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Taylor Hanson to Compete in Dancing with the Stars
Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart. Photo credit: Andrew Eccles/Disney
hen Dancing with the Stars season 35 premiers later this month, Tulsa musician and father of seven Taylor Hanson will be among the lineup of 16 competitors. His professional dancing partner is Britt Stewart, who has competed in the show since season 29.
Hanson is best known as a member of the band Hanson, forming a trio with two of his brothers, Isaac and Zac. Hanson was particularly popular in the late 1990s/early 2000s (MMMBop was released on 1997), but has continued to perform and release albums. The trio also founded Hanson Brothers Beer Company (whose signature brew was called Mmmhops, naturally) and created the erstwhile Hop Jam beer festival in Tulsa.
Taylor Hanson himself founded Food on the Move, a Tulsa-based initiative whose mission is “to transform food deserts and the legacy issues created by living in a food-insecure area.” TulsaKids columnist Nancy A. Moore interviewed Hanson about his work with Food on the Move and why it’s important to him in 2023. Read the interview at tulsakids.com/taylor-hanson-creating-a-movement-through-food
What People are Saying
Over on Reddit, people report that Taylor’s participation has been met with enthusiasm, with some saying he’s enough of a draw to get them to watch the show for the first time. There seems to be some mild controversy, however, over his pairing with Britt — mainly because she once said her dream DWTS partner would be Harry Shum Jr., who is also competing this season. However, others point out that Hanson still has a lot of die-hard fans, and because the public gets to vote for their favorite dancers, this could carry the pair far in the competition.
In an Instagram live published after the announcement, Hanson introduced Britt, saying, “Thank God I’ve got her in my corner,” and they both said they’re so excited to be working together. They also sought community feedback on their team name. So if you’ve got a great suggestion, add it to the comments!
Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Competitors
Info from abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/dancing-with-the-stars-season-35-celebrity-cast/story?id=136095657
- Julia Stiles (actress, director, writer and producer)
- Jenna Dewan (backup dancer, actress, celebrity judge)
- Tatyana Ali (actress, musician, author, advocate for Black maternal health)
- Taylor Hanson (musician, founder of Food on the Move)
- Ezra French (Paralympic Gold Medalist, world-record holder, advocate, model and motivational speaker)
- Amber Glenn (Olympic gold medalist – figure skating)
- Connor Wood (social media personality)
- Sarah Jane Nader (actress and model)
- Tyler Cameron (competed on “The Bachelorette,” real estate, TV appearances)
- Giada DeLaurentiis (celebrity chef, cookbook author, restaurateur)
- Harry Shum Jr. (actor and backup dancer)
- Connor Leavitt (Appears in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, has made Broadway debut)
- Guillermo Rodriguez (TV personality – Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
- Maura Higgins (TV personality and style icon)
- Ciara Miller (TV and social media personality)
- Jackson Olson (baseball player – Savannah Bananas)
Where to Watch
Dancing with the Stars: Season 35, will premier Sept. 15 and 16 on ABC and Disney+. Watch episodes the following day on Hulu as well.
Follow @taylorhanson, @brittbanae and @dancingwiththestars on Instagram to stay up-to-date and for more fun Dancing with the Stars content!
Taylor Hanson Reveals How Boy Band Experience Is Helping Him on Dancing With the Stars
Luckily, Taylor Hanson’s moves weren’t actually gone in an MMMBop.
In fact, as the Hanson member prepares to compete on season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, he and pro partner Britt Stewart, the two have found that his experience as a musician is certainly giving him a leg up.
“It’s very very helpful,” Stewart told E! News in an exclusive joint interview with Hanson following the DWTS cast reveal on Sept. 2. “I love that each season I get to really teach and choreograph and curate this journey for whoever my partner is.”
“There was a moment in rehearsal the other day where I’m like, he’s teaching me about music within my knowledge of music that I have already,” the 36-year-old continued. “And Taylor said it so many times: music and dance—they’re so connected. So it’s definitely a strength that I’m using this season.”
And the 43-year-old—who shares kids Ezra, 23, Penelope, 21, River, 19, Viggo, 17, Wilhelmina, 13, Indiana, 7, and Maybellene, 5, with wife Natalie—knows his time on the ABC series will be en pointe.
“It’s a blast,” he raved. “What people feel from the show is real. There’s a real familial energy. People are supportive of each other.”
