The Powerpuff Girls’ newest member to be voiced by South African lesbian singer Toya Delazy
Cartoon Network announced on Wednesday that Powerpuff Girls would be returning on September 17th, with a new, fourth member added to the trio.
Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup’s newest teammate will be voiced by the South African musician Toya Delazy.
Delazy tweeted the announcement from her account, saying “And just like that I became a Powerpuff Girl!”
AND JUST LIKE THAT, I BECAME A POWERPUFF GIRL
Much love to my @cartoonnetwork for trusting me with this epic job ❤️️#lifegoals pic.twitter.com/ZshJT8VWR0— ToyaDelazy (@ToyaDelazy) September 7, 2017
Although the newest Powerpuff Girl’s name and powers are unknown, we do know she has dark skin and long, blue hair, and will wear purple.
The original series ran from 1998 to 2005, and there have since been two special episodes in 2008 and 2014.
The new episodes will form a five-part story called The Powerpuff Girls: Power of Four.
In addition to Delazy, the new voices will include Amanda Leighton as Blossom, Kristen Li as Bubbles and Natalie Palamides as Buttercup.
Related: Cartoon characters who are secretly LGBT
“Toya is definitely a perfect fit as the fourth Powerpuff Girl,” Jamie Ondarza, Senior Vice President at Turner Broadcasting in Southern Europe and Africa, said.
“She is confident, bubbly and quirky, all the values that we are familiar with, love and appreciate. We have a lot of surprises up our sleeves.”
Delazy is groundbreaking in her openness about her sexuality, when there are still very few out LGBT African musicians.
She won an award at the 2016 OutMusic Awards for the song Forbidden Fruit, which had a video featuring a same-gender couple kissing and was seen as a powerful statement on LGBT equality.
In a 2014 interview Delazy said that the song “tells the story of someone discovering themselves, someone who cannot compromise on what they desire, and also exposing Africans to pan sexuality; making them understand that it’s something that exists.”
Last year, Toya Delazy voiced the new South African theme tune for the series re-boot.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxVAa3E3Bm8?rel=0]
