Childish Gambino Surprises Beverly Hills Crowd With Reimagined ‘Redbone’
Donald Glover made an unexpected appearance at Film Independent’s “An Evening With…” series on Tuesday, held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts in Beverly Hills and presented by the HFPA.
Joining “Black Panther” composer and Childish Gambino collaborator Ludwig Göransson, who was the subject of a Q&A conducted by “The Treatment” host Elvis Mitchell, Glover emerged wearing a burgundy track suit and sunglasses to rousing applause and launched into the hit song “Redbone,” which had been rearranged by Göransson’s wife Serena to include a string quintet along with African conga in addition to the traditional electric bass, guitar and keyboards.
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The performance was the last in the hour-long event highlighting Göransson’s work. Earlier in the evening, a drum ensemble performed score music from pivotal scenes in “Black Panther,” as did the quintet. Göransson also led band members in music he composed for the movie “Creed,” another collaboration with director Ryan Coogler, who Göransson praised for being a “filmmaker who puts so much trust in the music — and also pressure.”
Speaking of the sonic themes of “Black Planther,” Göransson noted how he also likes to “use the silence” as a way to offset the noise of our daily lives. “These days you’re always surrounded by music and sounds,” he said, “whether you’re in the mall or a subway car.”
Göransson, who earned a Golden Globe nomination this year and is up for five Grammys, including best original score for “Black Panther” as well as his work with Childish Gambino on the track “This Is America,” recalled first meeting Glover on the set of “Community.” The NBC series gave the Swedish native his first break, after apprenticing under composer Theodore Shapiro (“The Devil Wears Prada”). The first song he mixed for Glover was “So Fly,” he explained. Later came “Redbone,” which Göransson cracked, “is a pretty good song.”
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