Grammy award-winning recording artist Alicia Keys will do a guest spot in an upcoming episode of Nick Jr.’s animated preschool series The Backyardigans. The installment, titled “Mission to Mars,” will premiere on Columbus Day, Oct. 9, at 10:30 a.m. (ET/PT).

Keys voices the role of a bright-green extraterrestrial named Mommy Martian, and also sings an original song titled “Almost Everything is Boinga Here.” The song refers to a character named Martian Boinga, who is voice by Keys’ niece, Shakyra Lipscomb.

Nickelodoen will distribute content from the “Mission to Mars” episode over multiple platforms, starting with streaming clips and music videos that will be available on the Nick Jr. Video service at Nickjr.com beginning Monday, Oct. 2. The clips and videos will also be available on wireless carriers that same day. The show will then roll out on home video on Oct. 10, complete with three additional Backyardigans episodes, two dance-along music videos and a free “Super Space Facts” poster. Music from “Mission to Mars” is also included in the recently released CD, The Backyardigans: Groove to the Music.

The second season of The Backyardigans will kick off with a special week of premiere episodes starting Monday, Oct. 16, and continuing through Thursday, Oct. 19 at 10:30 a.m. Created and exec produced by Janice Burgess, the half-hour CG-animated series airs regularly at 10:30 a.m. each weekday on Nick Jr. The show is a co-production of Nick Jr. and Corus Ent.’s Nelvana.
Source: http://www.animationmagazine.net/