Terence Blanchard on Composing Music for a Documentary About One of His ‘Heroes’ & Other 2022 Emmy Nominee Reactions

Paul Grein

More than a dozen nominees in the music categories for the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards shared their reactions to the good news with Billboard. Spoiler alert: They were delighted, proud and grateful. Here are some of their reactions.

Terence Blanchard, They Call Me Magic, outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score)

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“Not only is this nomination an honor, but it is also humbling to be nominated for composing music for the documentary about one of my heroes, Magic Johnson — someone that I admire. Working on this documentary was a reminder of what it takes to be great and the focus and effort that are needed to be the best you can be.”

Siddhartha Khosla, Only Murders in the Building, outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) and outstanding original main title theme music, and This Is Us, outstanding original music and lyrics (with Taylor Goldsmith)

“I’m humbled that my peers in the Academy thought so highly of the work. Both This Is Us and Only Murders in the Building have become such iconic shows and I’m grateful for the opportunities these shows have given me.”

Adam Blackstone, The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent, outstanding music direction 

“I am ultra-excited to have received my third Emmy nomination in the best music direction category! I was at [the] gym with my one-year-old, and my wife Kaisha sent me an already pre-made post congratulating me, and I literally texted back “WHAAATTTTTT OMGGGGGG”…. Immediately after, my publicist from White Bear was calling me up and that’s when I knew 🙂  It feels amazing to be recognized by your peers for the excellent work we present on stage and also to be in the [company] of all of the other incredible nominees!!! I am looking forward to representing BBE [Basic Black Entertainment, his production company] and the entire Super Bowl production cast!!”

David Schwartz, Lucy and Desi, outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score)

“I am thrilled to be nominated! Lucy and Desi is one of the great love stories containing incredible highs and deep lows which makes for dramatic storytelling and musical score. This is also the story of Hollywood. Lucy and Desi invented the way modern television is written, filmed and produced. Working with director Amy Poehler and our entire team has been a dream. One of the most gratifying projects of my career!”

Rickey Minor, The 43rd and 44th annual Kennedy Center Honors, outstanding music direction

“I was hoping for one nomination and to get two was crazy.  What was really unbelievable is that they were both for the Kennedy Center Honors.  I’m not sure if that’s ever happened before. I’m still on cloud nine!!!”

Mychael Danna, Return to Space – outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score)

“So thrilling and meaningful to be recognized by our peers for a project that combines my two earliest loves: space and synthesizers! An absolute joy to work alongside my friend Harry Gregson-Williams with celebrated directors Chai and Jimmy on this story of Elon Musk and SpaceX.”

Harry Gregson-Williams, Return to Space, outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score)

“I’m as happy to be nominated with my good friend Mychael Danna as I am to have had the opportunity to work with the incredible filmmakers Chai and Jimmy on Return to Space.”

Tom Mizer & Curtis Moore, “Maybe Monica” from The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, outstanding original music and lyrics

“We are over the moon! Thank you so much to the Emmy music branch for this incredible honor, particularly to be mentioned alongside such a wickedly talented group of songwriters we admire. Huge shout-outs to our glorious vocalist Josh A. Dawson and the magical musical team on Mrs. Maisel (look, we can’t help it with all the Ms), especially Stewart Lerman, Robin Urdang, Sandy Park, Annette Kudrak, and Matt Shapiro; they make us sound so good but also put up with us when we start doing the pony around the studio. When Amy Sherman-Palladino called us up and said she wanted us to write a song for a young Harry Belafonte, we thought she was punking us. Then we thought she might be a wee bit insane. Now, we think she’s the smartest, most wonderful person in the world. Always.”

Dan Romer, Station Eleven, outstanding music composition for a limited or anthology series, movie or special (original dramatic score)

“I just woke up and saw the news, I’m overwhelmed! Station Eleven was such an intensely personal and at the same time incredibly collaborative project, our whole family put their entire hearts into the show. I’m so grateful and ecstatic for everyone on the team who was recognized, it’s a huge honor. Thanks so much to the Television Academy, everyone at Paramount and HBO Max, my team, and everyone who worked on the show, especially our fearless leader, Patrick Somerville.”

Hesham Nazih, Moon Knight, outstanding music composition for a limited or anthology series, movie or special (original dramatic score)

“Nothing beats receiving the amazing news of your first Emmy nomination while walking in the breathtaking streets of Florence on a full moon night.  Can’t express how thrilled I am. Eternally grateful to the incredible music team and all the Marvel family. Heartfelt thanks to Mohamed Diab for everything. Thank you to the Television Academy for the recognition. And thank you Egypt, for the unparalleled legacy!”

Brian Tyler, 1883, outstanding music composition for a limited or anthology series, movie or special (original dramatic score)

“I am beyond honored to be nominated for 1883. A huge thank you to Taylor Sheridan for creating this masterful work of art that I was lucky enough to compose music for.”

Breton Vivian, 1883, outstanding music composition for a limited or anthology series, movie or special (original dramatic score)

“It’s an absolute honour and privilege to be nominated alongside Brian for 1883. I’m grateful to Taylor Sheridan for creating such a beautiful story and to Paramount and everyone involved in the making of the show.”

Natalie Holt, Loki, outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) and outstanding original main title theme music

“So very grateful to the members of the Television Academy for giving me two reasons to cross the Atlantic this fall. When you put a year into a series like Loki, amid homeschooling and remote recording of theremins, Norwegian folk instruments and orchestras in the pandemic, you wonder if the work will resonate with so much going on in the world. So, to receive such a resoundingly positive response from my peers, it’s humbling and beyond appreciated. I would like to thank my fellow nominees, production designer Kasra Farahani, costume designer Christine Wada, our team at Skywalker Sound and cinematographer Autumn Durald who were also nominated for our show. I look forward to celebrating with them and my music team in September as we get immersed into season two. I have to end with thanks to our series director and now good friend Kate Herron without whose brilliant work and craftsmanship, none of this would have been possible.”

Nainita Desai, 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible, outstanding music composition for a documentary, series or special (original dramatic score)

“I am elated, thrilled and grateful to the TV Academy for nominating the score for 14 Peaks. You’ve made a gal from South London very proud! I was actually at the supermarket when I heard the news. It’s a thrill to be recognized alongside such an esteemed group of composers in this category. I am indebted to my core music team including Javier Blanco-Lago, Fiona Cruickshank, Abbey Road Studios, Rob Ames, the London Contemporary Orchestra, and director Torquil Jones and Noah Media for giving me such an amazing opportunity to work on our joyful collaboration. It was an honor to score Nims Purja’s incredible journey and to shine a spotlight on the Nepalese Sherpas.”

Theodore Shapiro, Severance – outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) and outstanding original main title theme music

“It’s an incredible honor to be nominated for this wonderful show, and an equal honor to be a part of this amazing creative team.”

 

 

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