Ms. Rachel Sets Debut Album 'I'm So Happy' for Sept. 25 Release

The 23-song record mixes original music with children's favorites and traditional nursery rhymes. Its makers describe it as a reimagining of what they have built on YouTube.

Ms. Rachel's real name is Rachel Accurso. With a pink headband and a high, singsong voice, she has become one of the most recognizable figures in children's entertainment. She and her husband, Aron Accurso, launched the YouTube channel "Songs for Littles" in 2019; it has since collected more than 17.2 billion views.

Aron Accurso, a Broadway composer and songwriter, told NPR's Leila Fadel that the early videos were shot in a parent's basement. "We never imagined that it would turn into what it has today when we were making videos," he said. "In the early days, we just stacked books up because we didn't have a tripod and we pulled up our pop-up green screen."

The couple started the channel after struggling to find suitable material for their son, who had a speech delay. What began as homemade videos has grown into a children's entertainment and education business worth millions. Ms. Rachel now appears in books, on Netflix and in toy stores.

"We think kids deserve rich, thought-out music," Ms. Rachel told NPR. "We love putting real instruments in and maybe a kid at home is like, 'Wow, the cello, maybe I could do that!'"

As her audience has expanded, so has the public role she takes on. She has increasingly used her platform to speak about children affected by war and humanitarian crises, including in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and she describes that advocacy as part of the responsibility that comes with reaching millions of children and families.

"I think every child should be in a warm, safe home with the food they need," she said. "And I think as grown ups, it's awful and selfish to not speak about that should be the norm."

That plain speaking has pulled her into a harsher public conversation. In 2025, she was accused of antisemitism, and the group StopAntisemitism called for the Justice Department to investigate her over what it characterized as pro-Hamas propaganda. She denied the accusations, which NPR reports were ultimately found to be baseless. Her advocacy has also raised security concerns for her family and her growing business.

Even so, Ms. Rachel said she knows what is in her heart. "Every day I want to say, 'Let's take care of kids'," she said. The interview was broadcast on NPR.