didn’t go effectively. (Laughs.) However we requested, how will we create a secure area for one another to ask questions after which create basic requirements that we will share with our neighborhood. As somebody who offers with rights on a regular basis, it may be a muddy place to work. It may be complicated. It may be ever-changing. Issues transfer at such a quick price, typically laws can’t sustain with it. So it’s our job typically to “Wild West” and regulate this to the perfect of our potential nearly as good residents.
With AI, the way in which that I’ve been utilizing it proper now, I take advantage of some AI help at my licensing job. However I actually don’t use it a ton in customized music. Generally I prefer to ask ChatGPT advertising questions, or, “Will this resonate with somebody?” I do ask particular questions round a launch rollout, or possibly one thing I’m creating to get basic suggestions, however the greatest concern in America is that your likeness is actually not protected — so your voice, and many others. — whereas in different nations it’s. That’ll be a very fascinating factor to deal with relating to licensing. It’ll even be an fascinating factor, too, as we’re seeing Common and these bigger firms attempt to work out this backend take care of pretend releases. However AI has to supply its content material from someplace, so until it’s really saying, I’m sourcing from right here, right here and right here, nobody can really license that materials for movie, TV, promoting and gaming. You want to know the place all of the our bodies are buried with a view to license one thing.
If you happen to’re doing one thing with AI the place it’s an AI library — somebody is creating all this music, possibly they’re utilizing a voice, after which it’s creating and producing a music — that’s really a free-use state of affairs. You’d possibly join that AI program, and also you’d have the ability to pull and useful resource no matter you need. But when one thing is sourcing, let’s say from Radiohead, it sounds like Radiohead, it’s [Thom Yorke’s] voice and so they’re taking bits and components of his music after which altering it, it’s nonetheless being sourced from someplace. You’re seeing this so much with authors and artists. I believe that on the finish of the day, you continue to should supply and credit score, sort of like sampling. However we’ll see the way it ultimately unfolds. It’s shifting so shortly, I wouldn’t be stunned if we’d like AI to assist us monitor AI.
The sourcing difficulty is a crucial one throughout industries, from visible artwork to writing to music. But it surely looks like a given: One learns that they’ll’t simply obtain a photograph from Google Photos and use it as a result of there could also be permissions hooked up. It really works the identical approach with different artwork, content material, creation. So why does it really feel like this isn’t a broadly established understanding with AI, together with in music?
It’s a systemic drawback within the sense that music rights are complicated for most individuals, they’re complicated for the individuals who work in music rights, and they’re ever-changing. Individuals connect with music in all other ways. Individuals additionally devour music in numerous methods and have a distinct stage of respect for music throughout the board. You see it with networks and the way they deal with creators typically. Each manufacturing firm, each community, shouldn’t be created equal within the sense of how they recognize creatives. If you happen to’re coming from the Napster technology, the place you’re simply used to with the ability to get music everytime you need it, you won’t perceive the worth that music has and that it’s really a copyright.
These are simply long-winded macro points throughout the board which have a trickle-down impact of how individuals devour music every day. And the legislation’s nonetheless the legislation, however is it straightforward to implement throughout the board when everyone seems to be violating it? Not everybody has the kind of workforce that possibly Taylor Swift has that may always regulate how her music, voice and model is getting used. I believe that lots of people are within the mindset of, I’d slightly make an apology than permission.
AI has already began to make its approach into the children content material area, from interactive episodes to cameos. By way of music, which might turn into nearly ear-wormy for youths, do you see any relevant makes use of for AI?
Not solely do I work with Hasbro, however I work with Field Signal and so they have a toy referred to as [Toniebox]. We do a whole lot of the music for these little collectible figurines which can be on this screenless speaker field. It’s so necessary to place thought behind the way you create music like this for kids. There are methods to do it intelligently and to connect with quite a few listeners. There’s a solution to do it the place it’s nonetheless foolish and enjoyable, however that you simply don’t dumb it down both. Youngsters are so much smarter than they get credit score for. So personally, when you’re going to make use of or generate AI for music for the youngsters’s area, the one approach that I might see it getting used is sort of like a splice package deal the place AI generated this mattress of music.
However personally, I simply don’t really feel comfy as an individual [with it]. I actually labor over what we create, and I believe it must be skillful, and it’s good to take into consideration how younger minds are rising up and the way they’re going to work together with the world. That may be a enormous accountability that I don’t essentially belief at this present time for AI to be accountable for. Plus, I believe it might take away a few of that silliness and goofiness that works. You want a human being that has emotions to have the ability to connect with a toddler spirit.
There’s simply a lot hooky, zanny, particular stuff in a whole lot of those who it feels nearly like AI couldn’t lyrically or musically match the distinctiveness of those themes. Do you assume it’s potential for synthetic intelligence to match the work of people within the work you do?
It’s by no means going to be the identical. For instance, I really like working with Hasbro as a result of Equestria Women and My Little Pony, these resonate with all genders, however as a younger lady rising up, it clearly spoke to me. So it’s straightforward for me to tug from inside myself once I’m creating for these manufacturers. It feels actual, as a result of it’s. AI and something Web3-related — I don’t assume anybody’s attempting to keep away from it, nevertheless it must be used as a instrument to reinforce the creators’ expertise in a approach that may assist them resonate with their viewers, or create a greater allocation of time. It doesn’t essentially should be a alternative of what they do as a result of then we miss out on true artwork that connects to individuals. I really feel like every thing you do must be an extension of your humanity. Every thing ought to come from an genuine place, or else what are we actually doing all of it for.
If you cater to the least developed model of what it’s prefer to be a human being, you’re actually lacking out. Algorithms can assist you discover the issues that you simply need to watch, however even you then’re serving to push them into the course that you’re already in. If you use issues like AI to create one thing, it loses its magic. Emotion is so nuanced. It’s like poetry. There’s so many alternative methods to react to how one thing is created. A child can play the piano, however is it the identical factor as any individual who has performed for 25 years? It’s not. So I’m not afraid of AI. I began this group as a result of I need to embrace change. However I need to have the ability to perceive it and converse up once I assume that it’s profiting from my fellow creators, composers and artists that I rent.
Interview edited for size and readability.
