Naatu Naatu and the Superiority of Diegetic Music in Movies

Not all Best Original Song nominees are created equal.

When it comes to creating an emotional connection with audiences, music plays a crucial role in films. From soaring ballads to pulse-pounding soundtracks, music has the power to heighten the drama and bring a film to life. But not all music in films is created equal. Some music is part of the story and heard by the characters within the film (called “diegetic” music), while other music is added specifically for the audience’s benefit (“non-diegetic”). And when it comes to the Academy Award for Best Original Song, it’s the former that truly deserves recognition.

Consider the films Hustle & Flow and 8 Mile—both films from the mid-2000s that center on the world of hip-hop, and both feature music that is integral to the story. In Hustle & Flow, the diegetic music is more than just background noise. It’s a driving force that propels the story forward and helps to establish DJay’s character. The film’s standout track, “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” plays a pivotal part in the film as it serves as the embodiment and culmination of DJay’s attempt to rise above his situation. The lyrics, which tell the story of DJay’s struggles, are an integral part of the film’s narrative and are heard by the characters within the story. When Queen Latifah—a hip-hop veteran herself—announced at the 2006 Oscars that the song had won, an overjoyed Three 6 Mafia jumped on stage in cheerful disbelief. It remains one of the purest Oscar reactions of all time.

In contrast, 8 Mile, while featuring plenty of music heard within the world of the film, is best known for a song that does not even appear until the credits roll. The hit song “Lose Yourself” — which was later named one of the top 500 songs of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine — was written specifically for the film, but is not actually part of the story. The song perfectly captures the film’s (and hip-hop’s) themes of determination and resilience, and it’s the general applicability of the lyrics that make it resonate with people of all backgrounds and circumstances:

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime

Certainly, the lyrics serve as a rallying cry for anyone who has ever fought an uphill battle to achieve a dream. How many times have you heard that song during sports games? The real genius in these lyrics is the universality—something that “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” simply doesn’t have:

You know it’s hard out here for a pimp
When he tryin’ to get this money for the rent
For the Cadillacs and gas money spent
Because a whole lot of bitches talkin’ shit

“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” is deeply personal, specific, and integral to the characters of the film. Not only that, the song itself is the characters’ ticket out of the very life they describe on the track. Just look at the context in which the viewer experiences the song:

Compared with:

There’s really no comparison. “It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp” means infinitely more to its film than “Lose Yourself” does for 8 Mile. That meaning is why it was nominated, and that’s why it was able to beat out both Dolly Parton and “In the Deep” from the movie Crash, which would go on to take home Best Picture that same night.

Does diegesis matter to Academy voters?

Just looking at the last fifteen years, there does not seem to be any preference one way or the other. The Academy has recognized the importance of diegetic songs, as it has repeatedly awarded songs that are essential to their respective films. Consider A Star is Born’s “Shallow,” Coco’s “Remember Me,” “La La Land’s “City of Stars,” Frozen’s “Let it Go,” Crazy Heart’s “The Weary Kind,” and Once’s “Falling Slowly,” just to name a few. The movies would not be the same without these songs, but more importantly, the songs would not resonate with us without the context provided by the movies. These songs stick with us because of the role they play in the film.

That’s not to say that diegetic songs are sure to win over their non-diegetic counterparts. Just recently, Judas and the Black Messiah’s “Fight for You” won over Eurovision’s “Husavik.” Selma’s “Glory” won over The Lego Movie’s “Everything is Awesome.” And the three most recent James Bond opening credits songs each eliminated its competition.

But a closer look at these non-diegetic wins reveals a common factor: star power. The most recent non-diegetic winning songs were sung by Billie Eilish, H.E.R., Elton John, Sam Smith, Common & John Legend, and Adele. Other non-diegetic winning songs were performed by Bob Dylan, Phil Collins, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Angela Lansbury, and as discussed earlier, Eminem.

And who doesn’t love star power? Just last year, Beyoncé opened the Academy Awards with a visually stunning performance of the nominated song “Be Alive” from King Richard. And just look at how people reacted to Rihanna earlier this award season at the Golden Globes.

Nominating stars means wider appeal and increased viewership, something I have advocated for in other respects. But at the end of the day, this is not the Grammy Awards. The Academy Awards are for movies, and those voting for the winner of Best Original Song should consider the song in the context of the movie. That doesn’t always mean that it needs to be a diegetic song. I doubt many would argue that The Lego Movie’s “Everything is Awesome” is more deserving than Selma’s “Glory.” But that is the exception.

This Year’s Nominees

And that brings us to this year, where four of the five nominated songs are non-diegetic.

“Hold My Hand” — Lady Gaga (Top Gun: Maverick)

The long-awaited Lady Gaga collaboration with Top Gun was a no-brainer for Oscar glory. When the film was released, the instantly-iconic "Hold My Hand" was a shoo-in for a Best Original Song nod, earning Gaga her fourth Oscar nomination, and third in the same category.

As seen in the clip above, “Hold My Hand” is a soaring, rock-influenced anthem that has Gaga belting well before she hits the chorus. The lyrics are simple, inoffensive, and uplifting. But more importantly, the song comes in right at the conclusion of the film and at the start of the very nostalgic and personal credits scene. It’s a recipe for goosebumps, tears, or just a very wide grin. In terms of a non-diegetic song, it’s got everything you could ask for.

