Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Original Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the musical romantic comedy television series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies created for Paramount+; the prequel to the film Grease (1978), based on the stage musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The series featured 30 original songs written by Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, who collaborated with Brandon Colbein and Brittany Campbell to co-write the songs, while Eren Cannata and Daniel Crean produced the music and soundtrack. Trainer looked back to the original 1978 film and its soundtrack as an inspiration to produce the album and described it as a contemporary take but still capturing the nostalgia and harmonies from the 1950s.
| Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Original Soundtrack) | |
|---|---|
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| Soundtrack album by various artists | |
| Released | June 1, 2023 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 82:06 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Producer |
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| Singles from Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Original Soundtrack) | |
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The songs were compiled into separate EPs with each releasing in conjunction with its episodic premiere beginning April 6, 2023. The full soundtrack was released by Capitol Records, on the date of its series' finale on June 1, consisting over 31 tracks. Two singles—a recreation of "Grease Is the Word" from the original film and "New Cool"—led the soundtrack.
Background
editThe series' showrunner Annabel Oakes decided for going with original music and songs, as due to copyrights with Polydor Records which currently had the rights to the original film's soundtrack, they could not reuse all of the tracks from that album.[1] Tranter wanted to involve in the series in the very first place as he cited musical theater as an inspiration to his foray into the music.[2] He provided demo pieces to Oakes after which he was roped in for the production of the original songs, closely with Oakes, as the music helps viewers navigate through the time period. The songs had a fluid approach as they were "not entirely vintage, not entirely modern". Oakes wanted to pay tribute to the "real people who started rock’n’roll – black musicians, Latinx musicians, who were at the forefront".[3]
While writing the numbers he used gender-neutral pronouns, they and them, drawing inspiration from the movies as it had a relaxed attitude towards period authenticity, while some songs from the original film did not bother to sound from the 1950s. Tranter explained on the title song "Grease Is the Word" as "a disco song without nostalgia". During their arrangement, they used more instrumentation that sounded from the 1950s, but the song also included contemporary flourishes, with "the vocal being a little more modern" and using "sub bass or 808 drum machines" as a modern element that the original film had.[4]
Speaking to Los Angeles Times, about the song-writing process, Tranter described that the hardest part of writing is "figuring out what to talk about. Most pop songs are about four things: falling in love, f—, breaking up and what I do with Imagine Dragons, which is just sort of like … vague inspiration. In a musical, what you talk about is all there — it’s plot, it’s character. The only thing to run out of was references so that we weren’t repeating ourselves with the same ’50s nostalgia."[5]
Tranter collaborated with Brandon Colbein and Brittany Campbell to write the songs. The former served as the songwriter for Jane's (Davilla) songs as he had very "big and bright sweeping melodies" came naturally to him as a writer, while he would also sing demos for the songs featuring the male characters. Campbell however worked with riot girl and alternative R&B, but as she had come from theatre background performing Broadway shows since she was a kid, and also queer, Tranter felt she'd be greater for Cynthia and as well as Olivia, who is from the "sexier side of the musical theater world".[6] Additional contributions were done by songwriters Daniel Crean and Erin Cannata, who also produced the songs. Tranter said that by the time he would write the songs, he demanded that the scripts for at least five episodes were done, so that he could temporary lyrics to fit the storyline.[6][7]
Release
editTwo singles preceded the soundtrack to Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies — the recreated version of "Grease Is the Word" from the 1978 film was released as the first from the album on March 10, 2023, with a music video accompanying the single, featured Marisa Davilla as Jane and the cast performing the song.[8][9] The original song "New Cool" was released on March 31.
