Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2021 20:52:19 GMT
Songwriters Mitch Allan, Chantry Johnson & Michelle Zarlenga talk to Billboard about creating the musical puzzle of 'Even When/The Best Part' for season 2 of 'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.'
Before their speculated offscreen relationship drama helped spur a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett recorded a duet about their onscreen romantic dilemma for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
The two-part song will appear during the second season of the Disney+ series, which premieres May 14, in which Nini (Rodrigo) and Ricky (Bassett) navigate their long-distance relationship after she heads off to the Denver-based Youth Actors Conservatory, leaving Ricky, the East High Wildcats and their spring musical production behind in Salt Lake City, Utah. The "Valentine's Day" episode spotlights Nini and Ricky struggling to physically spend the holiday together, after Ricky takes a bus to Denver to surprise Nini with the new love song he wrote for her titled "Even When" -- only for Nini to surprise Ricky outside his (old) house in Salt Lake City and sing her own romantic ballad "The Best Part."
Toward the end of the episode, the high school sweethearts simultaneously perform their songs while leaving voicemails for each other shortly before the clock strikes midnight and signals the end of Valentine's Day. The result is "Even When/The Best Part," a swoon-worthy "accidental duet" featuring Bassett on guitar and Rodrigo on ukulele that strategically synthesizes their individual songs together like two pieces of a puzzle.
"This song originated in the writers' room when our writing producer Zach Dodes said, 'Wouldn't it be cool if Ricky and Nini kept missing each other on Valentine's Day, and so they each call each other at midnight and play a song they wrote for the other one -- and through the magic of showbiz, the songs blended together?'" Tim Federle, the series' creator, showrunner and executive producer, says in a statement to Billboard. "Olivia and Josh are such talented singer-actors, and the songwriters struck the perfect note in writing this 'accidental duet.'"
Disney Channel veteran songwriter and producer Mitch Allan, Chantry Johnson and Michelle Zarlenga knew going into the writing session in January 2020 that they were writing one song with two songs nested inside it. In a statement, Disney Branded Television vp of music and soundtracks Steve Vincent commended the team for taking on "the unique challenge of writing two songs that musically fit together when played simultaneously and [delivering] a 'duet' that captures the spirit of Valentine’s Day, and the voices of the characters expressing their love for one another."
Before their speculated offscreen relationship drama helped spur a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett recorded a duet about their onscreen romantic dilemma for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
The two-part song will appear during the second season of the Disney+ series, which premieres May 14, in which Nini (Rodrigo) and Ricky (Bassett) navigate their long-distance relationship after she heads off to the Denver-based Youth Actors Conservatory, leaving Ricky, the East High Wildcats and their spring musical production behind in Salt Lake City, Utah. The "Valentine's Day" episode spotlights Nini and Ricky struggling to physically spend the holiday together, after Ricky takes a bus to Denver to surprise Nini with the new love song he wrote for her titled "Even When" -- only for Nini to surprise Ricky outside his (old) house in Salt Lake City and sing her own romantic ballad "The Best Part."
Toward the end of the episode, the high school sweethearts simultaneously perform their songs while leaving voicemails for each other shortly before the clock strikes midnight and signals the end of Valentine's Day. The result is "Even When/The Best Part," a swoon-worthy "accidental duet" featuring Bassett on guitar and Rodrigo on ukulele that strategically synthesizes their individual songs together like two pieces of a puzzle.
"This song originated in the writers' room when our writing producer Zach Dodes said, 'Wouldn't it be cool if Ricky and Nini kept missing each other on Valentine's Day, and so they each call each other at midnight and play a song they wrote for the other one -- and through the magic of showbiz, the songs blended together?'" Tim Federle, the series' creator, showrunner and executive producer, says in a statement to Billboard. "Olivia and Josh are such talented singer-actors, and the songwriters struck the perfect note in writing this 'accidental duet.'"
Disney Channel veteran songwriter and producer Mitch Allan, Chantry Johnson and Michelle Zarlenga knew going into the writing session in January 2020 that they were writing one song with two songs nested inside it. In a statement, Disney Branded Television vp of music and soundtracks Steve Vincent commended the team for taking on "the unique challenge of writing two songs that musically fit together when played simultaneously and [delivering] a 'duet' that captures the spirit of Valentine’s Day, and the voices of the characters expressing their love for one another."
