Latest news with #Susannah
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ms. Rachel is back—and she's singing entire episodes just for her newborn
Ms. Rachel may be known for singing 'Open Shut Them' to millions of toddlers around the world, (and we all know I'm a fan!) but these days, she's performing full episodes for an audience of one: her 3-month-old daughter, Susannah. In a rare and joy-filled interview with the beloved YouTube creator—whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso—opened up about life as a mom of two, how big brother Thomas is adjusting, and the emotional journey that brought baby Susannah into the world. 'She's such a smiley, happy baby,' Rachel said during the May 31 interview, where she was joined by her husband and creative partner, composer Aron Accurso. It's the first time we've heard much from Rachel since she quietly stepped away from her channel (which has over 15 million subscribers) earlier this year. At the time, she simply told fans there were 'some family things to attend to.' What she didn't share publicly then: she was deep in the sacred chaos of growing her family, this time, through surrogacy. 'We welcomed sweet baby Susannah into the world! We are so in love,' she wrote in an April 8 Instagram post, finally sharing her news. 'Sometimes timing isn't what you plan and the road to get there is bumpier than you expect, but when you hold your little ones you know… I'm meant to be your mama.' Related: Ms. Rachel welcomes baby girl via surrogate: 'I'm meant to be your mama' Rachel explained that, due to medical reasons, she was unable to carry this pregnancy herself. But thanks to the generosity of a surrogate, she and Aron were able to bring their daughter home—and build a forever bond with the woman who helped them get there. 'We were blessed to have a surrogate who gave us the most precious gift possible. We are now all family forever.' Now that she's in the thick of newborn life (again!), Rachel's using the tools she knows best: her voice and her joy. 'I had [Susannah] in front of me, and I was like, 'I want to sing her a song. Hmm, what should I sing?' And then I was like, 'Wait, this is my area,'' she laughed. 'I've been doing full episodes for her, just as myself!' It's an image many of us moms can relate to: middle-of-the-night feedings, soft lullabies, the desperate search for something that soothes. Except in this case, the something happens to be Rachel herself—arguably the most beloved baby whisperer on the internet. And while adjusting to life as a family of four comes with its own messy beauty, Rachel says her 7-year-old son Thomas is stepping into his new role with so much heart. 'Thomas is even changing diapers sometimes—except for no poopy ones,' she joked. 'He's given her a bottle, he's burped her. He's just the sweetest with her.' Susannah's name, too, is full of meaning. In another recent Today interview, Rachel revealed that her daughter is named after her own mom. 'My mom raised us with so much unconditional love and joy,' she said. 'She raised my sister and I as a single mom. I've always been in awe of her strength. She even built us an epic tree house all by herself!' Related: Grandma's hilarious attempt to compete with Ms. Rachel will have you cracking up So yes, the songs may be quieter for now. The set might be a living room. But the love? It's louder than ever. And for the millions of parents who've relied on Ms. Rachel's calming presence in the background of their own parenting journeys, it's comforting to know: she's living that journey right alongside us.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ms. Rachel Says Son Thomas, 7, Has Been Helping Change His Baby Sister's Diapers — But He Has 1 Exception
Ms. Rachel has shared an update on her baby daughter Susannah and how her son Thomas, 7, is adjusting to his role of being a big brother The YouTube star and her husband Aron Accurso announced the arrival of Susannah via surrogate in April "She's such a happy, smiley baby," Accurso told of their baby girlMs. Rachel has a little helper on her hands! During an interview with published May 31, the YouTube star — whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso — shared how her baby daughter Susannah is doing and how her son Thomas, 7, has been adapting to his role of older brother. "Thomas is even changing diapers sometimes — except for no poopy ones," Accurso, who conducted the interview alongside her husband Mr. Aron (real name Aron Accurso), explained. "He's given her a bottle, he's burped her. He's just the sweetest with her." Accurso, 42, went onto share that Susannah is 'such a happy, smiley baby" and detailed how she keeps the little one entertained by giving her her very own private show of her YouTube content. "I had [Susannah] in front of me, and I was like, 'I want to sing her a song. Hmm, what should I sing?' And then I was like, 'Wait, this is my area,' " Ms. Rachel said. "I've been doing full episodes for her, just as myself!" On April 8, Rachel announced that she and Aron had welcomed Susannah via surrogacy on Instagram, saying 'we are so in love.' "Sometimes timing isn't what you plan and the road to get there is bumpier than you expect, but when you hold your little ones you know… I'm meant to be your mama,' she continued. "I was unable to carry this pregnancy for medical reasons and we were blessed to have a surrogate who gave us the most precious gift possible. We are now all family forever." Accurso's latest YouTube video encourages potty training for little ones. While taking a break from YouTube, the two began working on the episode, and used their experience potty training Thomas as inspiration. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "I was thinking back to my own potty training journey with Thomas, and it's really refreshing to bring some joy to it, and some fun and some dancing and singing," Accurso told "I joke that it's like a Broadway show about poop and pee." "We brought in several Broadway friends to perform in the show and also help with arranging and the underscoring and live playing," Aron added. The episode, which was filmed in January, is currently available on YouTube. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Ms. Rachel Opens up About Life With a New Baby ... And 'Potty Talk'
Ms. Rachel's newborn daughter Susannah, now 3 months old, is one lucky little lady. Instead of watching "Ms. Rachel" episodes on YouTube or Netflix, she gets a private show. "I had (Susannah) in front of me, and I was like, 'I want to sing her a song. Hmm, what should I sing?' And then I was like, 'Wait, this is my area,'" Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, tells "I've been doing full episodes for her, just as myself!" Rachel and her husband, Aron Accurso announced the newest addition to her family on April 8. The couple and their 7-year-old son Thomas, whose speech delay as a young child was the catalyst for Accurso's YouTube empire, have been in baby heaven ... when Susannah gives them a good stretch of sleep, that is. "She's such a smiley, happy baby," Rachel shares. "Thomas is even changing diapers sometimes — except for no poopy ones. He's given her a bottle, he's burped her. He's just the sweetest with her." Though Rachel officially hung up her overalls and headband for maternity leave, she and her husband have been working on a very special episode on their most-requested topic: potty training. "I was thinking back to my own potty training journey with Thomas, and it's really refreshing to bring some joy to it, and some fun and some dancing and singing," Rachel says. "I joke that it's like a Broadway show about poop and pee." The pair released one of the songs on Instagram and we must warn you: it's a BOP. The full episode is available on YouTube now. "We brought in several Broadway friends to perform in the show and also help with arranging and the underscoring and live playing," says Aron, who has held multiple roles in the orchestras of Broadway shows. They filmed the episode in January, before the new baby arrived. "There's a lot of beautiful musical moments in the episode," he adds. As anyone who has ever potty trained a child will tell you, the process could use some light-hearted beauty. "As parents, we we want to succeed," says Rachel, "so we probably put too much pressure on ourselves." They hope this effort and the accompanying guide will eliminate some of that pressure. The episode doesn't necessarily adhere to one type of potty training method. Rachel gives a lot of grace to parents who can't take off three days of work in a row to potty train, or are raising kids on their own. "I grew up with a single mom, so I always kind of have that perspective," she says. Rachel and Aron were side by side when they potty trained Thomas, as they are with all things. In fact, Rachel takes a beat in the interview to "convey how equal our partnership is." She adds earnestly, "Often, you know, I'm kind of the face of things, and Aron just worked so hard and made such brilliant music, and he's been at the computer so much, because I'm on maternity leave." Aron tries to stop his wife but reluctantly lets her complete her thought. Rachel and Aron seem to be each other's number one fans. The pair joke that now that they have a song for kids called, "I Listen to My Body," they should make one for grownups about listening to our bodies and going to sleep when we're tired rather than doomscrolling. Rachel laughs, "We're telling the kids to listen to their bodies, but sometimes as adults — " "We need that reminder, too," says Aron. This article was originally published on