The songs featured in the series were compiled into separate extended plays, with each EPs releasing in conjunction with its episodic premiere, beginning with April 6, 2023. On June 1, 2023, with the premiere of the final episode, the soundtrack consisting the original songs were released digitally by Capitol Records.[10][11] The album is set to be published in vinyl editions, on June 22, with a "limited edition pink" vinyl also launching.[12][13]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Lyrics | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Grease Is the Word" | Barry Alan Gibb | The Cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies | 2:52 |
| 2. | "Different This Year" |
| Marisa Davila | 1:18 |
| 3. | "Good Girl Act" |
| Cheyenne Isabel Wells | 3:20 |
| 4. | "New Cool" |
| Ari Notartomaso | 2:27 |
| 5. | "Different This Year" (Reprise) |
| Davila | 2:55 |
| 6. | "Girl Gang" |
| Jocelyn Gauthier | 2:59 |
| 7. | "I Want More" |
| Davila | 2:44 |
| 8. | "World Without Boys" |
| Tricia Fukuhara | 2:43 |
| 9. | "Same Sky" |
| Shanel Bailey | 3:25 |
| 10. | "In the Club" |
| Matthew James Dowden | 2:13 |
| 11. | "Take the Wheel" |
| Davila | 3:03 |
| 12. | "Sorry to Distract" |
| Wells | 2:51 |
| 13. | "Carelessly" |
| Davila | 2:56 |
| 14. | "Pointing Fingers" |
| Wells | 2:18 |
| 15. | "The Boom" |
| Davila | 2:31 |
| 16. | "Merely Players" |
| Notartomaso | 2:43 |
| 17. | "Election Song" |
| Jackie Hoffman | 2:12 |
| 18. | "Girls Can't Drive" |
| Madison Thompson | 2:50 |
| 19. | "Finding My Light" |
| Bailey | 2:16 |
| 20. | "High Rollin" |
| Johnathan Nieves | 2:04 |
| 21. | "Hit Me Again" |
| Nieves | 2:06 |
| 22. | "Pulling Strings" |
| Jason Schmidt | 2:55 |
| 23. | "Crushing Me" |
| Notartomaso | 1:47 |
| 24. | "Hand Jive" |
| Bailey | 2:48 |
| 25. | "Land Don't Look So Bad" |
| Bailey | 2:48 |
| 26. | "Face to Face" |
| Davila | 2:54 |
| 27. | "I'm in Love" |
| Wells | 2:49 |
| 28. | "Brutal Honesty" |
| Tranter | 2:55 |
| 29. | "Please Please Please" |
| Davila | 2:30 |
| 30. | "All In" |
| Notartomaso | 2:41 |
| 31. | "Think Pink" |
| Bailey | 3:13 |
| Total length: | 82:06 | |||
Reception
editThe soundtrack received mixed reviews, with Kelly Lawler of USA Today criticised the songs as "forgettable, awkward and lacking in thematic connection to the story".[14] Amber Dowling of Variety felt the songs are "good" but "uneven".[15] Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "the vast majority of the songs leave no impression whatsoever, despite the boundless enthusiasm and unimpeachable professionalism of the show’s enormous ensemble cast. The musical numbers begin to feel more like filler to sit through than highlights to cherish."[16] Jenna Post of Collider wrote "In Grease — and in all successful musicals, really — the songs serve two purposes; to make the viewing experience more fun, and to reveal the inner workings of its characters and their world. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, is frankly failing at both, and it's preventing the series from living up to its potential. In that way, the songs are the mediocre white men of the show [...] Even the show's best songs don't come close to reaching the bar set by Grease's iconic soundtrack."[17]
In contrast, Grace Wehniainen of Bustle wrote "Not all of the songs on Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies are new, though. If you’re a fan of the original 1978 film, you’ll be excited to know that there are nods to it throughout — including in the soundtrack."[18] Jenna Scherer of The A.V. Club wrote "sound like they could be Ariana Grande or Kesha singles".[19]
Score album
edit| Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Original Score) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Nick Sena and Zachary Dawes | ||||
| Released | June 15, 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 2023 | |||
| Genre | Score | |||
| Length | 82:06 | |||
| Label | Paramount Music | |||
| Producer |
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| Nick Sena chronology | ||||
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| Zachary Dawes chronology | ||||
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Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Original Score) is the album consisting of the series' original score composed and produced by Nick Sena and Zachary Dawes, released on June 15, 2023 by Paramount Music.[20]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "New Generation" | 2:52 |
