Ahead of the December 20 release of the Cats movie, listen to Jennifer Hudson's rendition of the musical's standout power ballad "Memory" above. The track is featured on the highlights soundtrack, which drops the same day as the film.
Hudson, an Oscar winner for Dreamgirls who made her Broadway debut in The Color Purple, takes on the role of Grizabella, played on stage by the likes of Elaine Paige, Betty Buckley, Nicole Scherzinger, and Leona Lewis.
Also featured on the track is Francesca Hayward as Victoria, a role expanded in the film as a new arrival to the tradition of the Jellicle Ball. On screen, Victoria gets her own song, the Golden Globe-nominated "Beautiful Ghosts," penned by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Taylor Swift. Swift, who plays "Macavity" crooner Bombalurina in the movie, previously released her own cover.
Cats, directed by Tom Hooper, also stars Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy, Robbie Fairchild as Munkustrap, Rebel Wilson as Jennyanydots, Jason Derulo as Rum Tum Tugger, Laurie Davidson as Mr. Mistoffelees, James Corden as Bustopher Jones, Idris Elba as Macavity, and Ian McKellen as Gus.
