Hey Soulsters! What’s the good word?
The word of the day today: soundtrack.
Seeing that we’re almost at the end of Hidden Figures week, it’s only natural that I remind y’all to get in on listening to and purchasing the soundtrack! I know it’s already out and has most likely settled into your aural stimulation lists and such. But how could I speak about this movie and not support the music that drives it? So, it only makes sense that we discover what the sounds have to offer on the soundtrack.
Producer and writer extraordinaire Pharrell Williams is the singer/songwriter behind the uplifting and soulful tunes. Lucky for us, Williams is no stranger to producing songs that keep our feet moving and heartbeats going how many beats per second (“Happy” anyone?). The Hidden Figures soundtrack is a fantastic addition to his ongoing body of work. And to add some spice, he has asked a few of his friends—Lalah Hathaway, Mary J. Blige and one of the movie’s stars Janelle Monae—to sprinkle some of their soulful magic on a few tunes. “Runnin’”, “Surrender” featuring Lalah Hathaway and “Crave” all have me steady groovin’ a la “Green Onions”. I really took to the moving “I See A Victory” as well, but at this point, I’ll refrain from any negative commentary about the controversy (because my tongue and these fingers are not my own, and I can’t be liable for the quirky and sharp snaps about respect and homophobia that will come your way). This is about the album on the whole, and it is no doubt stellar. Williams channels the 60’s era and goes in on encapsulating the sound, funk and soul. Also, his storytelling allows for messages of inspiration and motivation. It’s a tight compilation of sounds that you need to press play on if you haven’t already.
Check out this video of Pharrell’s Hidden Figures performance at TIFF over the summer:
Make sure to grab your copy of Hidden Figures today. It’s available for download on iTunes here.
This cold has me in a bind, but I will surely be leaving my house on the weekend to get some much-needed air and check the movie out. I really hope y’all get out to support too! For good measure, here is the theatre and showtimes listing. 😉 I’ll have my recap for y’all on Monday.