Awards season is in full swing, with both the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards taking place earlier this month. Turning Red didn’t win the animation prize at either, which makes its Oscar chances a bit hard to predict. Could it pull off a surprise win or will it be one of the few Pixar films to go home empty handed?
What’s actually surprising — shocking, even — is the lack of nomination for Best Original Song. It is absurd that 4*TOWN’s hit “Nobody Like U” was snubbed! It was penned by the songwriting duo of Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell (the voice of 4*TOWN’s Jessie) who also produced two other gems for the soundtrack, “1 True Love” and “U Know What’s Up.”
The song did earn a Grammy nomination however, which is richly deserved. I was just so sure it’d be a shoo-in at the Oscars as well. It was my most played song last year so I just can’t understand (or tolerate!) its exclusion. “Nobody Like U” is not simply an energetic pop classic that recalls the early 2000s in which the film is set. It also underscores the most pivotal moment of the film. It may not carry the same emotional weight as “Remember Me” from Coco, but trust me, it is just as important. No doubt a performance on the Oscars stage would be the highlight of the ceremony, but how unfair for 4*TOWN to perform when they aren’t even nominated. The awards show will be aired on March 13th.
But one 4*TOWN performance we can enjoy was at the 20th Unforgettable Gala, hosted by Character Media, which honors Asians in the entertainment industry.
I also relate so much to Turning Red star Sandra Oh at this performance! She’d fit right in with Mei, Priya, Abby, and Miriam.
Last modified: September 10, 2023
