DISNEY and Pixar have released a new trailer for the animated feature “Turning Red,” and it showcases new music from Grammy-winning singers and songwriters Billie Eilish and Finneas. “Turning Red” is set to be released March 11, 2022, and it’s a coming-of-age story featuring a 13-year-old girl, Mei, set in the early 2000s in Toronto, Canada. When the trailer breaks out NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me,” you’re in for that sweet early 2000s nostalgia. In “Turning Red,” Mei’s ancestors’ mystical connection to red pandas means that she turns into one whenever her emotions get too strong. She’ll have to navigate the ups and downs of adolescence while keeping her big furry secret under control. While Mei’s panda form is one of the cutest things Pixar has ever created, the real star of this trailer is Mei and her friends’ obsession with Pixar’s first ever boy band, 4*Town. Mei’s squad geeks out in a way that is all too relatable: singing, dancing, and fangirling all over the place. Director Domee Shi says: “We needed our character Mei to be obsessed with something that her mom would not approve of. Boy bands were the first step into the world of boys for a lot of girls that age. The guys were all super pretty, polished, soft and loving, and they had a way of bringing girls and their besties together. Plus, I thought it’d be really cool to create an animated boy band.” Eilish and Finneas contribute three new songs to 4*Town, the fictional band in the movie. “Nobody Like U” is featured in the new trailer. “When we started talking about Billie Eilish and Finneas — back before they’d won the Grammys — we could see then how they had their finger on the pulse,” said producer Lindsey Collins. “We were big fans. We met with them and pitched this crazy idea of a boy band, asking if they’d be interested in writing and producing the songs. They were.” Swedish composer Ludwig G?ransson (“Black Panther,” “The Mandalorian”) is composing the score for “Turning Red.” “We were drawn to his versatility: He’s a composer, but he also produces pop music. We knew he would help us create a very unique sound,” said Shi. “Turning Red” is the first Pixar film to be solely directed by a female director. Shi has brought us the Oscar-winning animated short film “Bao.” “Turning Red” is also the first full-length Pixar film which features an Asian protagonist and primarily centers on Asian characters. Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh voice the characters Mei and her mother, respectively. (SD-Agencies) | 