Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum selling artist Ariana Grande and 10-time Grammy, Oscar-winning and multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter/musician John Legend are set to perform a new rendition of the classic Oscar and Grammy-winning duet "Beauty and the Beast" as the title track for Disney's upcoming soundtrack to the live-action film adaptation Beauty and the Beast. The song will also be featured in the film and on the original motion picture soundtrack, which will be released on Walt Disney Records on March 10.
The ballad, originally performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson featuring eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken's melody and two-time Oscar-winner Howard Ashman's lyrics, received an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy Award, among other accolades, upon its release in 1991.
The new rendition of the classic song is produced by Grammy-winning veteran Ron Fair. Fair was brought in to produce by Disney's President of Music & Soundtracks, Mitchell Leib, who also brought Grande and Legend to the project. The history of collaboration between Leib and Fair in film music goes back to the Pretty Woman soundtrack. "Ron was the first and only choice to make this particular record," says Leib. "No one is a better vocal producer and he also has a great understanding of the filmmaking dynamic."
Fair's recordings have won six Grammy Awards and have been nominated 18 times. "Stepping into the shoes of an Oscar and Grammy Award-winning classic is not small potatoes. But with today's two greatest plutonium singers--John Legend and Ariana Grande--we are bringing the song back with a new school-old school fresh treatment that shows the soulfulness and power of what a great melody and lyric can inspire," says Fair.
The music video will be directed by Dave Meyers, who recently directed the music video for P!nk's hit single "Just Like Fire" from the Walt Disney Records soundtrack for Alice Through The Looking Glass.
Menken provides the film score, with new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Ashman. Also featured are three new songs written by Menken and veteran lyricist and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice. The original motion picture soundtrack will be released by Walt Disney Records on March 10. A pre-order of the soundtrack is available now at disneymusic.co/BeautySndtrkP.
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