“Lift Me Up” — Rihanna (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

When Marvel announced in 2018 that Kendrick Lamar had signed on to curate the soundtrack for Black Panther, the excitement was palpable. But who could they get to match his level of talent and bring something new to the table? The surprise choice? Rihanna! After stepping away from music for some time, she returned with “Lift Me Up.” And this track earned her a first-time Oscar nomination and a place in the history of Marvel’s franchise.

“Lift Me Up” was written as a tribute to the life and legacy of the late Chadwick Boseman, who originally portrayed T’Challa in the first blockbuster film. Breakout Nigerian musician Tems, Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, and the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, all contributed to writing the song, which was recorded in five countries.

The song quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard music charts, taking over No. 1 spots on the Hot R&B Songs, R&B Streaming Songs, R&B Digital Song Sales, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs charts. It also reached the No. 2 spot on the Hot 100.

Between the star power and the emotional backstory, not to mention that Rihanna will be making a grand comeback as the halftime entertainment at Super Bowl LVII later this month, “Lift Me Up” will have a lot of momentum behind it.

But at the end of the day, the song appears in the credits, and although it serves as a powerful tribute to a truly remarkable man, it is not essential to the film other than as a very convincing reminder of how you should feel as you leave the theater.

“Applause” — Diane Warren (Tell It Like a Woman)

Although you may be a stranger to Tell It Like a Woman, Diane Warren is no stranger to the Academy Awards. The renowned songwriter and producer has now been nominated for Best Original Song for a staggering fourteenth time, a record for most nominations. Though she has never managed to snag the gold, she will be gunning for it yet again this year with her song “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, sung by Sofia Carson.

The film consists of seven segments directed by female directors from different parts of the world. Genres include drama, comedy, docudrama and animation. When discussing “Applause,” Warren remarked, “I wanted to write a song that could fit in all these various movies, which is basically just about empowerment. These are stories about strong women. I wanted the song to reflect that.”

“This Is a Life” — David Byrne, Ryan Lott, and Mitski (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Among impressive 11 nominations for Everything Everywhere All at Once film is a nod in the Best Original Song category, for which the star-studded trio of Mitski, Ryan Lott and the legendary David Byrne have crafted the heartfelt song “This Is A Life.” The collaboration of this unlikely trio makes this song an intriguing contender to take home Oscar gold. It would be Byrne’s second win, having already taken home an Oscar in the late ‘80s for The Last Emperor.

After seeing a first cut of the movie, Byrne asked if they could include a song at the end that reminds the audience how much heart there is in this show and helps them find the emotional center to the film after jumping through various dimensions.

“I think the guys kind of did that,” Byrne remarked in an interview. “They said, ‘We’re gonna send this to Mitski; she’s gonna record her vocal, and you have to figure out how to work your vocal around hers.’ So I wrote extra words responding to what she was singing, tried to do counter melodies, and then of course added harmonies, so it became like a little dialogue.”

“Naatu Naatu” — Kaala Bhairava, M.M. Keeravani, and Rahul Sipligunj (RRR)

Finally, we have RRR’s “Naatu Naatu,” which made history as the first song from an Indian Film to be featured in the category.¹ There’s no doubt that “Naatu Naatu” and RRR have become a major success story. Not only did the song receive recognition from the Academy, it has already taken home trophies at both the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, and has spawned.

When Chello Show beat out RRR for India’s official entry for the Oscars, Director SS Rajamouli kicked off a promotional blitz that went into overdrive in an effort to secure nomination for the film in 14 categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

RRR tells the fictional story of two Indian revolutionaries fighting against British rule. It is the country’s most expensive film yet, and has broken several box office records since its release in March 2022. The action epic has already become the country’s third highest-grossing film, and the second highest-grossing Telugu film worldwide.

It was “Naatu Naatu” that first drew the attention of American viewers to RRR. The sizzling short clip which showcased Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr.’s dynamic energy and killer hook-steps quickly went viral on TikTok. But when the full four-minute track was finally released, global fans were amazed at its grandiose production and were in awe of the two stars’ enthralling performances. It certainly proved to be a spectacle that could never truly be replicated.

When RRR played at the TCL Chinese Theatre the night before the Golden Globes — with at least a few Academy voters in attendance 👀 — dozens of attendees took to the floor in front of the giant IMAX screen to dance along with “Naatu Naatu” for four gleeful minutes.

In what’s become one of the most iconic film sequences of 2021, Kormaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raja take center stage in “Naatu Naatu”, a track that translates to “Dance Dance” in Telugu. Shot in August 2021, the scene itself was filmed directly outside Ukraine’s presidential palace in Kyiv - just months before Russia launched its full-scale invasion on the country.

It’s something you can barely keep up with — “Naatu Naatu’s” beat is like a hummingbird’s wings in motion, so fast you almost have to slow it down to recognize it. But this 6/8 beat, something more commonly heard in India and elsewhere in South Asia, is what earned the song its international attention. With the help of talented singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, justice was done to the melody and made the song the success it is today.

So who wins?

This is one of the rare cases where “who should win” and “who will win” likely have the same answer. “Naatu Naatu” is a force to be reckoned with. It is an extremely catchy song, with a viral dance, performed in an iconic scene, by two extremely charismatic actors, in of one of the biggest international films of the year, which is not nominated for any other award category. I fully expect to see Ke Huy Quan, Judd Hirsch, and Brian Tyree Henry replicating the memorable dance steps in the aisles when RRR wins on Oscar night.

1. In 2009, Indian composer AR Rahman secured two Oscar wins including one for his song Jai Ho in the movie Slumdog Millionaire; however the film was a British production.