‘Gracie’s Corner’ Heads to Disney+ After Building a YouTube Empire

What started as a family project during the pandemic is now headed to one of the biggest entertainment platforms in the world.

Disney has acquired the streaming rights to Gracie’s Corner, the wildly popular educational music series that has become a favorite among children and parents alike. Beginning June 15, the show will debut on Disney+ and Disney Jr., introducing the beloved sing-along series to an even larger global audience.

Created by Houston-area educators Dr. Javoris Hollingsworth and Dr. Arlene Gordon-Hollingsworth, Gracie’s Corner was inspired by their daughter Graceyn and born from a desire to create educational content that reflected children who looked like their own family. The animated series blends literacy, math, science, and social-emotional lessons with music influenced by hip-hop, R&B, and contemporary sounds.

The formula clearly connected with viewers.

Since launching on YouTube, Gracie’s Corner has amassed more than 6.3 million subscribers and nearly 10 billion views while earning four NAACP Image Awards, a national live tour, and a book deal with HarperCollins. The series has also featured appearances from artists including Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson, Big Freedia, and Paul Wall.

Perhaps most importantly for longtime fans, the Hollingsworth family will retain ownership of the brand, and the show will continue to live on YouTube even as it expands to Disney’s platforms. The new agreement also includes plans to develop original content with Disney in the future.

For a series that began with a simple goal of representation and education, landing on Disney marks a major milestone, and proof that culturally relevant children’s programming can resonate around the world.

Check out a few Gracie’s Corner videos below.