Ahead of the release of its highly anticipated series Shadow and Bone, based on the bestselling Grishaverse novels by author Leigh Bardugo, Netflix is giving fans another taste of the show's official soundtrack — and Collider is exclusively premiering a new track for its lead heroine, titled "Her Name is Alina Starkov."
The score comes from composer Joseph Trapanese, previously best known for his work scoring films like Tron: Legacy and The Greatest Showman. According to Trapanese, he was heavily influenced by fairytales, Russian stories, magic and fantasy in crafting this new musical world for Ravka and the Grishaverse, as well as reading the novels and scripts for inspiration. Although the composer developed themes for each character, this track holds personal significance.
"This is one of my favorite tracks from the season," Trapanese said in a statement. "Up until this point, we've only heard hints of the 'Sun Summoner' version of Alina's theme. After an extended build-up of anticipation, we hear her music in its full glory."
"Joseph had a monumental challenge ahead of him when he joined the team,” said Shadow and Bone showrunner Eric Heisserer. “Not only did he need to create a thematic space for each of our six lead characters in this debut season, but he also had to build a different musical language for the major regions of this invented world, most notably the kingdom of Ravka, loosely drawn from 1800s Czarist Russia. And what the rest of us soon learned was: Joseph could build all of that and more. The flourishes and flavors he gave to each piece linger with you long after the episode leaves the screen, and while he's embraced all that inspired the settings of the show, everything feels bespoke. I cannot separate the show from his score, and I'm in awe of him for it."
"Joseph and I met up for coffee early on, and I knew pretty quickly that we were on the same page. We played Prokofiev favorites for each other and I inflicted some very pitchy renditions of old folk songs on him," said series author Bardugo. "I knew his work and how deftly he could transport a listener to a new world, but I had no idea what it would be like to hear him work his magic on Ravka and the Grishaverse. There's certain music that sparks imagination. Joseph's extraordinary work on Shadow and Bone not only helped to bring this world fully alive, but also changed the way I experience my characters' stories. I can't wait for audiences to share in that experience."
Shadow and Bone premieres April 23 exclusively on Netflix. You can listen to "Her Name is Alina Starkov" below:
Based on Leigh Bardugo's worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive.
