la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
theaterdude2
Stand-by Joined: 3/28/16
#1la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/26/17 at 11:32pm
in years past, when a film had a nominated song, most of the time the artist who originated the song in the film would perform them on the Academy Awards. In fact, when you saw a movie with a great song and you knew it might be nominated, you looked forward to seeing the inevitable oscar performance by the person who sings it in the film.
do you think it's strange that with 2 songs nominated that they perform in the film, neither Emma Stone or Ryan Gosling performed the songs live even though they were obviously right there in the building? what do you think the reason is? are they not capable of performing live? or is it just cause they don't need to?
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#2la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 12:21am
It's not unprecedented. In 2005 Beyonce performed several of the nominated songs, including "Learn to Be Lonely." In 2003 Queen Latifah replaced Renee Zellweger for the performance of "I Move On" with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
#3la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 12:23am
No, I don't think it's strange. You write that "most" songs are sung by the performer who sang the nominated song in the picture, but I'm not sure that's true. When the movie actor is a singer, sure, but when he or she is not, I think a pop singer is more often substituted.
theaterdude2
Stand-by Joined: 3/28/16
#4la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 12:33am
but in this case the actors are in a musical, playing roles that require them to sing. pop singers usually perform theme songs from the films. i don't see any reason in this case that Emma Stone or Ryan Gosling couldn't perform the songs they performed in the film. I just thought it was odd while watching them right there in the audience.
mc1227
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/07
#5la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 12:41am
I didn't care for Legends performance at all and even though they weren't the greatest singers, I would have loved seeing Emma and Ryan performing them tonight.
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
#6la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 12:49am
Everyone I know personally and on line has been talking about how Gosling and Stone can't really sing or dance. If I were they, I wouldn't have gone near that stage (except to accept an award). I'm sorry Legend was disappointing.
(I haven't seen the picture or the West Coast feed, so nothing here reflects my own opinion of anyone's musicality.)
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#7la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 12:58am
John Legend's voice is pure gold. He nailed it. Stone was fine in the film, but not sure she gave the BEST performance of the year. But the Oscars seems pretty into giving the award to younger set - Jennifer Lawerence.
bear88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
#8la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 4:55am
John Legend has a fine voice but I didn't think the composite performance worked, even in the "City of Stars" part.
Meanwhile, Auli'i Cravahlo nailed "How Far I'll Go" and made a strong case that it should have been Best Song.
I do like the La La Land sourndtrack, and both nominated songs, but the musical snob in me thought it was a bad look that the 17-year-old could belt out Lin-Manuel Miranda's song (and getting knocked in the head with a flag) on live televsion while Gosling and Stone played it safe. I can't really blame them, though. They had more to lose.
Wilmingtom
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/11
#9la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 5:14am
"Gosling and Stone played it safe. I can't really blame them, though. They had more to lose."
That is presuming they were asked to sing and turned the offer own. Most likely the producers wanted an established pop star to showcase the songs.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#10la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 7:51am
But they aren't "singers", I don't blame them if it was their choice.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
chewy5000
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
#12la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 8:25am
^^^ Yikes! Who made that call and why? Reinking wasn't in the film, nor did she sing the song on the soundtrack as I recall. Phil Collins would have been the obvious choice; maybe he was a last-minute cancellation.
***
As some of you know, I have a friend who voiced a well-known Disney character. Three numbers from the film were nominated, so she and Jerry Orbach sang their respective numbers live. My friend is a seasoned, Broadway actor and singer and she said she'd never been so nervous as she was singing at the Oscars. If you listen to the tape, you can hear that Orbach was nervous, too, and he starred off-Broadway before I got to elementary school. Something about that TV audience of a BILLION people.
I never thought I'd be saying this in my life: but I actually feel sorry for Warren Beatty. Not his fault, but it must be embarrassing all the same.
#13la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 10:15am
I didn't care for Legend's performance either. I kept hoping they'd grab Cynthia from the audience and have her sing the Audition song. It would have been so pretty.
Auli'l Cravahlo is a real gem too. I always loved her voice on the film, and she was able to bring that performance on stage. I hope she does theater, there's so much potential there.
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
MyLife
Broadway Star Joined: 12/2/06
#14la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 11:00am
Auli'l Cravahlo = future Eliza
#15la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 11:54am
^my bf said the same thing. She's only 16, so I'd be uncomfortable watching her with that role on stage anytime soon. Maybe the eventual inevitable movie?
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
#16la la land songs not performed by stars at Oscars
Posted: 2/27/17 at 12:59pm
Considering the singing and dancing chosen for the movie was likely the best result of numerous takes, and those results were far from professional quality, it doesn't surprise me that they or their producers did not choose to have them perform live.
