Oscars so musical

 

This year, perhaps more so than ever (except for the Moonlight-related incident a few years back), African-Americans’s contribution to culture at large got celebrated at this year’s Oscars. Along with other under-represented groups, with Chinese director Chloé Zhao getting top accolades and French filmmaker Florian Zeller also getting his due — although one could argue that being French is not necessarily an impossible burden. Meanwhile, Zhao’s nomination was likely one of the reasons the Oscars were not being broadcast in Hong Kong: she has been rather critical of the Chinese government’s authoritarianism in the past…

But let us get back to the thrilling topic at hand: this year’s crop of musical Oscars… Starting with the Best song award, which went to H.E.R. for her contribution to Judas and the Black Messiah‘s soundtrack, “Fight for you”. While the song itself is a beautiful piece of retro-Soul circa 1971, which is fitting given the film’s subject matter (the 1969 assassination of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton), what is perhaps even more remarkable is that 23-year H.E.R. already earned herself a Grammy award earlier this year for her perhaps even more timely composition “I can’t breathe”. To say that the musician is one of the absolute break out artists of her generation would be somewhat of an understatement…

Then, we have the Best score award. This year’s winner was the soundtrack for Pixar’s latest animated film, Soul, which was as always highly anticipated by critics and fans alike. With good reason, it seems: both the film and the music that came with it received copious acclaim since release. And now, an Oscar… which actually went to previous winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, i.e. the geniuses behind Nine Inch Nails, The Social Network‘s soundtrack and countless other projects (including fellow nominee Mank). But here’s the kicker: the pair shared the award with Jon Batiste, the New Orleans star musician who also officiates as Stephen Colbert’s Late Show musical director. Batiste became only the second African American composer to ever win an Oscar after none other than Herbie Hancock…

The only deception in all this, one might note, is that another star performer and nominated artist didn’t get the same amount of luck as the aforementioned gentlemen — and lady — did: that would be Leslie Odom Jr., who had managed to get nominated both as an actor — for portraying Soul legend Sam Cooke in the remarkable One Night in Miami — and for composing a song on the film’s soundtrack. I guess you can’t have it all. Meanwhile, the Razzies “celebrated” Sia‘s ill-conceived directorial debut, the widely panned Music — also starring Leslie Odom Jr. You really can’t have it all.