Now that Netflix has released The Life Ahead and we’ve heard its tearjerker end credits song, “lo Si (Seen)”, the track moves into frontrunner status this month. Legendary songwriter Diane Warren has several contenders in the mix this year, but this looks like it could be the song that will see the long-overdue writer finally receive her Academy Award after 11 unsuccessful attempts.
Another contender from Netflix joins the race this month in the form of an original track from Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of the Broadway musical The Prom. As expected, they’ve thrown in a new song, “Wear Your Crown,” to attract an Oscar nom in a similar fashion to other Broadway film adaptations like Evita, Chicago, Dreamgirls, Nine, and Les Misérables. It worked for all those films. Will it work for The Prom?
Keep an eye on “Poverty Porn” from Radha Blank’s sensational debut, The Forty-Year Old Version. Netflix (there’s that name again) has confirmed they will be pushing the track for an Original Song nomination and we’ve certainly seen the Academy honour rap music in recent years. It’s a pointedly sharp little gem and would add some much-needed flavour to this category.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG PREDICTIONS:
1. “lo Si (Seen)” – The Life Ahead (Netflix)
Diane Warren
2. “Rocket to the Moon” – Over the Moon (Netflix)
Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield & Helen Park
3. “Speak Now” – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
4. “Húsavík” – Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix)
Atli Örvarsson
5. “Wear Your Crown” – The Prom (Netflix)
Adam Anders, Peer Astrom, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin
MAJOR CONTENDERS:
“Carried Me With You” – Onward (Disney)
Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth
“Free” – The One and Only Ivan (Disney)
Diane Warren
“Hear My Voice” – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyrics by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
“Just Sing” – Trolls: World Tour (DreamWorks Animation)
Justin Timberlake, Ludwig Göransson, Max Martin and Sarah Aarons
“Loyal Brave True” – Mulan (Disney+)
Jamie Hartman, Harry Gregson-Williams, Rosi Golan and Billy Crabtree
“Never Break” – Giving Voice (Netflix)
John Legend, Nasri Atweh, Benjamin Hudson McIldowie, Greg Wells
“Poverty Porn” – The Forty-Year Old Version (Netflix)
Radha Blank
“See What You’ve Done” – Belly of the Beast (Independent Lens)
Mary J. Blige, Darhyl Camper, Jr., Denisia Andrews and Brittany Coney
“Turntables” – All In: The Fight for Democracy (Amazon Studios)
Janelle Monáe, Nathaniel Irvin III and George “George 2.0.” A. Peters II
“Without a Net” – Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story (Shout! Factory)
Diane Warren
