![]() ![]() Rebecca Sugar, creator of "Steven Universe" Are there any songs that you recall that changed drastically from your initial feelings through the course of talking with your “Steven Universe” colleagues? They have to progress the story, and the characters have to change. It’s really important to me that all the songs in the show. It fits really well because on the show Steven and all the characters have learned so much from each other too. I also got to talk to Kate Micucci about her songwriting theories. I’ve gotten the chance to talk to Estelle about what music she likes and her inspirations and what she thinks about the songs I’m preparing to write. I’m often partnering with Jeff Liu and Ben Levin on a lot of these songs and I’ve been so inspired by them. That’s been the learning experience of the show. I definitely couldn’t have written the songs that I’ve been writing lately when we started. ![]() I’ve been trying to do things that are more and more complex as we build off of what we started. I started the show when I was 25 and I’ve grown up a lot too. I also went into that knowing that hopefully I will mature as a person. The show was always designed to mature with Steven and with the characters and with the audience. Listen to "We Are the Crystal Gems" from "Steven Universe." The songs themselves have evolved through the course of the show from ditties to those tackling heavier themes. ![]() If I’m not there then hopefully by the time I’m done writing the song and working on the episode I’ve figured out why I wanted in the first place. They have to progress the story, and the characters have to change and have the need to sing them to change.Ī lot of times I’ll try to figure out where I am when I’m writing the song and where I want to be when I’ve figured myself out. It’s really important to me that all the songs in the show aren’t superfluous. And that will often dovetail with the kind of song I want to write.īut the story has to come first. Oftentimes we’ll make an episode and build the story around that feeling I want to convey. Sometimes I’ll be thinking of a song in the back of my mind that I want to write that is related to this feeling of a type of story that I’d like to write. What is the process for coming up with songs for the show? ![]() Sugar discussed the soundtrack, Steven’s journey and writing the show’s music over the phone. I never thought it would be part of my professional life as an animator,” said Sugar. While Sugar’s musical background also includes playing banjolele in “a loud band” while in college, she did not expect music to play such a large part in her career. “I wanted to use the pedal on everything so it would sound pretty.” “I got in trouble because I liked to change the classical music,” Sugar said. Before switching to the “fun to play” ukulele as a teen she also dabbled a bit in piano. Sugar grew up playing the hammer dulcimer. Although the show has gradually introduced heavier themes including identity, unhealthy relationships and overcoming loss - often via song - “Steven Universe” has retained its positivity and hope even as it further explores these uncertainties of growing up. Since the show’s 2013 debut, Steven, with his ukulele, has sung about everything from friendship to tasty snacks and even accidentally creating an alternate timeline. The animated series stars Steven, a 14-year-old half-human, half-magic alien. Since its Friday release, the long-awaited soundtrack has peaked at No. The original music of “Steven Universe” is definitely a large part of the show’s appeal. “I write all the songs on the side because I’m always busy working,” said Sugar. The longer rendition of the title tune has a similar origin story: Sugar was inspired at the airport while traveling to a convention, coming up with lyrics even while taking her shoes off at security. And both versions are included in the “Steven Universe Soundtrack: Volume 1,” a 37-track digital album featuring songs from the show handpicked by Sugar and remastered by the show’s composers Aivi Tran and Steven “Surasshu” Velema. This rendition of “We Are the Crystal Gems” was the first song Sugar wrote for the show. “Not the full, long version,” Sugar clarified. “I had these hourlong commutes out to Culver City from my place and I was writing it in the car.” “I was working on ‘Hotel Transylvania’ at the time,” explained Sugar, the creator of the fan-favorite Cartoon Network series. It’s disarmingly charming, delightfully peculiar and perfectly captures the essence of the show. The theme song for “Steven Universe” is a whimsical, 30-second introduction to the complex but charismatic world of the Crystal Gems. ![]()
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