Amanda Seyfried is set to star in the new film The Testament of Ann Lee, out this Christmas. Ahead of its release, Seyfried and Academy Award-winning composer Daniel Blumberg have released the song “Clothed by the Sun.”
“Clothed by the Sun” is one of three original songs Blumberg composed for the film, which tells the story of the founder of the Shaker movement. The tracks appear alongside 10 reimagined Shaker hymns. On the new single, Blumberg and Seyfried’s voices intertwine over tender guitar, harmonica, strings, and bells.
“When I write songs, usually the best ones happen very quickly and naturally,” Blumberg said in a statement. “With ‘Clothed by the Sun,’ I plugged in my electric guitar and it all came out in one piece. I think that was possible because the whole world of the film, and Ann Lee’s story was in my bones after having been so submerged in the project for over a year. I was missing my brother who lives far away from me, and found Ann Lee’s relationship with William [her brother] quite moving, so I started with that line about her Brother’s love.”
Blumberg also recalled the day he recorded the track with Seyfried in New York. “It was originally written as a solo for her to sing, but it ended up being a duet, mostly because Mona [Fastvold, the director] liked the new atmosphere that leaves us with at the end of the film. It has a more contemporary feeling to the song which felt appropriate with the cards on the film explaining where the shakers are today. Amanda and I would sing a lot together during the recording sessions for the film so it’s nice to have a recording of us singing together finally and also an excuse to do some live concerts.”
The Testament of Ann Lee will be in select theaters on Christmas day before getting a wider release in January. Seyfried stars as Lee and the film features choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux).
London artist Blumberg previously worked with director Fastvold on 2020’s The World to Come. He took home the Oscar for Best Original Score earlier this year for his work on Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist.
Earlier this year, Seyfried starred in the Peacock series Long Bright River. Based off the book by Liz Moore, Seyfried plays a Philadelphia police officer investigating the murders of three local women.
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