Phoebe Bridgers sings Primetime Tune
When Phoebe Bridgers steps into the world of cinema, she doesn’t just bring her songwriting talents; she brings an emotional resonance that transforms the final moments of a film. She is making her feature film debut in Primetime, and she’s lending her unique voice to the cinematic experience in a way that is both deeply personal and explosively cathartic.
Bridgers’ contribution is more than just a song; it is a guitar-seared original titled “On Video,” which will play over the end credits of the upcoming A24 film. This track arrives on September 25th, joining a 24-track original score crafted by composer and member of the group Gabriels, Ari Balouzian.
The synergy between Bridgers’ music and Balouzian’s score is the heart of the film’s emotional arc. The track is carefully woven to complement Balouzian’s tense, noir-inspired soundscape, pulling the musical language of Primetime into a visceral and deeply cathartic experience as the narrative reaches its conclusion.
The creation of this musical atmosphere began long before the cameras rolled. Balouzian, working closely with the director Lance Oppenheim, immersed himself in the film’s development, gaining access to the dailies while shooting. This early collaboration allowed the music to develop organically alongside the images.
The process extended to the cast and crew; Robert Pattinson, who stars as Chris Hansen in the film, even listened to Balouzian’s score on set, helping him find his character. This collaborative approach ensured the musical framework was deeply embedded in the cinematic world from the start.
Balouzian handled the vast majority of the score himself, adding layers of woodwinds and drums to the complex tapestry. Oppenheim describes the result as a “network news-themed version of a noir nightmare,” noting how the score expertly manages the film’s oscillation between dark comedy and genuine menace, blurring the line between performance and reality.
A prolific talent operating at the intersection of music, film, and television, Balouzian has established himself as a powerful creative force. He is one-third of the retro-future soul trio Gabriels and co-founded the music-production studio Appraiser. His extensive scoring credits include works such as Oppenheim’s Some Kind of Heaven, HBO’s Spermworld, and Netflix’s The Turnaround, earning him multiple nominations, including an Emmy nomination.
This compelling creative partnership continues as Balouzian and Oppenheim move forward together on A24’s upcoming film, You Can See Everything, scheduled for release later this October, promising more richly layered cinematic experiences.
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