I am LIVING for the fact that we are in the middle of a full fledged Jem and the Holograms renaissance!

Between new music, IP crossovers, and a new live-action series in development, it feels like Jem is stepping back into the spotlight. But this time, it’s a revival that understands the assignment: honor the past, embrace the present, and trust that what made the series so special is timeless enough to resonate with a new generation.

The music. 

Composed by Anne Bryant, Barry Harman, and Kinder Ford, the soundtrack was one of the property’s greatest strengths, and arguably its biggest selling point. The songs were not some tunes for tots, they sophisticated pop productions that propelled the story, revealing characters’ innermost thoughts, deepened relationships, and often carried the emotional weight of some of series’ biggest moments.

It’s about damn time these songs were getting a proper release and few songs embody that legacy better than ｢Who Is He Kissing?｣.

The original track explores one of the series’ defining conflicts: Jerrica Benton’s struggle to balance her life as a successful music executive with her secret identity as the superstar Jem. In doing so, she inadvertently creates an impossible love triangle, competing against herself for the affection of the man she loves, Rio. What could have been a straightforward jealousy anthem instead became one of the show’s most emotionally layered songs, wrapped in an irresistible ’80s pop package.

On June 26, Hasbro Pulse, in collaboration with The Orchard Enterprises, released a reimagined version of ｢Who Is He Kissing｣ – the first all-new release in over 8 months. While the iconic saxophone from the original has been retired, this is easily one of the strongest reinterpretations we’ve gotten so far.

The producers have leaned hard into the noir atmosphere hinted at in the original music video. Rich synthesizers and cinematic textures transform the song into what could easily be used as the opening to a glamorous spy thriller – Her name is Bond… Jem Bond. The result is elegant, suspenseful, and surprisingly emotional, allowing the familiar melody to evolve without losing its identity.

Britta Phillips is, as always, phenomenal. Her newly recorded vocals sound vibrant, confident, and effortlessly timeless. Decades after first becoming the singing voice of Jem, she still brings the same warmth, vulnerability, and charisma that made those original recordings unforgettable. Rather than simply recreating her earlier performance, she embraces the song’s more mature production, adding a little grit to the glitter of Jem.

The instrumental deserves just as much praise. Produced by Skyler Cocco, Jessica Vaughn, and Ryan Vaughn, it’s beautifully constructed. Every musical choice is dramatic, polished, and a wonderful reminder that honoring a classic doesn’t require making it a carbon copying.

If I have one tiny criticism, it’s born entirely from affection. I kept waiting for that unmistakable, echoing “Who?!” to ring out after the music faded, just as it did in the original. That final exclamation became part of the song’s identity, punctuating the mystery with one last unforgettable flourish. Its absence doesn’t diminish this exceptional reimagining in the slightest, but hearing it return would have been the perfect nostalgic coda.

Maybe for the Cold slither Remix… please let there be a Cold slither remix.

The fact that Hasbro continues to revisit these songs for a new generation speaks to just how enduring Jem and the Holograms truly is. If this release is any indication, the future of the franchise’s music is looking brighter than ever.

Brava!

There will be more Jem soon so… 

Stay Tuned!