Disney/Andrew EcclesAnd he knows the importance of that familial energy given he’s spent more than 30 years in a band with brothers Isaac Hanson and Zac Hanson.
“Obviously, it’s a competition show,” the “This Time Around” singer added, “so we’re going to see the eye of the tiger with everybody. But it’s exciting.”
As for whether or not he’d be hitting the dance floor to any of Hanson’s classics? Well, he’s been thinkin’ ‘bout something, that’s for sure.
Disney/Andrew Eccles“Rhythm is what connects to dance, right?” he explained. “So there’s a lot of rhythm in a lot of Hanson songs.”
“One of the songs that we actually performed—I think we were one of the first bands to perform on the show with live music—it was a song called ‘Give a Little,’ and it is a dance-oriented song. That’s kind of the whole video,” Hanson shared. “And then, of course, people are curious about ‘MMMBop’ being kind of a calling card.”
Tulsa native boy band Hanson ‘MMMBops’ their way to Hard Rock Dec. 17
TULSA – Known worldwide for their breakout hit “MMMBop” and decades of genre‑spanning music, Tulsa natives Hanson are stepping on the stage at Hard Rock Live inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa at 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17.
Tickets start at $69.50 and go on sale Sept. 4.
Formed by Tulsa brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson, Hanson rose to international fame in 1997 with the infectious pop anthem “MMMBop.” The song reached No. 1 in 27 countries and helped propel the band’s multiplatinum debut album, “Middle of Nowhere,” to three Grammy Award nominations.
Since forming in 1992, Hanson has sold more than 16 million albums and millions of concert tickets while cultivating a devoted global fan base. The band continues to tour internationally, performing a catalog that spans its breakthrough hits and an extensive collection of pop, rock, soul and R&B-inspired music.
After achieving early success with a major record label, the brothers established their own independent label in 2004 with the release of “Underneath.”
Hanson’s subsequent releases include “The Walk,” “Shout It Out,” “Anthem,” “String Theory,” “Against the World” and “Red Green Blue.” Throughout its career, the band has collaborated with acclaimed artists and producers while exploring influences ranging from gospel and classic soul to folk rock and orchestral pop.
The group’s connection to Tulsa has remained central to its identity. In addition to welcoming fans from around the world to its annual Hanson Day celebration, the brothers co-founded The Hop Jam, a hometown music and craft beer festival. They also launched Hanson Brothers Beer, best known for its flagship MmmHops Pale Ale.
Taylor Hanson on a possible “MMMBop” moment
Taylor Hanson on a possible “MMMBop” moment
Manifesting a Taylor Hanson “MMMBop” ballroom moment ASAP.
September 2, 2026
Taylor Hanson named to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ cast for season 35
He’ll be dancing with partner Britt Stewart when the new season debuts Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Let Us In – This Ain’t No Disco: Songs from the Musical
This Ain’t No Disco: Songs from the Musical World Premiere Recording is out NOW featuring Taylor on “Let Us In”
Astian captures the ache of uncertainty on Pop-forward single, “How”
We feel like you could’ve only written this song if you’d actually lived this very specific type of heartbreak. On his latest single “How”, he taps into not the immediate sting of a breakup, but the disorienting stretch that comes right after, when you know you need to move on but have absolutely no idea how to actually do it. The Gothenburg-based independent artist Astian captures that feeling with precision and the result is a genuinely gorgeous piece of modern alternative pop.
Astian’s whole approach blends minimalist Nordic pop sensibilities with slight touches of R&B and singer-songwriter intimacy. Right off the bat, “How” is a great showcase of exactly how well those influences work together. The track builds patiently, starting from an intimate, stripped down verse before opening up into a chorus that hits in the catchiest way! Rather than trying to offer any tidy resolution, the song sits comfortably in the questions that linger after a relationship ends. We felt this was a very lyric-forward song and you’ll quickly realize how much you can connect with it after you actually listen to his words.
Production wise, this track is super well crafted. There’s some really lovely understated acoustic guitar finger picking woven throughout, giving the song a warm, organic texture underneath all that polished pop sheen. The drum work stays subtle too, never pulling focus, but giving the song some much needed oomph when it needs it. We appreciate the restrained approach that fits the song’s reflective tone.
However, Astian’s vocals are really the centerpiece of it all. Silky smooth and mixed very high up front, his delivery is vocal forward, letting every word of vulnerability land clearly. That choice makes the song feel much more personal, like you’re hearing these thoughts as they’re being worked through in real time.
