The Sound of Theatrics

Greetings,

The stage awaits, and the show will begin shortly. 🎬

But before that, some housekeeping updates — I’ve refurbished my resources section so the directions are bigger and clearer now.

There’s a lot that goes into and behind this newsletter, but there’s not much I can share through the Beehiiv interface at the moment. I value every member of this space, so I think it’s important to give you some context on who I am, what music musings is, and everything in between (like how I write on Substack too, though Beehiiv is where I write most).

Also, my song recommendations form has undergone a major revamp (technically, it’s just a migration to a new platform). As a marketer and creative, I’m a big fan of modern tech design, and I’ve always loved Tally’s interface. It’s sleek, visually appealing, consistent with most apps, and very intuitive to use. Check it out here and see if it feels easier to share your song recommendations!

You’ll also see a new resource card about collabs. On that note, I want to say that I’m open for collaborations, and I’d love to work with artists and stories that are vibe-worthy! Feel free to drop an email, and let’s see how we can maximise our joint vibes ✨

Now, back to our main play: this week’s set features sounds I’ve heard on-screen and on-stage that you might not come across every day. If you’re a big musicals fan — both in theatre and film — this piece is your refresher to re-listen to some truly good ones from the OSTs. Whatever kind of listener you are, here’s your ticket to good vibes.

Thanks again for being here, and enjoy the show! ✨

See you at the next act,

Val ♫

(P.S If you are reading this in your email, please click “Read Online” at the top-right corner next to the date for a better reading experience!)

One More Week to New Community Discoveries! 🎶

Our 50th Music Musings newsletter is almost here, and this is your last chance to drop your music recommendations!

We’ve had our community playlists a while back, and I like to think of these series as time capsules we can look back on together. Your recommendation might just be the best vibes that humanity will re-discover when they study our time period.

Don’t wait till the 100th volume — be part of the music movement now and let’s discover new amazing songs together!

In this week's setlist:

• 🎥 Showstopping Scores

• 🎞️ The Play’s Not Over, Extend the Curtain Call!

• 🌏 Regional Renditions

• 🎶 New Music This Week

🎥 Showstopping Scores

For musical-adapted films and movies with strong musical elements, you can bet that the score can make or break their success. Sometimes, it’s not an A-list musical-film like Mamma Mia!, or TV shows with epic soundtracks, or an Emmy-winning TV series like Glee, but there’s still gold to be found in a dry mine.

Here are songs from lesser-known films and TV shows that are worth a listen:

• Husavik (My Hometown) by My Marianne and Will Ferrell (from the film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga)

• Would You Come Home by Tyler Backburn (from the TV series Roswell, New Mexico Season 2)

• His Status Is… Preferred by Donna Lynne Champlin (from the TV Series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 1)

🎞️ The Play’s Not Over, Extend the Curtain Call!

Even if you’re not deep in the musical theatre scene, chances are some of the big hits have found their way onto your playlist, thanks to their storytelling pull and vocal impact. Truth be told, musicals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Their distinct style can feel a little too theatrical compared to the polished pop or produced tracks you usually find on streaming platforms. But maybe that’s only because you haven’t discovered the right kind of musical numbers (or the right play!) to vibe with.

For this round, may I present to you the finest selection of musical pieces that deserve a spot on your playlist:

• To Find You by Brenock O’Connor (from Sing Street)

• Bloom by Antonio Cipriano, Stephanie Torns and Joey Contreras (from In Pieces)

• Hands Up! by Joanne Clifton and Ben Adams (from Eugenius!)

🌏 Regional Renditions

This setlist would not complete without sharing some of the best musical songs beyond Broadway and West End. As the quote goes, “not every sentence can be translated and felt deeply.” That said, musical lyrics and arrangements from Asia are always raw and unapologetically authentic, and they carry emotional textures that overcome language barriers.

Check out these super talented singers from the region:

• Who I’d Be by Ko Eun Sung and Min Kyung Ah (from the Korean production of the musical “Shrek”)

• Bagong Mundo by Julie Anne San Jose (from the Filipino musical “Still!”)

• Home by Shiki Theatre Company (from the Japanese theatre company producing the musical “Beauty and the Beast”)

🎼 Lyric of the Week

🎶 New Music This Week

The River by Maleah Joi Moon (from the Broadway Musical Hell’s Kitchen): The emotive storytelling, paired with the beautiful piano melody progression, captured my heart with such a gripping force. I feel like a heroine ready to sail the seas in pursuit of her heart’s desires.

Did I Let You Go by Jon Cuelas and Vivoree (from the Filipino TV series He’s Into Her): Another emotional ballad duet that illustrates the sadness and pain of a pair giving up a a relationship of a lifetime. It’s giving Camp Rock 2 vibes with Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato singing their solos while walking on separate roads.

Inspired by this week’s music picks?

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