#NEWMUSIC: H.E.R. AND LIZA SOBERANO – “BRB” FROM “FORGOTTEN ISLAND”

Back Lot Music today announced the release of “BRB”, an original song written for DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming film FORGOTTEN ISLAND, performed by musician, producer and actress H.E.R., and Filipino-American actress and musical artist Liza Soberano. The track was also written by multi-award winning artist H.E.R. alongside Grammy Award®-winning songwriter and producer Ryan Tedder, who also produced the song.

“BRB” is a ’90s-inspired duet that reflects the lifelong friendship at the heart of Forgotten Island. H.E.R. and Soberano voice Jo and Raissa, best friends since grade school who are about to embark on separate life paths when a mysterious portal transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali. The song captures the nostalgia, warmth and joy of Jo and Raissa’s relationship while extending the film’s celebration of friendship and Filipino culture into its music.

Angela Leus, Senior Vice President, Film Music at Universal Pictures, says that neither she nor the filmmakers wanted to assume that H.E.R. would create an original song for the film. “Everything needed to come from an organic place,” Leus says. “But when H.E.R. saw the film, she was so inspired that she decided to write something — and she was even more inspired to bring in Liza.”

“I’m so grateful that Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, the directors of Forgotten Island, not only gave me the opportunity to play Jo, but trusted me to create the song that represents the friendship between Jo and Raissa, which is the heart of the movie,” H.E.R. says. “I knew I wanted the song to be a conversation between the two of them, and getting to share that moment with my co-star, Liza Soberano, on this duet has been a dream! It was so fun creating a song that reflects the sound of the ‘90s, and I’m beyond proud that this track is representation of Filipino culture, just like the film!”

“Getting to make ‘BRB’ with H.E.R. and Ryan Tedder was such a surreal moment for me,” Soberano says. “I’ve admired H.E.R. for years, not only for the amazing artist and musician she is, but for the way she always remembers to carry her Filipino heritage with so much pride. I think it’s so special and meaningful to see two Filipinas coming together through music and culture, especially at this point in my own journey as an artist. I’m so grateful she trusted me enough to share this song with her, and I hope people can feel the genuine connection between us when they hear it!”

ABOUT H.E.R.
H.E.R. is a five-time Grammy Award–winning, Academy Award–winning, and Emmy Award–winning musical artist, actor, director, and producer. Globally revered for her talent and influence across entertainment, she has released three critically-acclaimed albums and RIAA Platinum certification. She has also starred in notable projects such as The Color Purple (2023), and made her directorial debut with the celebrated documentary The Makings of Curtis Mayfield (2025). In 2021, H.E.R. earned the coveted Grammy Award for Song of the Year for “I Can’t Breathe,” as well as the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Fight for You,” a track she penned for Judas and the Black Messiah.

ABOUT LIZA SOBERANO
Liza Soberano is one of the Philippines’ biggest stars and one of the most recognizable talents in Asian entertainment. After establishing an extraordinary career across film and television in the Philippines, she is now expanding her career internationally, bringing her global fanbase spanning Southeast Asia and beyond to Hollywood. Her work has earned numerous honors, including a FAMAS Award, a PMPC Star Award, and six Box Office Entertainment Awards, including Most Promising Female Star of the Year and Box Office Queen. She was also named one of Tatler Asia’s Most Influential People in Asia in both 2022 and 2023. Soberano made her American film debut in Focus Features’ Lisa Frankenstein (2024) and next stars in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, voicing Raissa in an adventure inspired by Philippine folklore and mythology.

ABOUT RYAN TEDDER

3x Grammy award winning songwriter and producer, Ryan Tedder, has worked with everyone from Adele to Tate McRae, Rosalia, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, U2, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and U2, in addition to being the lead singer, writer and producer of the multi-platinum selling band OneRepublic. As a producer, Ryan received the GRAMMY award for “Album of the Year” for Adele’s 21 (17x RIAA certified Platinum; deemed the best selling album of this century), 25, and Taylor Swift’s 1989. As a songwriter, Ryan has received the National Music Publishers’ Association’s Songwriter Icon Award, the Honorary Clio Music Award, and has earned 3 RIAA certified Diamond Awards in addition to contributing to over 500M in record sales. Recently, Ryan co-wrote and co-produced several tracks off BTS’ highly anticipated comeback album, AIRIRANG, including lead single “SWIM,” in addition to two tracks off the globally successful F1: The Movie soundtrack: Tate McRae’s “Just Keep Watching,” and “Lose My Mind” (Doja Cat feat Don Toliver). Ryan has served as Tate McRae’s Executive Producer for the last two albums, So Close To What (which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200), and Think Later, which included the global smash “Greedy.” Additionally, Ryan has created original music driving global brand and partnership campaigns over the last 15 years, including Sprite Limelight (2023), Hertz (2022-now), Samsung (2023), Bose (2016), Save the Children (2013), Atlantis (2021), Budweiser China (2025 – present) and more.

ABOUT FORGOTTEN ISLAND
DreamWorks Animation, the studio that brought you unforgettable bonds between a boy and a dragon in How to Train Your Dragon, an ogre and a donkey in Shrek, and a robot and a gosling in The Wild Robot, now welcomes a dazzling and emotional story about two lifelong best friends who must come together before they drift apart in Forgotten Island.

