The popular children’s program, Reading Rainbow, made a comeback over the weekend with a new presenter, and artist Bukola from Vancouver had the privilege of creating a fresh rendition of the iconic theme song.
Expressing her excitement via email, Bukola exclaimed, “I’m still in disbelief that I am the vocalist behind the new Reading Rainbow theme! It’s a tremendous honor.”
The initial theme song for Reading Rainbow was composed by Steve Horlick, Dennis Neil Kleinman, and Janet Weir for the show’s debut in 1983. Tina Fabrique lent her voice to the song for the first 16 years, followed by Bahamian singer Johnny Kemp for a brief period. The third rendition featured singer Chaka Khan until the show went off the air in 2006.
Bukola shared that she and her sister used to watch the show, hosted by LeVar Burton, in their childhood, and her family was so enamored with the theme song that they would sing it around the house.
The Nigerian-Canadian artist received an email from a contact she made through the Vancouver International Film Festival Amp program, which connects emerging artists with professionals in the film industry. The email mentioned that Sony was working on a revival of Reading Rainbow and inquired if Bukola would be interested in recording a demo. Without hesitation, Bukola submitted her version, leading to her selection for the project.
Collaborating with her vocal coach, Lorraine Lawson, and producer, Anthony Anderson, Bukola crafted a rendition of the song that paid homage to the original while infusing her artistic flair. She particularly enjoyed adding vocal layers and harmonies to create a magical feel in their version. Bukola credited Steve Smith for his exceptional mixing of the song.
The reimagined Reading Rainbow premiered on October 4, with the first of four episodes airing on YouTube. The show introduces the new host, Mychal Threets, also known as Mychal the Librarian, and includes appearances by actors Jamie Chung from The Hangover Part II and III, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach from The Bear, who demonstrates reading to cats at a local animal shelter.
Bukola’s rendition of the theme song, retaining the original lyrics, serves as a fitting introduction to the series’ fresh chapter. According to her, “Listening to [Tina Fabrique’s] recording and various live performances always felt like a warm hug. I knew that I wanted the people who listened to the new version to also feel like they were being wrapped in a warm embrace when they heard the song.”
In a related performance, Bukola showcased her original music at CBC Music’s Road to the Junos series.
