A sing-along version of the Wicked soundtrack has been released on streaming platforms – listen (or sing along) to the album below.
‘Wicked: The Soundtrack (Sing-Along)’ was released today (December 20) via Universal Pictures, Republic Records and Verve Records. It features all 11 tracks of the original album without lead vocals, leaving the resulting tracks with the backing of an orchestra, along with background vocals.
In a press release (via The Hollywood Reporter), the announcement reads: “It’s the perfect opportunity for Wicked fans to flex their vocal muscles and become their own favourite lead vocalists on the soundtrack.”
“The sing-along soundtrack provides all citizens of Oz the unique ability to sing their favourite Wicked songs with the film’s cinematic orchestra and cast of background vocalists.” Stream the album below.
The album arrives ahead of the film’s re-release on Christmas Day (December 25) – this time, with audiences encouraged to sing along to musical numbers via lyrics displayed as subtitles.
The Jon M Chu-directed movie, which stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage and Jeff Goldblum, hit cinemas last month and was predicted by experts to be the biggest film of the year.
Although the musical failed to match the ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon at the box office, it still fared extremely well – raking in $114million (£90.6million) domestically and $164.2million (£130.5million) globally for Universal Pictures on its debut, according to studio estimates.
The enthusiastic response to the film by the public has also resulted in fans attending screenings in costume – one fan was turned away by a cinema staff member when she showed up in green face paint.
Critics were quick to praise the vocal performances of its two leads, with Nick Levine noting that “Erivo and Grande are both vocally extraordinary” in NME‘s four-star review of Wicked, adding that “crucially, they also have crackling chemistry punctuated by Erivo’s bursts of intensity and Grande’s slick comic timing”.
The film’s resulting success has also caused speculation on Grande’s musical career – earlier this month, her label put rumours to rest that the singer would be going on tour in the new year.
Grande then clarified the matter to Variety: “I feel so grateful to the acting, and I think my fans know that music and being on stage will always be a part of my life, but I don’t see it coming anytime soon.”
“I think the next few years, hopefully we’ll be exploring different forms of art, and I think acting is feeling like home right now.”
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