The newly announced list of nominees for the 2023 Academy Awards includes a number of familiar names from the music world, from a Best Original Song nod for David Byrne (Talking Heads) to a slew of nominations for Baz Luhrmann‘s Elvis Presley biopic, Elvis.
The Oscar nomination for David Byrne comes in the Best Original Song category for “This Is A Life”, which he co-wrote alongside Ryan Lott and Mitski for absurdist science fiction comedy-drama Everything Everywhere All At Once. The song itself, a duet between Byrne and Mitski draped over Lott’s lush bed of sounds, is a shimmering dreamscape worthy of the film’s mysterious, multiversal aesthetic.
This is not the first Academy Award nomination for David Byrne. Back in 1988, Byrne, alongside Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su, took home a Best Original Score Oscar for their work on The Last Emperor.
David Byrne, Mitski, and Ryan Lott’s “This Is A Life” will go up against the likes of Diane Warren (“Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman); Lady Gaga and BloodPop (“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick); Rihanna, Tems, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Goransson (“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever); and M.M. Keeravaani and Chandrabose (“Naatu Naatu” from RRR) for the 2023 Best Original Song Oscar statue.
Son Lux, Mitski, David Byrne – “This Is A Life” – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Everything Everywhere All At Once, written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schneider, leads all nominees with 11 total nominations at the 2023 Academy Awards. Also included in that list of 11 Oscar nods for the film is Son Lux, Lott’s experimental post-rock/electronica band, which received a Best Original Score nomination for the film. Other Best Original Score nominees include Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet On The Western Front), Justin Hurwitz (Babylon), Carter Burwell (The Banshees of Inisherin), and John Williams (The Fabelmans).
The 2023 Academy Awards ceremony is also sure to feature numerous mentions of the late Elvis Presley, as Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic is up for recognition in eight different categories including Best Picture and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Austin Butler, for his portrayal of Presley in the film).
The slew of nominations for Elvis comes less than two weeks after the Presley family endured the sudden passing of Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only child, at age 54. Lisa Marie Presley was on hand earlier this month when Butler took home a Golden Globe for Actor in a Drama Motion Picture for his portrayal of her famous father.
Elvis – Official Trailer
Congratulations to all of the nominees! For a complete list of 2023 Academy Award nominations, head here.