Adventure Time: The Kingdom of Ooo (soundtrack)

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* alternative R&B
* soul
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* Lin-Manuel Miranda
* Alex Lacamoire
* Darren Higman
2. "A Hero is Made (Ariana Grandeand John Legend version)"Released: May 3, 2023
3. "Be Ready (Kehlani version)"Released: June 7, 2023
4. "Refusing to Refuse (Charlie Puth andSean Kingston version)"Released: July 12, 2023
5. "I'm on My Way (Why Don't Weversion)"Released: August 9, 2023
6. "Woke Up (Britney Spears version)"Released: September 13, 2023

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***Adventure Time: The Kingdom of Ooo: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack*** is the soundtrack to the 2023 Cartoon Network animated film *Adventure Time: The Kingdom of Ooo*. The soundtrack was released by Atlantic Records on June 30, 2023. It features songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina and Alex Lacamoire. The two-disc deluxe edition includes demos, outtakes and instrumental karaoke tracks. The record also produced six singles. A separate album featuring the score, which was composed by Mancina, titled ***Adventure Time: The Kingdom of Ooo: Original Motion Picture Score***, was released three days later by WaterTower Music.

The album debuted on the *Billboard* 200 chart at number 16 and peaked at number 2. "Life Was Perfect" was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

## Recording

For the soundtrack, Cartoon Network wanted to combine Middle Age culture with pop and Broadway sensibilities, which led to the hiring of Broadway playwright, songwriter and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer Mark Mancina and Miranda's recurring collaborator Alex Lacamoire. The first song they completed was "Shine Brighter Together", which Lacamoire began after his first meeting with Cartoon Network in May 2021. The trio worked together in Los Angeles. At the same time, Miranda, the original star of the Broadway musical *Hamilton*, was able to once again recruit original *Hamilton* stars Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, and Jonathan Groff as well as newcomers Miguel Cervantes, Jin Ha, Lauren Boyd, Mandy Gonzalez, and Daniel Breaker, and *In The Heights* stars Arielle Jacobs and Joe Aaron Reid to help him record demos of his songs.

The songs feature Slovakia-based choir Bratislava Symphony Choir. The soundtrack contains sixteen original songs, three reprises, and six end-credits versions of songs from the film. Mancina composed the score and produced both the score and the songs. In addition to guitars and strings, the score features Bratislavan vocals, fiddles, flutes, chimes, bells, and gongs, and orchestral instruments from London.

## Commercial performance

"Life Was Perfect" appears during the film performed by actor Jeremy Shada, and during the end credits performed by American singer Mike Posner and Nigerian singer Wizkid. Their version features rap vocals from American hip hop artist That Girl Lay Lay. A music video for Posner, Wizkid and Lay Lay's version of the song was released on April 27, 2023. It reached number 68 on the *Billboard* Hot 100 for the week of May 13, 2023.

American singers Ariana Grande and John Legend recorded a pop duet of "A Hero is Made", which plays over the end credits. The song as performed by the cast appears in the film. Grande and Legend's version of "A Hero is Made" peaked at number 55 on the *Billboard* Hot 100 for the week of May 13, 2023. The soundtrack also features Kehlani, who performs a pop version of "Be Ready", being released as a single.

Charlie Puth and Sean Kingston sing a duet on "Refusing to Refuse", which plays over the end credits. The song as performed by actor Shada appears in the film. Puth and Kingston's version of "Refusing to Refuse" peaked at number 72 on the *Billboard* Hot 100 for the week of July 22, 2023.

American boy band Why Don't We recorded a pop version of "I'm on My Way", which was also featured in the end credits. Britney Spears performed a pop version of "Woke Up" for the film's end credits.

## Accolades

At the 81st Golden Globe Awards, "Life Was Perfect" was nominated for Best Original Song. It also received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 96th Academy Awards.