2022 Oscars: Billie Bests Beyoncé; Hans Zimmer Is The Big Winner
Year after year, Best Original Song continues to be one of the most interesting Oscar races outside of the Big Five prizes. In recent years, monster hits like "Shallow" (A Star Is Born, 2016) and "Let It Go" (Frozen, 2013) have taken home the Oscar for Best Original Song. The category has recently attracted a slew of music's biggest stars with Grammy champs like Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Mary J. Blige seeking to complete or further their EGOTs.
At the top of the 2022 awards season, it looked like Best Original Song could potentially be a showdown between pop music's leading ladies. Ariana Grande was in contention alongside Kid Cudi for "Just Look Up" from Don't Look Up, and Lady Gaga also found herself back in the conversation under the assumption that she would write an original song for House of Gucci. By the time we reached the thick of awards season, the category had quickly narrowed into a three-horse race between Billie Eilish & FINNEAS ("No Time To Die"), Lin-Manuel Miranda ("Dos Orguitas"), and Beyoncé & DIXSON ("Be Alive"). Representing No Time To Die, Encanto, and King Richard, respectively, these three songs spawned from films that garnered multiple nominations from the Academy. The other two nominees in the category this year were Van Morrison's "Down to Joy" (Belfast) and Dianne Warren's "Somehow You Do" (Four Good Days).
As we zipped through the season, the race got a bit interesting for a few reasons. Billie Eilish's haunting "No Time To Die" was the frontrunner for the vast majority of the season. Due to the film's COVID-19-induced delayed opening, "No Time To Die" had been winning precursor awards since March 2021 at last year's Grammy Awards. In addition to the song being a stellar offering, "No Time To Die" was also attached to a successful and well-received film. What's more? Billie and Finneas hit all of the right stops during campaign season. This was always their's to lose. Beyoncé's uplifting "Be Alive" had the potential to pull off an upset, but ultimately she and DIXSON could not make it happen. In comparison to her fellow nominees and peers, Beyoncé was absent for the entirety of the season and barely lifted a finger when it came to campaigning. Unfortunately, Beyoncé's name, the quality of the song, and King Richard's buzz were not enough to secure the gold. In an instance of pure luck, the true runaway hit from Disney's Encanto, "We Don't Talk About Bruno," was not pushed for Best Original Song. Instead, Disney opted to push the comparatively less-buzzy "Dos Oruguitas." As both "Bruno" and the Encanto soundtrack continued to dominate the Billboard charts, it looked like all of that buzz could buoy "Dos Oruguitas" to a win.
All in all, Billie and Finneas took home the Academy Award for a well-deserving song. "Be Alive" would have been an equally pleasing victory, but Beyoncé's loss here is a strong reminder that you have to play the game when it comes to awards season — for better or for worse. The live performances of both "No Time To Die" and "Be Alive" were gorgeous, Reba soldiered her way through a labored rendition of "Somehow You Do," and the performances of both Encanto tracks highlighted how weak the film's music is. (Thankfully, Becky G. and Megan Thee Stallion were there to save the day.) "No Time To Die" was a fine choice of winner, if not predictable and uninspired. It is the Oscars, after all!
Original Score
Last night, legendary composer Hans Zimmer won his first Oscar in over two decades for his otherworldly Dune score. Nominated alongside Nicholas Britell (Don't Look Up), Germaine Franco (Encanto), Alberto Iglesias (Parallel Mothers), and Johnny Greenwood (The Power of the Dog), Zimmer took home a bookend Oscar to his first win for The Lion King in 1994. One of the most consistent sets of nominees, anyone would have been a fine winner.
While Zimmer's Dune score was inarguably a towering achievement, my vote would have gone to Johnny Greenwood's luscious The Power of the Dog score. Curiously snubbed throughout the night (Jane Campion's Best Director victory was the only award the film won from its 11 total nominations), The Power of the Dog was incredibly deserving in this race. Campion's psychological Western works because of its careful balance of suspense, suggestion, and longing — three emotions that are expertly captured in Greenwood's harrowing score. Greenwood's score helps drive home the film's subtext while also assisting in streamlining the narrative's pacing. Zimmer's win was expected, but it was absolutely deserved. Let's see if Zimmer, and the Dune team, can replicate or surpass the film's 6 wins with the next installment of the series.
