Syrena’s Mermaid Show: A New Bilingual Pre-School Adventure Featuring Singapore’s Mermaid

Wheel in Motion and The Co-Production Company have announced their partnership with Singapore’s August Media Group to launch Syrena’s Mermaid Show, an innovative pre-school live-action/animated hybrid series. This new project stars Syrena, Singapore’s first and most famous professional mermaid, who recently gained international recognition in the Netflix docu-series Merpeople. The show is set to debut at MIPCOM and is being developed in both English and Mandarin, aiming to reach a global audience of young viewers.

With 52 episodes of 11 minutes each, Syrena’s Mermaid Show invites pre-schoolers aged 3-5 into an enchanting underwater world where Syrena, their teacher and guide, leads them on magical adventures. Each episode is filled with music, creativity, and learning as Syrena and her animated sea creature friends explore the ocean, sing catchy songs, and teach fun activities that inspire kids to embrace their imagination and self-confidence. The show encourages children to believe that they can be anything they aspire to be – even mermaids!

“Syrena is a unique talent – a home bred Singaporean star and we are thrilled to bring her to a global audience” said Jyotirmoy Saha, Executive Producer at August Media. “With this talented team in London and the US and supported by other top talent from southeast Asia behind the production, we’re confident that the show will captivate children and families across the world.”

The series was created by showrunner Lexie Kahanovitz, known for her work on Frog and Toad (Apple TV+) and City Island (PBS Kids). Music supervision is by Ego Plum, whose past projects include The Patrick Star Show and SpongeBob SquarePants. Adding to the show’s international appeal, Singaporean star composer Ricky Ho will produce original Chinese language songs, bringing a rich cultural dimension to the series. Ricky has lent his talent to some of the most captivating Chinese language movies and dramas from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

“With Syrena, we wanted to create a captivating world that speaks to the imagination of preschoolers. The mermaids and their underwater realm provide a magical backdrop that immediately draws young children’s attention, inviting them to explore, dream, and learn through adventures filled with kindness.”, comments Alexi Wheeler, Executive Director and Producer from Wheel in Motion.

“Working with Moy and his team has been a wonderful collaboration,” said Doug Schwalbe, Executive Producer from The Co-Production Company. “Their expertise in creating authentic Chinese programming, combined with the magical music of Ricky Ho, makes this project truly special.”

Filmed on location in Singapore, Syrena’s Mermaid Show will be produced in parallel English and Mandarin versions. The Mandarin songs will be adapted by Jimmy Ha, making the show culturally accessible to a broader audience.

Syrena, the show’s star, is no stranger to the limelight. She first made waves performing at high-profile events and iconic locations across Singapore, such as Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Zoological Gardens. In 2015, she founded the Singapore Mermaid School, the first of its kind worldwide, offering a unique and immersive mermaid learning experience. Her school blends physicality, mermaid culture, and theory, appealing to both children and adults. Syrena has since been featured in global media outlets like CNN, NHK Japan, Yahoo!, and Singapore Tatler.

With its innovative blend of live-action and animation, catchy music, and inspirational message, Syrena’s Mermaid Show promises to enchant young audiences around the globe, helping them dive deep into their imaginations and explore the wonders of the ocean world.