“Who’s your favourite youngster?” is a query most dad and mom know they will’t, properly, shouldn’t, reply. “Which songs from the Barbie soundtrack will you undergo the Academy Awards?” may be a equally robust query for its producers to reply to.
Barbie: The Album has been a triumphant, chart-topping, multi-hit success because the soundtrack was launched in July. A number of songs have come to life because the movie continues to interrupt world data: Dua Lipa’s bop “Dance the Evening” and Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s fiery “Barbie World” have each spent a number of weeks within the Prime 10 of the Billboard Scorching 100 chart; Billie Eilish’s lush and emotional observe “What Was I Made For?” is a world hit and has topped the rock and various charts; and Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Simply Ken” has us all wanting the celebrity to hurry out his personal album ASAP.
All of those tunes qualify for greatest authentic track on the 2024 Oscars, however the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences has strict guidelines about what number of songs a film can submit for competition, and the studio behind Barbie might want to strategize on methods to proceed. (Finest authentic track is voted on individually as a part of the Academy’s shortlist group that additionally consists of authentic rating and eight different classes.)
That’s in distinction to the Grammy Awards, the place the Recording Academy doesn’t restrict the variety of songs a movie can undergo the most effective track written for visible media class.
Solely three songs from a movie could be put ahead for greatest authentic track on the Oscars, and solely two of these can land nominations.
It’s a stretch from the 2007 Academy Awards when three songs from Enchanted, written and composed by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, competed for greatest authentic track. Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová’s “Falling Slowly” from As soon as received. A 12 months earlier, three songs from Dreamgirls, together with Beyoncé’s “Pay attention,” had been nominated for the music prize; Melissa Etheridge’s “I Have to Wake Up” from An Inconvenient Fact took residence the Oscar.
Three tracks by Elton John and Tim Rice from 1994’s The Lion King had been nominated for greatest authentic track, with “Can You Really feel the Love Tonight” profitable the award, and three songs by Menken and Howard Ashman from 1991’s Magnificence and the Beast additionally competed for the music award, with the title observe, carried out by Angela Lansbury, popping out on high.
So how do you resolve what to submit from Barbie? The frontrunners are “I’m Simply Ken,” “Dance the Evening” and “What Was I Made For?” If the previous two are submitted, producer-songwriters Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt — who each share an Oscar with Woman Gaga for “Shallow” from 2018’s A Star Is Born — would land the noms since they labored on each songs. Lipa’s tune, which she co-wrote, is the most important pop hit, whereas Eilish — already an Oscar winner for 2022’s “No Time to Die” — wrote a touching observe together with her brother-musical associate, Finneas, that feels prefer it was made to win on the Academy Awards. “I’m Simply Ken” is that wild card however lovable movie track that continues to resonate with the general public, and who doesn’t wish to see Gosling carry out it stay on the awards present? Minaj and Ice Spice’s contribution has had main success, however the heavy pattern of Aqua’s 1997 smash “Barbie Woman” makes it much less interesting when the class is titled greatest authentic track.
And the soundtrack options different sturdy contenders that shouldn’t be dismissed, from Tame Impala’s dreamy and unbelievable “Journey to the Actual World” and Ava Max’s battle-ready anthem “Select Your Fighter” to Sam Smith’s disco gem “Man I Am,” my private favourite from the movie. Different tracks from Karol G, Haim, Dominic Fike, Charli XCX, the Child Laroi and Khalid additionally stand out.
However choosing which songs to advance shouldn’t be completed too early, in case a track takes off unexpectedly, as “We Don’t Discuss About Bruno” from Encanto did in 2021. The shock hit topped the Billboard Scorching 100 for weeks, however the studio had already submitted the comfortable and candy “Dos Oruguitas” by Colombian singer Sebastián Yatra. That observe earned a nom however misplaced the award to Eilish’s James Bond track.
Different studios would play it protected by deciding to submit one track from a movie so the votes don’t cancel one another out. However very like the varied Barbie dolls to select from, Barbie has choices.
This story first appeared within the Sept. 27 subject of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.
