Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” is set to dominate the original song race. Oscar voters will likely pick all three contenders from the blockbuster for the original song shortlist: Billie Eilish’s tear-inducing ballad “What Was I Made For,” Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” and Ryan Gosling’s pitiful song of feeling inadequate “I’m Just Ken.”
Mark Ronson and songwriting partner Andrew Wyatt wrote the latter two, while Eilish partnered with brother Finneas on her tune. However, with only two nominations allowed in this category, it will be left to the music branch to decide which two they pick.
Lenny Kravitz eyes a spot on the list with “Road to Freedom,” a song he penned for George C. Wolfe’s “Rustin.” The soulful song’s horns and trombones are key to this composition, which accompanies the film’s end credits.
Disney seeks to snag nominations for the original songs from its live action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken united to write “For the First Time,” which mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) sings as she experiences what it’s like to be on land. “Wild Uncharted Waters,” sung by the film’s Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King), was written by Miranda and composed by Menken.
Elsewhere, Disney’s animated musical “Wish” celebrates the animation studio’s 100th year. Among the songs by Grammy-winning artist Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice are “This Is the Thanks I Get,” sung by Chris Pine, who’s playing the villain, King Magnifico, and “This Wish,” sung by Ariana DeBose, the heroine Asha. Expect both to make the shortlist, with “This Wish” likely to make the final five — it’s the ultimate “I Want” song about having big aspirations, but not knowing all the answers when something is wrong. There’s a rawness to the lyrics, but even more with DeBose’s vocals that deeply resonate.
The last time Justin Timberlake was nominated for an Oscar was back in 2017 when “Can’t Stop the Feeling” from “Trolls” made the final cut. Timberlake may see another nomination with “Trolls Band Together” — for this animated sequel, he’s got the added firepower of his former NSYNC bandmates, reunited in film and on the soundtrack. Look for the mega-poppy-bop “Better Place,” penned by Amy Allen, Justin Timberlake and Shellback to hopefully woo the music branch. After all, who wouldn’t want to see an NSYNC reunion at the Oscars?
“Peaches,” sung by Jack Black in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” could land an Oscar nomination, but whether the showstopping ballad, written by Black, Eric Osmond, John Spiker and co-directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic breaks through remains to be seen.
Other original song contenders include “Am I Dreaming” by A$AP Rocky, Mike Dean, Peter Lee Johnson, Metro Boomin, Roisee, scriptplugg (“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”); “High Life” by John Carney and Gary Clark (“Flora and Son”); “Camp Isn’t Home” by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, Ben Platt and Mark Sonnenblick (“Theater Camp”); “All Love Is Love” by Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp from “Dicks: The Musical”; and “Steal the Show” by Lauv, Michael Matosic and Thomas Newman from Pixar’s “Elemental.” “Can’t Catch Me Now” by Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro from “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is Rodrigo’s first film song. Look out for Stan Walker’s “I Am” from Ava DuVernay’s “Origin.” It is a powerful tune about reclamation, reconciliation and reconnection to identity. Jon Batiste is looking to stake a claim in the race too with “American Symphony.” For the doc, he penned, “It Never Went Away,” a soaring tribute to the power of love. Batiste penned it with Dan Wilson. “The Color Purple” will submit two, “Keep It Movin’” and The Dream’s “Superpower (I),” which Barrino spectacularly performs over the film’s end credits.
And let’s not forget Diane Warren.
While Warren, who’s collected many Academy Award nominations, has yet to win a trophy for in this category — she was awarded an honorary Oscar — the music branch loves her. Don’t count her out, and don’t be surprised if she lands a coveted slot. Look out for is the spicy track “The Fire Inside,” sung by Becky G. which features on Eva Longoria’s “Flamin’ Hot.”
