The Story ⚡
Cartoon Network and Max announced today that Nigerian global Afropop superstar Yemi Alade is recording and performing the theme song for Iyanu, the epic superhero animated series steeped in Nigerian culture and mythology.
A Lion Forge Entertainment production, Iyanu is an adaptation of Dark Horse Comics/YouNeek Studios’ popular graphic novel series Iyanu: Child of Wonder by award-winning Nigerian creator and filmmaker Roye Okupe.
The main title theme song is a collaboration between Yemi Alade, the creative teams at Lion Forge Entertainment, Alcon Sleeping Giant, and Femi Agunbiade, the lead composer of the Iyanu series.
Yemi Alade, a renowned Nigerian singer/songwriter, is known as “Mama Africa” for her passionate celebration of African heritage. This versatile artist, whose talents extend to acting and all-around entertainment, is renowned for her electrifying stage presence. Alade has not only mesmerised thousands of fans in stadiums across Africa, Europe, and the USA but has also performed for elite audiences, including the United Nations, Global Citizen, and the British royal family. Her dynamic performances and commitment to her heritage have solidified her status as a cultural ambassador and musical powerhouse.
With four albums, one EP and many hit singles such as Johnny, Shekere, Africa, Oh My Gosh, Ferrari, Na Gode or Bum Bum under her belt, Alade is the #1 Afropop female artist on the African continent.
Alade is a two-time BET Awards nominee for Best International Act Africa (2015 & 2016); a two-time MOBO Awards nominee for Best International Act (2014 & 2015); and a back-to-back MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) winner for Best Female in 2015 and 2016. Adding to her impressive list of accolades, Alade won a Grammy Award in 2022 for her collaboration with Beninese music icon Angelique Kidjo on the album “Mother Nature,” which took home the prize for Best Global Music Album. Alade is also the first African female Afropop star to hit over 100 million views on YouTube and VEVO with her smash hit single Johnny, which is now the most viewed video from an African female pop star ever.
In July 2019, Alade was featured on Don’t Jealous Me, a track from Beyoncé’s compilation album The Lion King: The Gift. She appeared on the track alongside Mr Eazi and Tekno with Rolling Stone magazine revealing that Alade also recorded a verse for an earlier version of My Power – another record featured on the Beyoncé compilation album. In September 2020, Alade became a UNDP Goodwill ambassador adding to her long list of responsibilities which includes her own charity named Jame and Helen PathWay Foundation.
“I’ve been a big fan of Yemi Alade for over a decade, so I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard she would be a part of Iyanu,” says Roye Okupe, Creator and Executive Producer of the series. “I’ve gone from blasting her hit single Johnny in my car in 2014 to listening to her stunning lyrics on the Iyanu theme song. This is an absolute dream come true!” Okupe also wrote and directed several episodes of the animated series.
Iyanu is set to launch in both the U.S. and across Africa in 2025. U.S. viewers will be able to watch the series on Cartoon Network and Max, and the series will be available in 44 African countries via Showmax.
To save her people from an ancient curse, an orphan must uncover the mystery behind her newfound power. Set in the magical kingdom of Yorubaland, the animated series is adapted from Okupe’s popular graphic novel series, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, published by Dark Horse Comics, the powerhouse behind the likes of The Umbrella Academy and Hellboy Comics.
Award-winner Serah Johnson leads the all-African voice cast as Iyanu, alongside African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) winner and Vogue US cover star Adesua Etomi-Wellington, three-time AMAA nominee Stella Damasus, multi-award-winner Blossom Chukwujekwu, and Shaffy Bello from The Black Book, described by Wired as “Nigeria’s first runaway Netflix hit.”
Iyanu is produced by Lion Forge Entertainment, the Emmy-winning company behind the Oscar®-winning Hair Love. With Iyanu, Creator Roye Okupe serves as an Executive Producer, as well as Writer, and Director on multiple episodes. Story editor Brandon Easton (Transformers: War for Cybertron; Siege, Marvel’s Agent Carter) heads the Iyanu writers’ room, which also features Emmy Award-winning writer Kerri Grant (Doc McStuffins; Ada Twist, Scientist).
The show’s executive producers are Roye Okupe, David Steward II and Matt Heath from Lion Forge Entertainment, Erica Dupuis of Impact X Capital, Ryan Haidarian of Forefront Media Group, and Doug Schwalbe.
