"Something New" Soundtrack Lyrics

“Something New (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

How do you score a romance about unlearning your “type”? Something New (2006) answers with a crate-digger blend: neo-soul and old-school R&B for warmth, boom-bap grit for contrast, and intimate score vignettes that hover right where doubt lives. The soundtrack tracks Kenya (Sanaa Lathan) — meticulous, ambitious — as she collides with Brian (Simon Baker), a gardener who rearranges not just her yard but the categories in her head.

Pop-leaning cuts swagger through parties and family gatherings, while Wendy & Lisa’s score whispers during private pivots — the blind date, the tree-kiss, the decision to risk a future that doesn’t match the spreadsheet. The mix is deliberate: party tracks perform confidence; soul deep-cuts and acoustic motifs open space for vulnerability.

Genres roll in phases: arrival with glossy R&B and 70s/90s throwbacks (confidence, surface control); adaptation with warm neo-soul grooves (curiosity, comfort); rebellion via hip-hop pulses and alt-club textures (defiance, friction); and collapse/recalibration through lyrical, chamber-like score cues (clarity after the storm). It’s a romance told in rhythms — and in rests.

How It Was Made

Composers Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin (Wendy & Lisa) provide the film’s tender, motif-driven score; Lakeshore Records issued the companion soundtrack album with a tight 17-track set of songs and cues. Music supervision on the picture was handled at studio level (Spring Aspers credited), with Jenny/Jennifer Barak cutting music on the post side. The strategy marries recognizable grooves — Meshell Ndegeocello, Van Hunt, Jimmy Radcliffe — to brief bespoke cues that tag Kenya’s inner shifts. As per Apple’s and label listings, the album arrived January 24, 2006, just ahead of Focus Features’ theatrical release.

Tracks & Scenes

(Key placements from the film and album; moments described cinematically. Some cues are diegetic — playing from stereos/venues — others are score overlays. Trailer songs noted at the end.)

“Love (Koop Remix)” — Rosey
Where it plays: Early social scene introducing Kenya’s friend circle; the camera glides through bright SoCal interiors as talk turns to “lists” and ideal partners (opening stretch, diegetic vibe).
Why it matters: Flirty swing with a modern snap — perfectly captures Kenya’s curated life before Brian scruffs it up.

“Who Is He and What Is He to You” — Meshell Ndegeocello
Where it plays: A suspicion-tinted montage as new feelings complicate old expectations; glances carry weight during a crowded gathering (mid-film, source-adjacent).
Why it matters: The Bill Withers classic, reimagined, gives the triangle murmurs — jealousy, curiosity, honesty — a bassline.

“The Learning (Burn)” — Mobb Deep
Where it plays: City cutaways and night driving bridge work-Kenya and real-Kenya; headlights and hi-hats do the talking (montage, non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Hard edges underline how tidy boxes don’t hold forever.

“Seconds of Pleasure” — Van Hunt
Where it plays: Playful domestic sequence as Kenya loosens her rules; a quick burst of charm during flirty errands (mid-film, diegetic feel).
Why it matters: R&B ease equals emotional ease — the sound of letting go.

“Kiss Under the Shelter Tree” — Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman
Where it plays: The title says it: a rain-speckled kiss beneath a tree on Brian’s landscape terrain; close framings, held breath, then release (pivotal romance beat, score).
Why it matters: A miniature — under a minute — but it’s the relationship’s thesis in melody: simple motif, huge emotional canopy.

“Cotillion Waltz” — Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman
Where it plays: At the Black cotillion sequence where tradition, family pride, and Kenya’s choices collide; strings glide as etiquette meets reality (late-film, diegetic/onscreen ensemble).
Why it matters: Score becomes culture here — not wallpaper, context.

“Kenya Makes Partner” — Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman
Where it plays: Professional win, private confusion; restrained chords under a big-deal announcement (late-film, non-diegetic).
Why it matters: The cue refuses triumphal blare — success isn’t the same as alignment.

“Lay a Little Lovin’ on Me” — Jimmy Radcliffe
Where it plays: Family function cutaway with dancing aunties and side-eye commentary (early-mid, diegetic).
Why it matters: Old-school joy punctures Kenya’s perfectionism with sweat and laughter.

“Dimelo” — R. Luna & The Co-Stars
Where it plays: Outdoor gathering; spicy percussion matches garden textures Brian obsesses over (mid-film, diegetic).
Why it matters: Worldly flair underscores how Kenya’s world is widening.

“Baby I Need You” — Wayne Wonder & Demolition
Where it plays: Sun-washed afternoon; flirtation flips into an easy two-step (mid-film, diegetic).
Why it matters: Dance as conversation — the music says what Kenya can’t yet.

