In an unexpected clash of pop music and film, it has been announced that acclaimed actress Meryl Streep will be performing several pop classics in her newest film Ricki and The Flash. In the film, which is being booked as a dark dramaedy (comedic drama), the actress will play the lead role of Ricki Randazzo. Randazzo is a rock star in the making that abandons her family to focus on her career. As such, Streep will be singing a dozen songs in the film, including Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.”
Streep is also billed to tackle music from Tom Petty (“American Girl” and “Wooly Bully”) and Bruce Springsteen (“My Love Will Not Let You Down”) amongst other hits. Director Jonathan Demme has commented on Streep’s performance, claiming that “we didn’t use playback. We’re not sweetening it up on the soundtrack. It’s performance.” According to him, it sounds as though Streep didn’t need playback or vocal editing anyways. In fact, he thinks that “Ricki and the Flash blow away every original.” Some would say that is a large promise, but Streep spent a lot of time preparing for the role.
Demme claims that it took the legendary actress approximately six months of practicing at guitars and vocals. The musician has also amassed a vast amount of experience in musical roles in the past. Streep has had roles in several film adaptations of musicals, including Mama Mia! and Into the Woods, in which she played large roles. Streep is also no stranger to singing Lady Gaga tunes. In an appearance on The Late, Late Show with James Corden, the actress took part in a skit that had her using her pipes on several of Gaga’s popular songs.
“Bad Romance” was released at the peak of Lady Gaga’s rise to fame in 2010. With production from Gaga’s frequent collaborator RedOne, the song rocketed to the top spot on charts across the globe, though it only hit the number 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. In year-end charts, “Bad Romance” made its way to the number 8 spot, and it has been certified diamond with sales of more than five million units. Armed with a wildly successful music video, the track was a huge success for Gaga, who went on to take home two Grammy Awards in 2011 for her efforts.
Ricki and The Flash will hit theatres on August 7th. Until then, fans are going to have to wait for a trailer to hear a sample of Streep tackling the classic pop standards. Thus far, Lady Gaga has yet to comment on Streep’s cover.
FDRMX Eyes: Ottawa is a pop band from Cleveland, Ohio. Their video for “Fever” took place at the Bad Racket Recording Studio located in their home state.
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