Dearest gentle reader,
The time has come once again for everyone to renew their Netflix subscriptions, for part one of Bridgerton season four is now streaming! Not only that, Vitamin String Quartet, the ensemble behind many of Bridgerton’s cheeky Regency-style pop covers, is playing the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on Friday, Jan. 30. It’s a Bridgerton-filled week here in Iowa, and the Studio One team is living for it!
The Bridgerton series follows the love stories of the eight Bridgerton children in Regency-era London. The show is not only historical fiction, it dabbles in the realm of speculative fiction as well, bringing people of color into early 1800s high society (or “the ton”), which might explain the acrylic nails Penelope wore last season.
Music supervisors Alexandra Patsavas and Justin Kamps teamed up with composers like Kris Bowers and ensembles like Vitamin String Quartet to bring the soundscapes of Bridgerton to life, combining period-accurate original scores with surrealist contemporary pop covers. The show’s entire plot centers around high society balls, so its musical moments are what really make Bridgerton complete. Modern audiences can connect familiar songs to the humor, drama, and, sometimes, the salaciousness of the series.
Tressa Glass and I (Cece Mitchell) donned our fancy dresses and masquerade masks to discuss our Bridgerton hot takes — almost as hot as Simon, Duke of Hastings. Here’s our stance on the music of Bridgerton so far!
What's your favorite musical moment in the Bridgerton universe (so far)?
GLASS: “I'm very partial to season one, the season that started it all. That season was so special because you didn't realize at first that they were doing these really popular song covers. I'm thinking Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams." It's played when Daphne and the Duke are celebrating their honeymoon ... let's say their honeymoon era, in several locations, and it's this gorgeous rendition of "Wildest Dreams." I love that scene for obvious reasons, like the tension finally is released that was building up the whole season.”
MITCHELL: “My favorite is actually outside of Bridgerton. It's in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. I love Queen Charlotte, and it's also a climactic moment in that season, when the king and the queen's first dance as ball hosts is to "Nobody Gets Me" by SZA. It's the perfect song for that moment. I love the king and queen's love story, it just has so many twists and turns, and it's so tender. By that point, I was just in love with them. They're my favorite couple in the Bridgerton universe, and so when they get to be with each other and celebrate each other and support one another in that scene, I just melt.”
What was the best Taylor Swift moment of season three: Atwood Quartet’s cover of “Snow On The Beach”, when Colin cuts in to Penelope and Lord Debling’s dance, or Duomo’s cover of “You Belong With Me,” during Colin and Penelope’s first dance as newlyweds?
GLASS: “I am going to go "Snow On The Beach." I do think it was a little bit sneakier, which I liked. I also just love a jealous man, and that's the whole point of that scene, is that he can't take her dancing with somebody else, and I love it.”
MITCHELL: “I have to agree with you on "Snow On The Beach," I loved how they arranged that song, and it was just such a great cover. But I do really like the "You Belong With Me" scene, because they're dancing to that song in that big crowd, and then it cuts to them alone in the room, like it's just them. Love that scene.”
A game of "Court, marry, kill:"
Vitamin String Quartet’s cover of “Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande during the first ball scene of season one, Kris Bowers’ cover of “Material Girl” when the Sharma girls enter society in season two or Archer Marsh’s cover of “Give Me Everything” by Pitbull during the carriage scene with Penelope and Colin in season three?
GLASS: “I'm going to court Pitbull’s "Give Me Everything." As we discussed earlier, I do like a sneaky one, where you're like, ‘Is this a Pitbull song?’ In the steamy, tension-breaking carriage scene — hilarious. I love them for doing that, and it is a lovely arrangement. I have to marry Ariana Grande’s "Thank U, Next." That was the first time in the Bridgerton universe that they used a pop song cover like that. Again, you're like, ‘Is this Ariana Grande? And why does it work perfectly for this universe?’ Sorry, I am going to kill "Material Girl." It was maybe more obvious — I was like, ‘Oh, "Material Girl" is playing right now.’ It did work well for the scene, so no shade, but I am killing that one.”
MITCHELL: “I would actually court "Material Girl." I just love that moment, and I love the Sharma girls. They're just so fun, and it's just a great scene with them. I would marry "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull during the carriage scene, because I love the carriage scene. I think all of us bookish girlies were just living for that moment. And I would unfortunately kill "Thank U, Next." It's a great cover, and it's a great introduction to the pop song covers that we see throughout Bridgerton, and it took me by surprise, but I just think that the covers just kept on getting better and better as the seasons go on.”
Neither of us have read the Bridgerton books, so we have no spoilers for season four yet! We’re eager to see Benedict’s Cinderella story unfold, and we want to hear your thoughts, too. Check out the reel of our conversation and tag us with your opinions on Instagram, @iprstudioone!