San Francisco Chronicle
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Soprano Patricia Racette to become artistic director of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Soprano Patricia Racette will become artistic director of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, filling a key management position of a company she has been associated with since her debut there in 1993. General Director Andrew Jorgensen said Tuesday that she will take over on Oct. 1 from James Robinson, who had been artistic director since 2009 and announced in June that he was becoming general and artistic director of the Seattle Opera. Racette has headed the St. Louis company's young artist programs since 2019. 'I already have such a rich relationship with the company and with Andrew, so it's sort of taking it to the next level,' she said. 'It is my job to sort of be a leader in terms of programming, casting, creatives.' The company's 2025 season has 25 staged performances of four works, including the world premiere on May 31 of Ricky Ian Gordon's 'This House,' with a libretto by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and her daughter, Ruby Aiyo Gerber. The company projects its operating budget at $12.5 million to $13 million. Racette, who turns 60 next month, made her directing debut in St. Louis with Verdi's 'La Traviata' in 2018 and went on to direct in Poulenc's 'La Voix Humaine' in 2021 and Carlisle Floyd's 'Susannah' in 2023. 'Having lived my life on stage and now as a director, I've been on both sides of the curtain,' she said. 'I think that puts me in a unique position to understand what goes into putting on an opera.' Racette is to sing in Polenc's 'Dialogues des Carmélites' at The Dallas Opera in November and to direct her 'Susannah' at Opera Omaha in January. She will work in St. Louis with an administration that includes principal conductor Daniela Candillari and already has been involved in future programming. 'As she's added master teacher, as she's added mentor, as she has become a stage director, as she has taken a greater role in casting here,' Jorgensen said, 'she has proven just time and again that all of those skills that made her such a spectacular performer, she now understands how to how to bring all of that, harness it and leverage it for the broader benefit of the organization.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Soprano Patricia Racette to become artistic director of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Soprano Patricia Racette will become artistic director of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, filling a key management position of a company she has been associated with since her debut there in 1993. General Director Andrew Jorgensen said Tuesday that she will take over on Oct. 1 from James Robinson, who had been artistic director since 2009 and announced in June that he was becoming general and artistic director of the Seattle Opera. Racette has headed the St. Louis company's young artist programs since 2019. 'I already have such a rich relationship with the company and with Andrew, so it's sort of taking it to the next level,' she said. 'It is my job to sort of be a leader in terms of programming, casting, creatives.' The company's 2025 season has 25 staged performances of four works, including the world premiere on May 31 of Ricky Ian Gordon's 'This House,' with a libretto by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and her daughter, Ruby Aiyo Gerber. The company projects its operating budget at $12.5 million to $13 million. ADVERTISEMENT Racette, who turns 60 next month, made her directing debut in St. Louis with Verdi's 'La Traviata' in 2018 and went on to direct in Poulenc's 'La Voix Humaine' in 2021 and Carlisle Floyd's 'Susannah' in 2023. 'Having lived my life on stage and now as a director, I've been on both sides of the curtain,' she said. 'I think that puts me in a unique position to understand what goes into putting on an opera.' Racette is to sing in Polenc's 'Dialogues des Carmélites' at The Dallas Opera in November and to direct her 'Susannah' at Opera Omaha in January. She will work in St. Louis with an administration that includes principal conductor Daniela Candillari and already has been involved in future programming. 'As she's added master teacher, as she's added mentor, as she has become a stage director, as she has taken a greater role in casting here,' Jorgensen said, 'she has proven just time and again that all of those skills that made her such a spectacular performer, she now understands how to how to bring all of that, harness it and leverage it for the broader benefit of the organization.' Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