“Look What You’ve Done to Me” — Sheila Skipworth
Where it plays: After an argument, Kenya sits alone; a needle-drop traces the bruise (late-film, non-diegetic).
Why it matters: A vintage-soul ache that fits the film’s grown-up stakes.

Non-album but in the film (not on OST):
“Family Reunion” — Jill Scott: over a bustling family scene where advice and shade flow in equal measure (diegetic; per scene listings).
“Beng Beng Beng” — Femi Kuti: party-energy needle-drop during a social montage (diegetic).
“How We Do This” — The Brand New Heavies: boutique/errand beat that turns a transition into a strut.

Trailer cues: The theatrical trailer mixes upbeat R&B/pop swells and score stingers; best seen on the commonly circulated 2006 trailer cut.

Notes & Trivia

• The commercial album is 17 tracks, blending songs with compact score cues — very 2006 Lakeshore style.
• Wendy & Lisa’s interludes are tiny: many cues clock under 90 seconds, but land like chapter titles.
• Several family/party songs in the film don’t appear on the OST; you’ll find them on artist albums and playlists.
• Focus Features’ marketing leaned on sun-lit images and warm grooves; the movie itself lets silence sit in key arguments.
• Meshell Ndegeocello’s cover choice leans sly — suspicion as groove.

Music–Story Links

On the blind date, the world sounds too loud — Kenya’s defenses click like metronomes. When Brian returns as her landscaper, the soundtrack relaxes: hand-played percussion, bass that breathes. At the tree kiss, a 57-second motif — almost nothing — expands time. During the cotillion, waltz form equals social form; when the dance ends, the rules feel suddenly small. And when Kenya makes partner, a modest cue undercuts confetti expectations: success lands, but quietly. That’s the point.

Reception & Quotes

The film drew warm audience word-of-mouth for its chemistry and for centering a Black professional woman’s love story without cliché. The album — short, stylish — became a go-to “Sunday cooking” listen for many fans; Lakeshore’s curation aged well.

“A thoughtful Studio-Valentine with real grown-up air — helped by a tasteful, nimble soundtrack.” Variety (summary)

“The music gives Kenya and Brian space to be awkward, then honest.” Critic consensus snapshots

Availability: The soundtrack is digitally available; Lakeshore’s release contextualizes both needle-drops and score. According to Apple’s album page and retailer listings, it landed January 24, 2006.

Interesting Facts

• Label DNA: Lakeshore’s 2006 run also included sleek, song-heavy compilations — this one fits that mold perfectly.
• Score miniatures: cues like “Hike,” “Ballet,” and “Cotillion Invite” are under 75 seconds — film punctuation marks.
• Family-first needle-drops: “Family Reunion” (Jill Scott) shows up in the film, not the OST — a licensing-album split.
• Hip-hop contrast: Mobb Deep’s “The Learning (Burn)” briefly roughens an otherwise silky palette.
• Tree-kiss ID: Fans long asked about that cue; it’s officially “Kiss Under the Shelter Tree.”
• End-title sway: Van Hunt’s presence gives the finale a smooth afterglow.
• Trailer watch: Multiple uploads exist; the commonly shared 2006 cut carries the film’s tonal blueprint.

Technical Info

• Title: Something New (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2006
• Type: Film soundtrack (songs + original score)
• Composers: Lisa Coleman; Wendy Melvoin
• Music Supervision: Spring Aspers (studio credit); Music Editing: Jenny/Jennifer Barak
• Label / Release: Lakeshore Records — January 24, 2006 (digital/CD)
• Selected placements: “Kiss Under the Shelter Tree” (tree kiss); “Cotillion Waltz” (cotillion sequence); “Who Is He and What Is He to You” (suspicion montage); “The Learning (Burn)” (city/night bridge)
• Film release context: Focus Features theatrical release — February 3, 2006 (US)
• Availability notes: OST streaming widely; several diegetic party/family cues appear only on artist releases.

Questions & Answers

Is every film song on the official album?

No — it’s a curated 17-track set. Some family/party songs in the movie aren’t on the OST.

What’s the music during the rain-kiss?

“Kiss Under the Shelter Tree,” a brief Wendy & Lisa cue built around a tender motif.

Who composed the score?

Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman composed the original score for the film.

Which label released the soundtrack?

Lakeshore Records released the album in January 2006.

Where can I watch the trailer used for the figures?

Search for the 2006 trailer cut; multiple uploads mirror the Focus Features promo.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Lakeshore Records/Apple Music album page; IMDb soundtrack & full credits; MovieMusic/AllMusic listings; SoundtrackINFO Q&A; Spotify album page; RingoStrack film song index; Focus Features trailer uploads.

November, 27th 2025