Jill Scott Will Sing at First-Ever Oscars Concert


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For the first time in its 85-year history, the Academy Awards is putting on a concert to showcase the five original scores and four songs nominated for Oscars this year, and Philly’s Jill Scott is among the performers.

The concert will take place a few days before the Oscars — on Feb. 27 — at UCLA’s Royce Hall. While it’s open to the public (at $75 to $100 per ticket) the show will not be televised this year, but the Academy’s Governor Charles Fox tells AP that the plan is to make it a broadcast event in the future.

According to the article, each nominated composer will present a “suite” that “uses elements from the film score.” It will be played while imagery from the film is projected onto a big screen. Among the composers taking part is five-time Oscar Winner John Williams (The Book Thief), Arcade Fire’s William Butler and Owen Pallett (Her), Thomas Newman (Saving Mr. Banks), Steven Price (Gravity) and Alexandre Desplat (Philomena).

Jill Scott will join the Best Original Song segment, singing Pharrell’s catchy “Happy” from Despicable Me 2. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who will perform “Let it Go” from Frozen. The Academy is expected to announce who will do U2’s “Ordinary Love” (Mandela), and Karen O’s “The Moon Song” (Her) soon.