This might be too tangential for the Movies Stack Exchange, but I think it's an interesting question. Scarlett Johansson is a singer as well as an actress. She's made two albums and been nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Song (for Before My Time from Chasing Ice and for The Moon Song from Her). J. Ralph, the composer of "Before My Time" is even quoted as saying that Scarlett Johansson was 'the only person I want to sing this song.' Typically, the Academy Awards try to get the original performers to sing at the ceremony, but Scarlett Johansson has always been replaced. Does anyone know why?
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2Perhaps because, unlike for example Adele with Skyfall, she had no writing credits for either song - just performing? Have had a little look online, but it's very hard to get anything definitive. Can't even get a straight answer to whether she was even asked to perform at ceremony or not.– Andrew MartinCommented Mar 3, 2014 at 9:25
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1No, they often have performers that didn't write the song, think Idina Menzel this year, Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore in past years. It may be that when the song is easy enough for the composer to sing comfortably with an audience they can opt in.– vastra360Commented Mar 3, 2014 at 16:02
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Was Scarlett even at the Oscars? I don't remember seeing her in the audience or the pre-show.– BrettFromLACommented Mar 3, 2014 at 21:05
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After a level of research that makes me embarrassed of myself, I can't find a picture of her at the Oscars since 2010.– vastra360Commented Mar 4, 2014 at 0:40
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2@vastra360 Who is Idina Menzel? Oh, you mean Adele Dazeem. ;-)– Napoleon WilsonCommented Mar 4, 2014 at 11:42
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3 Answers
With deference to Ms. Johansson, she's not a particularly strong singer. WHile that hasn't stopped other performers on Oscar programs in the past, it's safe assumption to believe that Ms. Johansson has people around her who wouldn't like to see her possibly embarrassed by singing during an awards program alongside people with greater measures of talent than herself.
J. Ralph was likely being generous and more than a little bit of a sycophant when he stated that Ms. Johansson was " the only person" that he wanted to sing this song. While modestly talented, she certainly couldn't make a career of being a singer.
Reference:
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Did you read the full article? Johansson isn't a wonderful technical singer, but she's got an unusual voice and a particular quality. Thus why two of her performances have gotten nominated for Oscars. For the movies, where tone and ability to make that moment in the film perfect, I think she's preferable to more technically talented singers. (Although this is absolutely all opinion and not really worth arguing about) Commented Mar 7, 2014 at 2:36
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6Her performances weren't nominated; the songs that she sang were. There's a huge difference as the song,and not the performer, wins the Academy Award. Part of the reason that the songs may have been nominated is that Ms. Johansson is currently a hot commodity in Hollywood. However, since neither song won, it is safe to claim that her singing them neither helped nor hindered them. Commented Mar 7, 2014 at 8:06
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@vastra360 There's also a huge difference between giving a vocal performance for a recording, and doing it live. Plenty of bands and top singers don't perform certain songs live because, while they could create a top performance in the studio with unlimited attempts and pro sound engineers fixing minor defects, they couldn't count on performing it right each time live on stage. Commented Mar 1, 2016 at 8:53
Okay the reason she didn't preform Before My Time was because she indeed wasn't at the 2013 Oscars because she was doing a performance in New York for the Broadway Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and I don't know why she wasn't at the 2014 Oscars
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Can you provide citations for your answer? As it stands this is kinda sort of more a comment.– MattDCommented Dec 29, 2015 at 19:28
It firstly has to be said that Scarlett herself wasn't nominated for the Oscars, as she only performed the two song in the respected movies. To correct a little bit of your question, the writers of the song are the ones who get nominated, not the performers, unless they are one in the same, e.g Adele - Skyfall (Skyfall), Celine Dion - My Heart Will go on (Titanic).
As for why she didn't perform I don't believe she was at the Oscar ceremony this year. But also although she has albums released she may have been nervous to sing live, especially as the song itself is one of the better songs that adds to the movie, through a touching moment rather than a song that is used for pre/post credits filling. Hope this helps.
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1"It firstly has to be said that Scarlett herself wasn't nominated for the Oscars, as she only performed the two song in the respected movies, to correct a little bit of your Question, the writers of the song are the ones who get nominated, not the performers, unless they are one in the same, e.g Adele - Skyfall (Skyfall), Celine Dion - My Heart Will go on (Titanic)." - That's one sentence? Commented Apr 11, 2014 at 4:29
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@MeatTrademark No, after a tiny little edit it isn't. Commented Apr 11, 2014 at 13:58