The success of the soundtrack of 'The Bridgertons' on Netflix
'The Bridgertons' became the most meteoric premiere in Netflix history around this same time last year. According to data provided by the platform, the series directed by Shonda Rhimmes, which adapts the romantic novel by Julia Quinn, just 28 days after its premiere, had reached more than 82 million homes around the world. More than 40% of Netflix subscribers gave this fiction a chance.
The success of 'The Bridgertons' on Netflix has allowed the Film Symphony Orchestra to return to the moving classical music, with which Kris Bowers set the narrative, to organize a three concert tour in Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona during the month of January. This special concert will allow us to immerse ourselves in the adventures and misadventures of London society at the beginning of the 19th century, especially if we are left with more desire after watching this iconic series.
Who is Kristopher Bowers?
Composer Kris Bowers, designer of the soundtrack, was born in 1989 in Los Angeles, California. Her parents, he a film and television scriptwriter and she, an executive at DirectTV, despite not having received higher education, decided to teach their son to play the piano, and at the age of four he began taking lessons.
Bowers, Official Steinway Artist, studied jazz and classical piano at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. There, he had Mulgrew Miller and Donald Vega as teachers. He later trained in jazz at the Colburn School for Performing Arts, graduating in 2006. He also attended the Juilliard School and earned a bachelor's and master's degree in jazz performance, studies he combined with frequent performances in New York City.
Since gaining fame for collaborating with musicians and artists of all genres, including the late Kobe Bryant, Jay Z, Kanye West, Kyle Abraham, chef Fredrik Berselius, Mahershala Ali, Justin Simien and Ava DuVernay, Bowers has composed music for movies, television, documentaries and video games.
Works of composer Kris Bowers
Among his works as a composer are The day nevaded, for which he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Best Musical Direction and Composition in 2017. That same year, he composed the soundtrack for the series Dear White People, about the post-racial era in the US, and a year later, that of the film Green Book, starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, winner of three Oscars and 3 Golden Globes.
Already in 2019, Bowers continues composing for series, mainly on Netflix, such as When They See Us, which restores equal rights between people of color and whites. This commitment, although always from his role as a composer, is maintained throughout his career.
Among his most recent works, the musical compositions of Mrs. Amanddelicious, again a social and political drama released on HBO in 2020, with Cate Blanchett as the protagonist; King Richard, for the same platform, this time with Will Smith; and Respect, Biopic of the legendary Aretha Franklin, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best original song.
Kristopher Bowers Awards and Awards
There are three seminal moments in Kris Bowers' songwriting career. The first occurred in 2011, when he won The Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, receiving a recording contract with Concord Records and personal recognition from the special event's honoree, Aretha Franklin.
In 2014, after releasing his first album, Heroes + Misfits, iTunes named Bowers one of 12 “Artists to Watch.” In 2016, he was selected to perform at the White House for International Jazz Day, hosted by President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama. Additionally, he has been an avid collaborator, creating exclusive experiences through performance and installation art with Abraham.In.Motion, the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and artist and teacher Ekene Ijeoma.
But the second fundamental moment occurred with The snowy day, composition with which he was awarded the Daytime Emmy for best direction and composition in 2017.
The third, and what catapulted him to international fame, was with the composition of the soundtrack of Green Book, which won the Oscar for best film in 2019.
Soundtrack and songs from The Bridgertons
The soundtrack that makes up the musical aspect of the Netflix series, 'The Bridgertons', consists of pieces of various kinds, with special importance of contemporary songs such as Bad Gay, which Kathy McMillen arranged for the Vitamin String Quartet.
The music of 'The Bridgertons' has revolutionized Netflix, but what are the songs that appear in the series? On the one hand, it offers the original music composed by Kris Bowers, a successful work, which, without being classical music in its strictest sense, combines sounds typical of the time with a wise and balanced choice of instrumentation, harmonies and melodies, with which it provides a multitude of small nuances that fill it of freshness and topicality.
The scenes alternate pieces like Flawless my dear, an inspiring song that is built from a motor in the strings with baroque airs, but making use of more contemporary harmony with songs like The Latest Whistledown, used in the moments when Lady Whistledown is heard in the background gossiping about her papers. It also highlights the emotional and evocative theme We could form an attachment, which begins with cello and viola solos, until reaching a spectacular tutti by the orchestra that is impossible not to get caught up in.
The other important aspect in the soundtrack of 'The Bridgertons' is the mumodern sica, which also offers great arrangements of current pop musical themes included in the series. These are songs like Thank You Next, In My Blood, Girls like you, either BadGay.
Concert in Madrid of The Bridgertons by the Film Symphony Orchestra
The Film Symphony Orchestra's concerts in Madrid are always special. But, on this occasion, the orchestra presents a new and exclusive program that breaks with the molds of the musicals that we can usually enjoy in the capital. The most cinematic orchestra makes the leap to series with this new show dedicated to the music of 'The Bridgertons', as we said, considered a fan phenomenon.
This unique event can only be seen in three special concerts on January 14, 15 and 16 in Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. The FSO continues touring our country with its great annual tour that showcases the best film music. But meanwhile, the restless spirit of its director Constantino Martínez-Orts does not stop creating new shows.
Kris Bowers' playing style is thought-provoking, and his cinematic compositions defy genres and pay homage to his classical and jazz roots. His production in 'The Bridgertons', according to Marie Claire magazine, The number of playlists on Spotify has increased wildly, especially because of Bowers' ability to revolutionize his audiences. The fusion between classical music, jazz and contemporary pop has made this composer one of the leaders of international music.
