"Elemental" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Elemental (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

How do you score fire and water falling in love without flattening either culture? Thomas Newman answers with bright timbres (EWI, mallet/percussion sparkle), modal drones, and hand-played grooves that feel global but pointed. The album (Walt Disney Records, 2023) is primarily score; the featured song is Lauv’s “Steal the Show.” Trusted source: Apple Music.

The cues map Element City’s bustle (woodwinds, zither-ish attacks) and Ember’s heritage (tabla-like figures, plucked strings), then open into synth/strings warmth for the rom-com spine. Only one non-score needle-drop lands in the narrative: Zombie Nation’s stadium chant during the airball game. The single “Steal the Show” frames Wade–Ember’s first date and returns over end credits. Trusted source: Variety.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. Elemental (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) — digital album via Walt Disney Records; released June 16, 2023.

Who composed the score?

Thomas Newman. It’s his fourth Pixar score after Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Finding Dory.

What song plays during the first-date montage (and end credits)?

“Steal the Show” by Lauv (music: Ari Leff & Thomas Newman; lyrics: Ari Leff & Michael Matosic).

What’s the stadium chant at Cyclone Stadium?

“Kernkraft 400 (Sport Chant Stadium Remix)” by Zombie Nation — the arena pump-up track during the airball game.

Album size/availability?

Streaming release; ~1h13m runtime (37–38 tracks depending on territory). Widely available on major platforms.

Any awards recognition?

Yes. The score made the 96th Oscars shortlist and earned HMMA and Annie nominations.

Notes & Trivia

• Newman tracked at the Newman Scoring Stage (Fox), blending EWI, plucked strings, and tuned percussion with orchestra. Trusted source: Wikipedia.
• “Kernkraft 400” appears only in the stadium scene; popular trailer tunes (Bakar’s “Hell n Back,” Astral’s “High Five,” Katy Perry’s “Hot n Cold”) are promo-only.
• Score/mix/editorial linchpins include Shinnosuke Miyazawa (music editor/score mixer) and J.A.C. Redford (supervising orchestrator).
• “Steal the Show” was issued June 2, 2023 as a standalone single ahead of release day.

Genres & Themes

Global-tinted orchestral score — sitar-like colors, tabla-suggestive patterns, and mallet pulses sketch Fire Town roots without pinning to a single folklore.

Pastel synth & glassy pads — Wade’s fluidity and the city’s modern sheen; airy harmony underlines curiosity over fear.

Rhythmic cells over big themes — Newman favors ostinati and timbral shifts; attraction reads as motion, not anthem.

Tracks & Scenes

“Across the Ocean” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Opening immigration montage of Bernie & Cinder arriving in Element City (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Establishes the film’s “global without cliché” palette and immigrant-family POV.

“Bubble Date” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Early Wade–Ember date beats (non-diegetic), intercut with city exploration.
Why it matters: Buoyant textures mirror the “try-something-new” tone just before the feature song arrives.

“Steal the Show” — Lauv
Where it plays: First-date montage and end credits (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: The story’s pop heartbeat—simple melody, gentle lift; the film’s one overt song hook.

“Kernkraft 400 (Sport Chant Stadium Remix)” — Zombie Nation
Where it plays: Airball game at Cyclone Stadium (diegetic stadium music).
Why it matters: A universal jock-jam cue—humor and scale while a plot clue lands.

“Blue Flame” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Ember’s rare power moment (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Harmonic glow + light percussion = awe without bombast.

“Meet the Ripples” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Dinner with Wade’s family (non-diegetic, source-adjacent ambience).
Why it matters: Polite woodwinds and brushed pulses ease class/culture tension.

“Pipe Blows” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Major infrastructure breach (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Rhythm tightens; low brass warns before the flood.

“Run for Your Life” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Flood pursuit sequence (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Kinetic ostinato; stakes spike without losing clarity.

“Hot Air Balloon” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Airborne passage during date arc (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Weightless strings/synth = infatuation in motion.

“Grand Re-Opening” — Thomas Newman
Where it plays: Family-shop milestone beat (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Small, proud cadence; community over spectacle.

Music–Story Links

Fire cues start percussive and plucked; water cues breathe and shimmer. As Ember and Wade connect, textures mix: glassy pads over hand-played rhythm, then fuller strings in climaxes. The one diegetic outlier—“Kernkraft 400”—signals a public arena where personal feelings slip out anyway; the pop single arrives only when the characters finally let themselves be seen.

How It Was Made

Team. Composer/conductor: Thomas Newman. Supervising orchestrator: J.A.C. Redford. Music editor/score mixer: Shinnosuke Miyazawa. “Steal the Show” produced by Lauv & Thomas Newman; mixed by Mike Crossey. Trusted sources: Variety; Discogs.

Approach. Director Peter Sohn asked for a culturally inflected but non-literal sound. Newman built hybrids (EWI + voice; plucks + mild tabla patterns) and wrote through montage—especially the immigration opener, cited as the toughest set-piece to crack. Trusted source: Variety.

Reception & Quotes

Response: steady praise for color and restraint; awards shortlists followed. Critics singled out the feel-good lift of the Lauv single and the playful, Indian-tinged gestures in the score. Trusted source: Next Best Picture.

“The opening montage was the hardest section to score.” Variety interview with Thomas Newman

“The soothing score… incorporates many cultural influences without stereotyping.” Next Best Picture

“Yes, that stadium banger is ‘Kernkraft 400’—now part of Pixar’s universe.” Looper

Additional Info

• Label: Walt Disney Records (digital). Territory editions vary slightly in track count.
• Promo-only: “Hell n Back” (Bakar) and “High Five” (Astral) in trailers; “Hot n Cold” (Katy Perry) in TV spots—none appear in-film.
• Only non-score cue used diegetically in the feature: “Kernkraft 400 (Sport Chant Stadium Remix).”
• Single: “Steal the Show” released June 2, 2023; plays in-story and over credits.

Technical Info

• Title: Elemental (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2023 (film & album)
• Type: Predominantly original score + one featured song
• Composer/Conductor: Thomas Newman
• Featured song: “Steal the Show” — Lauv (music: Ari Leff & Thomas Newman; lyrics: Ari Leff & Michael Matosic)
• Notable placement: “Kernkraft 400 (Sport Chant Stadium Remix)” — Zombie Nation (airball game)
• Label: Walt Disney Records
• Album runtime: ~73–77 minutes depending on edition

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Apple Music; Variety; IMDb; Wikipedia; Discogs; Pixar Post; Looper.

November, 09th 2025