Ms Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, is a popular YouTube creator and mother of two who gained fame through her educational videos for young children. She and her husband, Aron Accurso, a former Broadway music director, created their first video in 2016 as a counting song for preschoolers called Bubble, Bubble Pop! to help their son, who had a speech delay. The Ms Rachel YouTube channel now has over 21 million followers, and since signing with Netflix in 2025, the series has been streamed more than 69 million times, becoming the highest-ranked new kids’ TV show. The couple also released their first album this month and have a combined social media following of over 16.5 million across Instagram and TikTok. Ms Rachel has become a prominent voice on various social and political issues, including opposing the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza and advocating for humanitarian causes such as family immigration detention centers in the U.S. and the conflict in Sudan. She supports LGBTQ rights, discusses the case for slavery reparations, and promotes universal childcare. This month, she pledged to match a $1 million donation from rapper Macklemore to organizations supporting Palestine, urging other wealthy celebrities to do the same. She was also involved in the inauguration of Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s progressive mayor, and has endorsed other left-leaning politicians, making her more politically active than most children’s content creators. Ms Rachel’s videos use music and play to teach toddlers essential skills like first words, phonics, and potty training. One of her videos has been viewed over 2 billion times, far more than the average Taylor Swift music video. Even her first clip has been viewed 21 million times. The couple’s success is attributed to identifying a niche in the market for educational content for young children and co-creating with their audience. Ms Rachel has two master’s degrees in music education and early childhood education, and early learning professionals acknowledge the scientific basis of her teaching methods. Ms Rachel has faced criticism from some conservative parents over her support for LGBTQ rights and her use of they/them pronouns when introducing non-binary musician Jules Hoffman. However, the most heated backlash has come from her criticism of the Israeli government. Accurso claims she saw footage from Gaza and spoke with families there, and she believes anyone who has done the same would feel compelled to act against the violence. She has expressed sympathy for Jewish victims of violence and has collaborated with groups like Parents Circle, which supports families affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite this, she was nominated for antisemite of the year by the pro-Israel group StopAntisemitism, though many Jewish organizations have defended her. Some Jewish parents have turned to Ms Sara, a children’s YouTuber who resembles Ms Rachel in appearance and teaches Jewish culture and songs. Ms Rachel has no interest in entering politics but hopes to become a Christian minister someday. She prays daily for those who dislike her and says she was “born spiritual.” Raised in small-town Maine by a single mother who later became a social worker, she named her daughter, born via surrogate in 2025, after her mother. She has spoken about her early struggles with anxiety and OCD, and her deep empathy for others, which influenced her path into teaching and early childhood education. Ms Rachel and Aron married in 2016 and initially created their videos as a fun project. During the pandemic, when many parents were struggling with lockdowns, their content gained widespread popularity. Their upcoming album, I’m So Happy, is Aron’s passion project, featuring collaborations with 19 singers and 42 instrumentalists, including Michael Starobin, who has worked on Disney films. While Ms Rachel’s political stance has brought challenges, including security concerns, Aron supports her deeply, praising her compassion and empathy as key reasons he fell in love with her.