If you were among the 63 million households that have binged Netflix’s Bridgerton since its debut on Christmas Day, then you’ll know that the world has quickly developed a cultural obsession with its characters (paying particular interest to the Duke of Hastings), its show-stopping locations and even its fashion, mainly in the form of modern-day recreations.
Safe to say, Bridgerton has seeped its way into the zeitgeist, making it unsurprising that the Shonda Rhimes production is the latest series to get the TikTok treatment—being reinterpreted into a musical.
Songwriter Abigial Barlow took a particular interest in the Regency-era drama, sharing a musical theatre take with a song from the perspective of Daphne Bridgerton.
“When I binged Bridgerton, it was just immediate to me that it belonged on the stage,” Barlow told Playbill. “[Sir Henry Granville] says, ‘You have no idea what it’s like to be in a room with someone you can’t live without and feel like you’re oceans away from them,’ and I was like ‘That’s a song!’ So I went to my piano and made a TikTok, and it happened to resonate with everyone.”
Joining forces with her writing partner, Emily Bear, the duo began creating and releasing more songs for each of Bridgerton’s leading characters—ending up with eight original songs and even an instrumental from the perspective of Penelope Featherington.
One of the TikToks Barlow and Bear wrote was “Burn For You,” a duet for Daphne and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page).
Stars of the show Phoebe Dynevor, Nichola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington), Jonathan Bailey (who plays Anthony Bridgerton), and Julia Quinn, and the author behind the YA novels which inspired the series, have all expressed their admiration for what the songwriting duo has created.
Netflix’s official social media account even shared a “standing ovation” for a duet that has since gone viral, alongside Nicky Daly, a rising musical theatre actor, and playwriting student.
And for those that want to hear more from a Bridgerton musical, get ready. Barlow has revealed Netflix reached out to her in the hopes of creating more music (and to create a fully-fledged production).
“Hopefully, that’s the plan. We want to completely finish the score,” Barlow told Entertainment Tonight. “Maybe if it’s not on the screen, maybe Broadway is the goal one day.”
Fingers crossed!
In the meantime, you can listen to all the incredible numbers on Barlow’s TikTok page. But be warned—these songs are going to be stuck in your head for weeks.
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