Diane Warren

Diane Warren

Photo: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images

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'RBG' End-Credits Song "I'll Fight" Was Written To Show Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Power

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Superstar songwriter Diane Warren wanted to pen a strong anthem for the film and says Jennifer Husdon was the perfect singer for it
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 11, 2019 - 12:56 pm

The Ruth Bader Ginsburg-inspired film On The Basis Of Sex is out today, but an equally powerful documentary about the Supreme Court justice has been available to watch since early 2018. The doc also boasts a powerful anthem "I'll Fight" (performed by GRAMMY winner Jennifer Hudson) written by a GRAMMY-winner that knows a thing or two about writing music for inspiring people at the head of the courtroom. 

Songwriter Diane Warren, who also wrote the GRAMMY-nominated "Stand Up For Something" from the motion picture Marshall based on the life of Thurgood Marshall, wanted to pen a strong anthem for the film.

"I wanted it to show that she is a fighter, and this is what she’d been doing for years, even before she was on the Supreme Court bench," Warren told ASCAP.

Bader Ginsberg or RBG as she's fondly called sometimes, has not only been seen as influential in court cases, including those of same-sex marriage, but she has battled cancer three times. In Dec., she "underwent a pulmonary lobectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center … to remove two malignant nodules in her left lung," the Washington Post reported. Post the procedure, doctors said there was no evidence of the disease remaining.

Warren's career is impressive in its own right having written songs for Beyoncé and Aerosmith, and had her songs featured in over 100 movies. She said Hudson helped bring this particular song to life.

"I loved the dichotomy of getting Jennifer Hudson to sing it, because [RBG] speaks so softly, but so powerfully," Warren said. "It’s almost like Jennifer Hudson’s voice became her avatar - because that’s what she really sounds like to us. She’s a diva! She’s a notorious RBG. So I didn’t want it to be soft. I wanted it to have power."

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Rami Malek And Queen Golden Globes

Brian May, Rami Malek, Roger Taylor

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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Golden Globes 2019: 'Bohemian Rhapsody’ & Rami Malek Win Major Categories

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The Globes, which celebrates and recognizes film and television domestically, as well as internationally, also awards music in film
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 7, 2019 - 12:21 pm

Music scored big at the Golden Globe awards on Jan. 6, as Bohemian Rhapsody, the music biopic about iconic glam-rock band Queen, took the award for Best Motion Picture, Drama.

But that wasn't the only win for one of 2018's most anticipated films and the highest-grossing music biopics of all time: Rami Malek, who portrays legendary frontman Freddie Mercury, won Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Drama. The actor thanked the band during his acceptance speech.

"And of course [thanks to] Queen. To you, Brian May, to you, Roger Taylor, for ensuring that authenticity and inclusivity exists in the music and in the world and in all of us," Malek said. "Thank you to Freddie Mercury for giving me the joy of a lifetime. I love you, you beautiful man. This is for and because of you, gorgeous."

The Globes, which celebrates and recognizes film and television domestically, as well as internationally, also honors music in film through categories, including Best Original Song.

The 2019 Best Original Song award went to Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt for "Shallow," which they wrote for A Star Is Born. Dumplin's "Girl In The Movies" by Dolly Parton and Linda Perry and "All The Stars" (performed by Kendrick Lamar and SZA) from the Black Panther soundtrack were among the nominees.

Best Original Score went to GRAMMY-winning composer Justin Hurwitz for First Man, the film adaptation of astronaut Neil Armstrong's life. Huriwitz won Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

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"Queer Eye" cast 

Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage

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"Queer Eye" Cast Empowers Students In New Music Video

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The Fab Five help three Kansas teens perfect their dance, rap and singing skills
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Dec 20, 2018 - 5:32 pm

The "Queer Eye” cast, aka Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Bobby Berk, and Tan France, are taking a break from helping men achieve and sustain new looks. Their latest project? Helping three Kansas high school students shine in a new music video for a remixed song from the GRAMMY-nominated soundtrack The Greatest Showman. 

The Fab Five empower Tim, Olivia and J'Shawn to express themselves artistically in the new video for the anthem "This Is Me (The Reimagined Remix)" with actress/singer Keala Settle, Kesha and Missy Elliott from The Greatest Showman: Reimagined compilation.

In the video, supported by VH1’s Save The Music Foundation, which advocates for music to be a right, not a privilege, for children, the cast helps the teens practice rapping, singing and dancing with encouraging support throughout the process. In the end, the teens, who go from novices to confident entertainers, perform in front of an audience.

The idea for the video came from Porowski's obsession with music videos. He had always wanted to do one and reached out to songwriter friends Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for help. Pasek, who wrote songs for The Greatest Showman along with Paul, told Porowski that songs from the film were being readapted.

