The 98th annual Academy Awards is going to be an exciting one — namely, because the producers of film’s biggest night have confirmed that the ceremony will include two “moments” highlighting two of last year’s most beloved films, Sinners and KPop Demon Hunters, and that they will include even more than the standard performances of the nominated original songs.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the section of the ceremony honoring KPop Demon Hunters will of course include a performance of the hit track “Golden,” which is nominated for best original song. The singing voices behind the film’s central girl group HUNTR/X — Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna, and Ejae — will perform the single, with a “fusion of traditional Korean instrumentalists and dance celebrating the folklore and cultural inspiration behind the animated film” rounding out the film’s highlight moment.
As for Sinners, the film’s moment is set to “explore the role that music plays in that film’s story,” after which the movie’s original track “I Lied To You” will be highlighted, which is also nominated for best original song. Star Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq will lead the performance, but it will also feature a star-studded group of visionaries including blues musicians Buddy Guy and Bobby Rush, rapper Shaboozey, ballet dancer Misty Copeland, actresses Li Jun Li and Jayme Lawson. Additionally, musicians Brittany Howard, Eric Gales, Alice Smith, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram will also be part of the performance.
“This year, our music performances are inspired by two of the most powerful cultural phenomena in film: Sinners, the most nominated film in Oscars history, and KPop Demon Hunters, a global pop culture sensation,” producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan explained in a statement. “These show moments are more than just performances — they expand into cinematic tributes that celebrate the relationship between music and storytelling and why these films resonated so deeply with audiences around the world.”
Kapoor and Mullan have also revealed that Josh Groban and the Los Angeles Master Chorale will perform during an undisclosed portion of the ceremony. Our guess right now is on the In Memoriam segment, which is sadly going to feature some big names this year, such as Diane Keaton, Robert Redford, and Catherine O’Hara.
Conan O’Brien will host this year’s Oscars, which will be broadcast live on ABC (or streaming live on Hulu, if you’re lacking a coax cable) on Sunday, March 15 beginning at 7pm ET — and we can’t wait to see who takes home statues this year.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
