Film & TV NewsTaylor Swift Will Release New Cats Song ‘Beautiful Ghosts’ November 15The pop star, who plays Bombalurina in the upcoming movie, collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the ballad.
By
Ryan McPhee
November 14, 2019
Taylor Swift
Universal Pictures
As Cats claws its way closer and closer to the big screen, Taylor Swift has laid out some catnip to hold over enthusiasts. The pop star-turned-Jellicle will drop her single "Beautiful Ghosts," penned with Andrew Lloyd Webber specifically for the film adaptation, November 15.
Swift stars as Bombalurina in the upcoming movie, and in addition to going to "Cat School" to prepare, she immersed herself in the words of T. S. Eliot. These studies proved useful as she penned lyrics with Lloyd Webber. "If you can't get T. S. Eliot," she says, "get T. S." Victoria the White Cat (played by Francesca Hayward) sings the song in the movie, and Swift's studio recording will play over the credits.
The song is a likely contender in this year's Best Original Song race at the Oscars. A bevy of theatre-adjacent tracks are also on the short list, including Harriet's "Stand Up" co-written and performed by Tony winner Cynthia Erivo, Kristen and Bobby Lopez's "Into the Unknown" for Frozen2 (sung by Idina Menzel as Elsa), Beyoncé's "Spirit" for The Lion King, and new songs from Tony winners Elton John (Rocketman) and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Aladdin).
Lloyd Webber already has an Academy Award on his mantle for another movie adaptation of one of his musicals: Evita. That song, "You Must Love Me," was of course performed by another pop star: Madonna.
A host of comedy and Broadway favorites will perform short stories penned by Simon Rich, including John Mulaney, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Annaleigh Ashford, and more.
Javier Muñoz, Ann Harada, Alex Brightman, and Isabelle McCalla are among the stage favorites bringing the musical TV series to the Kennedy Center stage.