Said by the artist himself, one of the most charming touches comes at the very end, where a playful outro nods to Hanson’s “MMMBop,” a song Astian has loved since childhood. He doesn’t copy it outright, but he channels that same carefree, melodic spirit. It adds a little lightness right when you need it the most.
Coming from an artist who’s built an impressive following completely independently, “How” feels like an exciting new chapter. It’s catchy in the best way and unbelievably relatable! This is a lovely introduction to where Astian is headed next and we cannot wait. So please, go ahead and click those links below to listen in and of course to stay tuned for whatever’s next.
This Ain’t No Disco Will Get Long-Awaited Cast Recording
Centered on the creation of infamous ’70s nightclub Studio 54, the Stephen Trask musical bowed Off-Broadway in 2018.
Center Stage Records will release This Ain’t No Disco: World Premiere Recording – Songs from the Musical later this month.
Set to be released in digital and streaming formats August 21, the musical is by Stephen Trask (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and Peter Yanowitz (The Wallflowers). The album is produced by Trask, Yanowitz, and Diane Mayer, with Van Dean serving as executive producers, and Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley as co-producers.
Part rock opera, part impressionist tone poem set in the nightclubs and art world of 1979 New York City, This Ain’t No Disco interweaves the stories of strivers, dreamers, and drifters searching for their place at Studio 54 and Mudd Club, the art scene, and downtown lofts. In their uptown/downtown quest for revelry and kinship, this disparate group, in different stages of becoming and falling apart, find themselves and each other in a city on the verge of a massive cultural shift. The musical debuted at Atlantic Theater Company in 2018, directed by Darko Tresnjak and choregraphed by Camille A. Brown. This upcoming album will be the musical’s first.
Will Connolly, Eddie Cooper, Lulu Fall, Chilina Kennedy, and Theo Stockman from the musical’s original Off-Broadway cast will reprise their work on the album, newly joined by Ryan Cassata, Adam Chanler-Berat, Lilli Cooper, Austin Crute, Lena Hall, Taylor Hanson, Ryan Jarman, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Sean Ono Lennon, John Cameron Mitchell, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Robert Schwartzman, Jake Shears, Miriam Shor, and Brandon Uranowitz.
Pre-save the full release here.
Is Taylor Hanson joining ‘DWTS’ Season 35? ‘MMMBop’ singer sparks cast rumors
While ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (DWTS) fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming season and looking forward to the celebrity-pro pairing reveal, The Sun has shared a few rumored cast members. According to a rumored list, musician Taylor Hanson will join ‘DWTS’ Season 35 as a celebrity contestant. However, there are no rumors about which pro dancer will accompany him throughout the competition. Another rumored cast member is celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.
The 42-year-old musician became a renowned name in the late ‘90s as the lead singer and keyboardist for the pop-rock band Hanson. The bandmates include his brothers, Isaac and Zac. In 1997, the band’s massive hit “MMMBop” became popular globally. The trio is still making music together, and Taylor Hanson is now rumored to be dancing on the ABC competition series. If the rumors become reality, he will compete against renowned television personalities such as Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Guillermo Rodriguez, Jackson Olson, and more.
While the four mentioned are the confirmed celebrity contestants, more are expected to be revealed on August 17 via ‘Good Morning America.’ Fans are eagerly looking forward to the announcement, since Kristyn Burtt (via TikTok) teased that the first celebrity-pro pair will be revealed on August 17. Apart from that, the official announcement, revealing a pro dancer, will be on the ‘DWTS: The Next Pro’ finale. The winning dancer will be participating as one of the pro dancers for Season 35.
Additional remaining cast members and their dance partners will be announced on September 2 via ‘Good Morning America,’ as every year. Only then will viewers learn which rumored contestants will make it to the stage. Ahead of the official announcement, fans can keep up with ‘DWTS: The Next Pro’ as it heads toward its finale with the remaining five dancers: Allen Genkin, Selena Hamilton, Nina Mayster, AJ Pritchard, and Adele Zaikman. One of them will win the dance competition and be featured as a pro dancer on ‘DWTS’ Season 35. The upcoming episode will air on August 17, titled ‘But Can You Teach? Coaching Superfans with Witney Carson.’
August: Fan Creativity Month