| 2. | "Later Alligator" | 1:32 |
| 3. | "Arriving at School" | 1:03 |
| 4. | "T-Birds" | 1:15 |
| 5. | "The Clap" | 3:36 |
| 6. | "Tragic Love" | 0:52 |
| 7. | "Caught in the Moment" | 1:09 |
| 8. | "Sharing a Moment" | 2:02 |
| 9. | "Vicious Vixens" | 0:46 |
| 10. | "Trying to Fit In" | 1:49 |
| 11. | "I’m Hazel" | 2:05 |
| 12. | "A Pink Lady Strikes Back" | 1:42 |
| 13. | "The Rydell Blame Game" | 1:18 |
| 14. | "Ok Rebel" | 1:08 |
| 15. | "The Cast List" | 1:56 |
| 16. | "Pep Talk" | 1:41 |
| 17. | "You Guys Go Ahead" | 1:29 |
| 18. | "Fireworks" | 2:43 |
| 19. | "Now Hit It!" | 1:39 |
| 20. | "Today Is Our Lucky Day" | 1:41 |
| 21. | "Can’t Change Your Nature" | 1:32 |
| 22. | "We’re Going to Frostys" | 1:50 |
| 23. | "That Was Last Year" | 2:23 |
| 24. | "Grab the Confetti" | 1:08 |
| 25. | "Use This Gavel Wisely" | 1:47 |
| 26. | "First Fight" | 2:16 |
| 27. | "Call It Off" | 1:17 |
| 28. | "Goose It Jane" | 2:11 |
| 29. | "Fair Is Fair" | 1:16 |
| 30. | "Ready to Go" | 1:02 |
| 31. | "She’s a Child" | 1:13 |
| 32. | "Gil" | 1:00 |
| Total length: | 53:13 | |
References
edit- ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (January 10, 2023). "New 'Grease' Series Tells the Story Behind the Pink Ladies with Original Music by Justin Tranter". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Flam, Charna (March 31, 2023). "'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' Features 30 Original Songs by Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez Collaborator Justin Tranter". Variety. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Rampton, James (March 23, 2023). "Grease prequel Rise Of The Pink Ladies offers modern take on 1950s attitudes". Stuff. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (April 4, 2023). "In This 'Grease' Prequel Series, Pink Is the Word". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Wood, Mikael (April 5, 2023). "Conventionality belongs to yesterday: Hitmaker Justin Tranter puts their spin on the new 'Grease' prequel". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ a b Miller, Liz Shannon (June 1, 2023). "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' Lead Songwriter Guides Us Through All the Original Songs". Consequence. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "How 'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' found a sound of its own". ThePrint. May 31, 2023. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Lenker, Maureen Lee (March 10, 2023). "'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' cast has released a music video". EW.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Watch 'Grease: Rise of The Pink Ladies' Music Video for "Grease Is the Word"". Collider. March 10, 2023. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Major, Michael. "Listen: Hear the GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES Soundtrack". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Capitol Records Releases Paramount+ Series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Official Soundtrack". Capitol Records. June 1, 2023. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Music from the Paramount+ Original Series) - Vinyl". Capitol Store. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Music from the Paramount+ Original Series) - Limited Edition Pink Vinyl". Capitol Store. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Lawler, Kelly (April 6, 2023). "Review: 'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' is like a confetti cannon to your face". USA Today. ISSN 2165-1779. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Dowling, Amber (April 4, 2023). "'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' Sinks Under Its Own Ambition: TV Review". Variety. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Han, Angie (April 5, 2023). "'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' Review: Paramount+ Prequel Disappoints as a Musical but Scores as a Celebration of Teen Friendship". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' Didn't Need to Be a Musical". Collider. May 20, 2023. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "The 'Grease' Prequel Songwriter Has Worked With Selena Gomez & Maroon 5". Bustle. April 6, 2023. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies review: A blast from the past". The A.V. Club. April 6, 2023. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies' Score Album Released". Film Music Reporter. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.