Oscar favorite: Rising pop star Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell “No Time to Die” from the latest Bond film.
Assemble the usual suspects. The Island Academy’s music branch is known to lean on its regulars (see 12-time nominee Diane Warren’s shortlisted song for indie Sundance “Four Good Days”) as well as some unexpected surprises (the shortlisted song by Amazon Idina Menzel “Dream Girl” from “Cinderella”). Needless to say, Menzel has been to the Oscars before, singing “Let It Go”, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Oscar-winning actor Robert Lopez in “Frozen.”
The music branch of the Academy also tends to fall in love with global pop stars who might show up to perform at Oscar Kudocast. Inevitably, music stars secured shortlist spots, including for the second year in a row HER, who sings “Automatic Woman” in Halle Berry’s first film, “Bruised” (Netflix). Another Netflix competitor is “Just Look Up” by Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi from “Don’t Look Up”. The two Irish nominated songs Bono and U2 (“Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”, “The Hands that Built America” from “Gangs of New York”) wrote and performed “Your Song Saved My Life “Sing 2” (Illumination / Universal) ‘s animated entry, which marked a major component of the lively musical suite.
In the running for his first nomination, Northern Irishman Van Morrison, who provided a full soundtrack of success for Kenneth Branagh’s’ 60s film memoir “Belfast” (Focus Features), but wrote the original ” Down to Joy ”to open the movie. (Anti-vaccines won’t be welcome at the Oscars.) Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, who delivered “Be Alive” with Dixson for “King Richard” (Warner Bros.), which was not set on fire to the charts musical. Newcomers to the Oscars are also the Sparks Brothers, who created “So May We Start” for Leos Carax’s musical “Annette” (Amazon), and Beach Boy Brian Wilson, who landed a niche for “Right Where I Belong ”for the documentary“ ”Brian Wilson: Long Road Promised. “
Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in “Respect”
MGM / UA
Meanwhile, Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson (“Dreamgirls”), who may not get her second Best Actress title for playing Aretha Franklin in “Respect,” could win a consolation prize for her song “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)”, written with Jamie Alexander Hartman and Carole King.
Oscar favorite: Rising pop star Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell “No Time to Die” from the latest Bond film (MGM / UA).
Animated musicals always land a song or two, including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto” (Disney), which also landed in best sheet music. Another musical landed a spot for Amandla Stenberg’s crush “The Anonymous Ones”, a new song added to the Broadway musical “Dear Evan Hansen” (Universal).
And among the surprise shortlist entries is “Beyond the Shore,” sung by British breakout Emilia Jones in Sundance Award winner “CODA” (Apple TV +).
Eighty-four songs were eligible for the Original Song category, but only the 15 shortlisted qualified for the voting nominations for the 94th Academy Awards. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and nominees.
Oscar nominees are listed in alphabetical order. No one will be considered a favorite unless I’ve seen the movie.
“Sing 2” Ash (Scarlett Johansson) and Clay (Bono)
Universal
Precursors:
“Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto”
“Here I am (Sing my way home)” from “Respect”
“No Time to Die” from “No Time to Die” Billie Eilish
“Where I Belong” from “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road” “
Your song saved my life “from” Sing 2 “
Candidates:
“The Anonymous” from “Dear Evan Hansen”
“Automatic woman” from “Contused”
“Be Alive” from “King Richard”
“Beyond the Shore” from “CODA”
“Down To Joy” from “Belfast”
“Dream Girl” from “Cinderella”
“Guns Go Bang” from “The Harder They Fall”
“Just Look Up” from “Don’t Look Up”
“So can we start? “From” Annette “
“In a Way You Do It” from “Four Good Days”
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