Brandy is bringing a familiar sound to Netflix’s upcoming “A Different World” sequel, recording a new version of the beloved sitcom’s theme song ahead of its Sept. 24 premiere. The series will also reunite Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison and several other original stars while introducing a new generation of Hillman College students. For longtime fans, the return blends nostalgia with a fresh chapter built around Whitley and Dwayne’s youngest daughter, Deborah Wayne, and her classmates.
Brandy on ‘A Different World’ Sequel Theme
Brandy will perform the theme song opening each episode of Netflix’s 10-episode sequel, per Deadline. She follows Phoebe Snow, Aretha Franklin and Boyz II Men, who performed versions during the original show’s six-season run. “Singing this iconic theme song for “A Different World” means everything to me. It was one of those shows that I had to watch every time it came on. I remember the song and how it made me feel,” Brandy said.
The original theme was written by cast member Dawnn Lewis, Stu Gardner and Bill Cosby. Netflix’s continuation follows Deborah Wayne, played by Maleah Joi Moon, as she starts her freshman year at Hillman College.
Brandy’s connection to screen music stretches across decades. She recorded and updated the theme song for her hit sitcom “Moesha” during its six-season run. Her Babyface-produced Sittin’ Up in My Room, from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2021, she recorded “Starting Now” for Disney’s Ultimate Princess Celebration and joined Nicole Scherzinger on “For My Girls” for The View. Brandy, who recently reunited with her brother Ray J, also recorded original music with her Queens co-stars before returning as Cinderella in Descendants: The Rise of Red and contributing songs to the movie’s soundtrack.
Jasmine Guy & Kadeem Hardison Return to Hillman
Guy and Hardison reprise Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne, now parents to Deborah. Darryl M. Bell, Cree Summer, Charnele Brown, Jenifer Lewis, Jada Pinkett Smith, Dawnn Lewis, Glynn Turman, Karen Malina White and Ajai Sanders also return to the 1987 series.
Guy told PEOPLE she never expected the sitcom to remain so influential. “I would never have anticipated it,” she said, while recalling that she recognized its potential early: “I knew I wanted that job, to put it bluntly.”
Hardison said fans still tell him the series influenced their decision to attend historically Black colleges and universities. “It happens all the time. I constantly get surprised by the people it affected, the people who are in powerful positions, even now,” he said. “You can say that school is cool … but they have to then go out, continue [on to college], make a better life for themselves. And the constant stories I hear from people who have done that, it’s happening every other week.”
The Original Cast Found Familiar Touches on the New Set
Returning to Hillman also revived memories of the cast’s close bond. Hardison recalled, “We all came from someplace else; we were all each other had. I had six friends. We had too much fun. We would always pretty much hang out together whenever there was moments to. Whenever it was time to do something with any of them, I was always in like, ‘Yeah, sure. We having dinner? I’m hungry.’ “
Guy said the recreated campus retained familiar pieces of the original. “I love that the set design is the same arrangement as our sets,” she said. “To see a renovated Pit, all of the beautiful artwork and the outdoor patio, we still have the stairwell, and the dorms, both Gilbert Hall and the boys’ dorms, it was elevated in a way, but still paying homage to the original.”
The sequel was filmed in Atlanta. Guy said, “Seventy percent of of our extras are from [local HBCUs], Spelman, Morehouse, Clark,” adding, “All these young people are so excited to be a part of the show. It’s going to have a different look, but the feeling in Atlanta is amazing, not just on set. Everybody wants to be a part of it.”
A New Generation Gets Its Own ‘Different World’
Moon is joined by Alijah Kai, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, Kennedi Reece and Chibuikem Uche as Hillman’s newest students, according to Netflix. Debbie Allen, who directed 83 episodes of the original, directed the premiere.
Hardison encouraged longtime viewers to give the newcomers room to create their own Hillman experience. “They’re not fully grasping the fact that they’ve already had their Different World. Let these kids have theirs,” he said. “What do you mean, leave our classics alone? You want to gate keep the good s— for yourself and not let another generation experience it?” Guy already sees the younger cast developing the connection that made the original ensemble work.
“I don’t need to say it to [the new cast], but the love, trust, and respect that we had for each other where we could go to each other, whether it was personal or business or the show or frustrations, I counted on them as my meter,” she said. “This isn’t a battle you can fight [alone]. But I already see that; our puppies are growing already together like that.” “A Different World,” which ended after six seasons in 1993, premieres Thursday, September 24 on Netflix, with Brandy’s new theme welcoming viewers back to Hillman.
