What to Know
- The Lopez' have an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony)
- "Dies irae" translates from Latin to "Day of Wrath"
- The "Frozen 2" soundtrack is available now.
Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and her husband Robert Lopez have arguably created one of the most catchy movie songs in the last decade with the pop juggernaut from "Frozen" called "Let it Go." Seriously, just try to get that hook out of your head.
Now this Academy Award-winning songwriting team is back again in "Frozen 2" with the "Into The Unknown" which is also powerful and catchy. But that's not the song most people will be talking about when they leave the theater.
Most people will be humming the haunting four notes that Elsa hears throughout the film called the dies irae. "Dies irae" translates from Latin to "Day of Wrath" -- it's a 13th-century Gregorian chant describing the day Catholics believe God will judge the living and the dead and send them to heaven or hell.
"Composers have been using it for years," the Lopez' explain. "It's used to symbolize death or danger."
The Lopez' say their songs were inspired by asking questions and discovering the source of Elsa's power. They also took a lot of trips to Norway, Iceland, Scotland and the Isle of Skye. And they used the emotions written into the story to build on their music. Whatever the characters are going through was used to drive the songs.
The music comes to a hilarious crescendo with Kristoff's number called "Lost In The Woods." This song is a stark departure from the rest of the music in the film. It has an 80s rock anthem feel to it, complete with a slo-mo hair toss as Kristoff sings off-center, like a soliloquy. You can't help but laugh out loud because it's so ridiculous and entertaining. And fans will be delighted that Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) finally gets his own song that seems fitting for his silly and sincere character.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
"We really hope this songs gives permission for men and boys to just feel their feelings in the biggest way," Anderson-Lopez says.
The original "Frozen" soundtrack went on to reign as the No. 1 album of 2014. At the 2014 Oscars, "Let It Go" won Best Original Song; the next year, at the 2015 Grammys, the album won Best Compilation Soundtrack, garnering the Lopez' the rare EGOT distinction. The pair wrote all of the "Frozen 2" soundtrack which was released on Nov. 15.
