The 96th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, took place on March 10, 2024. He did a fantastic job hosting the Oscars, and this year’s musical performances were incredible.
Performances
What Was I Made For?
Movie: Barbie
Performed by Billie Eilish
Music & Lyrics: Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell
Billie Eilish gave a heartfelt performance of her single What Was I Made For for the Barbie movie. It was full of emotion. She performed this piece with heat and soul. Her brother Finneas played the piano, just like he did two years ago with the song No Time to Die for the James Bond movie of the same title. The simplicity of the setup is a suitable choice, a way to focus on the song’s profound meaning and lyrics.
Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)
Movie: Killers of the Flower Moon
Performed by Osage Tribal Singers and Dancers
Music & Lyrics: Scott George
The Osage Tribal Singers and Dancers gave a powerful performance. The performance started with the Osage Tribal Singers collectively playing the drums, with other performers dancing around them. There was a genuine sense of community when watching this phenomenal performance.
It Never Went Away
Movie: American Symphony
Performed by Jon Batiste
Music & Lyrics: Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson
Jon Batiste gave a remarkable and heartfelt performance. He did a fantastic job playing the piano, giving it a Classical music vibe, and he sang from the heart. It felt personal and intimate watching Jon Batiste perform this profound song in the way the cameras filmed him. The music was beautiful and soulful.
The Fire Inside
Movie: Flamin’ Hot
Performed by Becky G
Music & Lyrics: Diane Warren
Becky G gave an incredible performance of her single The Fire Inside for the movie Flamin’ Hot. She sang with heart and passion. The backup singers arrived soon after, creating a sense of solidarity and encouragement. There was excellent use of the big screen showing fire, which complements the song perfectly.
I’m Just Ken
Movie: Barbie
Performed by Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir & cast
Music & Lyrics: Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt
Epic performance!
It starts with Ryan Gosling sitting in the audience behind Margot Robbie (Barbie), who is laughing, and then he goes to the stage to continue his performance.
I love the sparkly pink suit Ryan Gosling wore. I admire the bold idea of such an outfit. Other actors from the Barbie Movie who also performed with Ryan Gosling include Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir. It was fun to see the larger cutouts of vintage Barbie faces before the “Can you feel my kenergy” segment of the song. Slash, the guitarist, added a Rock-style edge to the performance. The lyrics on the screen add a nice touch. It was so much fun to watch. The audience singing along added a fun, interactive aspect. It was dynamic and vibrant. The performance was theatrical and flashy, with impressive choreography.
Other
The Orchestra played the music to Aqua’s 90s Barbie Girl. It added a fun, nostalgic touch.
In Memoriam
During the In Memoriam segment, Andrea Bocelli gave a heartwarming performance of his famous hit Con Te Partirò (Also known as Time to Say Goodbye) with his son Matteo.
Awards Related to Music
Congratulations to Ludwig Goransson for winning Best Original Score for the movie Oppenheimer.
Congratulations to Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for winning Best Original Song for the movie Barbie.
This year’s Oscars were really fun to watch. There were impressive musical performances, especially those by Billie Eilish and Ryan Gosling. Jimmy Kimmel did a fantastic as host of the 96th Academy Awards. It ended on a lovely note.
Flora Youssef