"'This Is Me' was a perfect fit, and it worked out," Porowski said on the "Today Show," where the video debuted.

Pasek knew "This Is Me" would be a perfect fit for the cast's vision, saying, "The message of what the 'Queer Eye' guys have done with that show is so inspiring to us and it’s so in line with what 'This Is Me,' the song is really about—it's about empowerment and it's about seeing the potential in every single person.”

Paul, meanwhile, spoke about the importance of self-expression among young people and the need to support music education.

"It’s a song about empowerment,” he said. “It’s a song about owning your identity, not being ashamed of who you are, and it's also a song about expression. With these young people it's creative expression, and to that end, that's why it was important to us with this video. We're also trying to bring attention to save the music, which is a way for [young] people around this country to express themselves creatively. 

As for J'Shawn, who worked on his dance skills, it was exciting to show the world how he can move.

"It was really fun. These guys are so funny and they made me feel comfortable. I’m so grateful I was able to do this," he said.

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Rami Malek

Photo: Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Twentieth Century Fox

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Queen Movie 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Is Highest-Grossing Music Biopic Ever

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The film has earned $175.7 million in North America and $433 million internationally for a total of $608.7 million
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Dec 14, 2018 - 11:32 am

The Bohemian Rhapsody biopic based on the life of GRAMMY-nominated band Queen has become the highest-grossing music biopic of all time.

The film now holds the record domestically, internationally and worldwide, taking the throne from the previous record holder, 2015’s Straight Outta Compton.

Deadline reports that the film has earned $175.7 million in North America and $433 million internationally for a total of $608.7 million as of Wednesday, Dec.12.

READ: Rami Malek Is Finally Ready To Rock You With 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Out Today

The film has received nominations for the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes.

Actor Rami Malek, who plays Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, shared a message with Queen fans earlier this year about his excitement for telling the band's story. 

"Die-hard Queen fans, I'm very excited for them to see this film, I'm become pretty much a die-hard Queen fan myself," Malek shared. "What's special about this film is that we get to see the coming of age of this band from all walks of life, come together and collaborate on the greatest songs we've ever heard. You get the see the making of those songs and you get to see the glory of them resurrected onstage."

The ‘70s rock band, led by the vivacious Mercury who died at 45 of AIDS-related illness, faced criticism during their career, with one Rolling Stone critic calling them “the first truly fascist rock band.” But that couldn't stop the band's popularity; Queen regularly filled concert venues while on tour, and "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You" remain two of the most iconic rock songs to this day.

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Big Bird

Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)

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We Say Goodbye To The Original Big Bird, Caroll Spinney

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After 5 decades, Caroll Spinney is saying goodbye to his roles as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Oct 18, 2018 - 6:39 pm

Caroll Spinney, the actor and puppeteer behind Sesame Street's Big Bird, is saying goodbye to the role as the big yellow bird which he brought to life almost 50 years ago. 

If you are reading this, chances are you grew up watching Spinney as Big Bird teach us about the big and little things in life: how to be a friend, how to count and sing and much more. Spinney, who is also leaving his role behind as Oscar the Grouch, says Big Bird taught him as much as he taught us.

"Before I came to 'Sesame Street', I didn't feel like what I was doing was very important," Spinney said in a statement. "Big Bird helped me find my purpose. Even as I step down from my roles, I feel like I will always be Big Bird. And even Oscar, once in a while!"

The puppeteer is widely respected and admired for being able to embody two of the world's most loved, but most different characters: from Big Bird's open, loving personality to Oscar's grumpy outlook on life. Spinney dabbed into puppeteering as a child and teen and even used his talent to pay his college tuition. He joined the Sesame Street Muppet cast as Big Bird during its first season in 1969. As Big Bird, Spinney traveled the world going to China with Bob Hope, and later Japan, German, France, Australia, United Kingdom and Canada.

Spinney's work as Big Bird has been widely recognized. Big Bird has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, a U.S. postage stamp and in 2000 was named a living legend by the Library Of Congress.The soundtrack for the Big Bird film, Follow That Bird won a GRAMMY for Best Recording For Children - Single or Album, Musical or Spoken at the 28TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS. 

To honor Spinney's run, here are some of the moments he shared with us as Big Bird:

Teaching us how to embrace difference with R2D2

He partners up with the Star Wars robot to teach us something about friendship. 

His ability to cheer people (or numbers up)

There's no bigger cheerleader than Big Bird and in this scene, he helps cheer up the number 1, who's not feeling up to his reputation. 

How he taught us about emotions that aren't so easy to identify sometimes

It's not always easy figuring out how we feel, but Big Bird has been able to help us identify different emotions and feelings. 

But most of all, his adventurous spirit:

Big Bird goes on one of his biggest adventures as he tries to go back to Sesame Street after he gets sent to live with a family of dodos in Illinois. 

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