The new original film is written and directed by Academy Award® and BAFTA nominee JOEL CRAWFORD and JANUEL P. MERCADO and is produced by Academy Award® and BAFTA nominee MARK SWIFT, the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Grammy and Academy Award® winning supernova H.E.R. and international star LIZA SOBERANO (Lisa Frankenstein, Alone/Together) star as high school graduates Jo and Raissa, who have been best friends since grade school but are now about to embark on separate life paths.

While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families.

Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but-hapless weredog Raww (Emmy nominee DAVE FRANCO) and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal (Tony winning icon LEA SALONGA), the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.

The film’s all-star voice cast also includes Emmy nominee JENNY SLATE (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Dying for Sex), MANNY JACINTO (The Good Place, Star Wars: The Acolyte), BAFTA nominee DOLLY de LEON (Triangle of Sadness, Ghostlight), global comedy superstar JO KOY (Haunted Mansion, Jo Koy: Live from Brooklyn) and Emmy winner RONNY CHIENG (The Daily Show, M3GAN).

Get the Track Here: https://backlotmusic.ffm.to/brb

#FIRSTLOOK: “WILDWOOD” TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Tickets are now on sale for LAIKA’s Wildwood, the studio’s epic new stop-motion fantasy opening exclusively in theatres October 23, 2026. To mark the occasion, LAIKA today debuted the film’s final trailer. The trailer showcases LAIKA’s signature handcrafted filmmaking and offers the biggest look yet at Prue McKeel’s journey into the hidden world of Wildwood and the escalating stakes of her quest to bring her brother home.

Wildwood will be presented in select premium formats and experiences, including DBOX and AVX, where available.

Directed and produced by Travis Knight (Masters of the Universe, Kubo and the Two Strings) and written by Chris Butler (Masters of the Universe, ParaNorman), Wildwood opens exclusively in theatres across Canada on October 23, 2026.

The American Film Institute recently announced that Wildwood will make its US Premiere as the Opening Night selection of the 40th AFI FEST on October 21st, ahead of its nationwide theatrical release.

After her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows, headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) launches a desperate rescue mission into the Impassable Wilderness — an enchanted forest hidden just beyond Portland, Oregon. Joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), Prue navigates a world of talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition. As the pair is drawn into a conflict threatening the balance of the forest itself, Prue must find a way to save her brother while confronting forces that could determine Wildwood’s future.

Inspired by the acclaimed novel written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis, Wildwood brings an expansive fantasy world to the screen through LAIKA’s singular approach to stop-motion filmmaking. Characters, environments and intricate details are physically crafted and animated by hand, frame by frame, creating a world that feels both fantastical and unmistakably tangible.

Wildwood features a voice cast led by Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Prue McKeel and Jacob Tremblay as Curtis Mehlberg, alongside Academy Award® nominee Carey Mulligan (Shame), Academy Award® winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Academy Award® nominee and Emmy Award® winner Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians), Jake Johnson (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Charlie Day (The Super Mario Galaxy Movie), Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Jemaine Clement (Avatar: Fire and Ash), Maya Erskine (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon), Tom Waits (Seven Psychopaths) and Academy Award® nominee Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?).

About LAIKA
Founded in 2005 and based in Oregon, LAIKA is an award-winning animation studio and Certified B Corporation driven to tell bold, original stories that stand the test of time. Renowned for its distinctive artistry, innovative filmmaking and pioneering use of technology, LAIKA has redefined the possibilities of stop-motion animation.

The studio’s five films — Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings and Missing Link — were each nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature. LAIKA’s next animated feature, Wildwood, premieres October 23, 2026. The studio has also expanded its storytelling into live action film and television.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW CANADIAN TRAILER FOR “THE COLOR PURPLE”

Warner Bros. Pictures invites you to experience the extraordinary sisterhood of three women who share one unbreakable bond in “The Color Purple.” This bold new take on the beloved classic is directed by Blitz Bazawule (“Black Is King,” “The Burial of Kojo”) and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones.

“The Color Purple” stars Taraji P. Henson (“What Men Want,” “Hidden Figures”), Danielle Brooks (“Peacemaker,” “Orange Is the New Black”), Colman Domingo (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Fear the Walking Dead”), Corey Hawkins (“In the Heights,” “BlacKkKlansman”), H.E.R. (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration”), Halle Bailey (“The Little Mermaid,” “Grown-ish”), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“King Richard,” “If Beale Street Could Talk”), and Fantasia Barrino (in her major motion picture debut).

The screenplay is by Marcus Gardley (“Maid,” “The Chi”), based on the novel by Alice Walker and based on the musical stage play, book (of the musical stage play) by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. The executive producers Alice Walker, Rebecca Walker, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Carla Gardini, Mara Jacobs, Adam Fell, Courtenay Valenti, Sheila Walcott and Michael Beugg.

Joining director Bazawule behind the camera are director of photography Dan Laustsen (“John Wick: Chapter 4,” “The Shape of Water”), production designer Paul Denham Austerberry (“The Flash,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) and editor Jon Poll (“Bombshell,” “The Greatest Showman”). The choreographer is Fatima Robinson (“Coming 2 America,” “Dreamgirls”) and the costumes are designed by Francine Jamison-Tanchuck (“Emancipation,” “One Night in Miami…”). The music supervisors are Jordan Carroll (“The Greatest Showman,” “Godfather of Harlem”) and Morgan Rhodes (“Space Jam: A New Legacy,” “Selma”); the music is by Kris Bowers (“King Richard,” “Green Book”); and the executive music producers are Nick Baxter (“Babylon,” “CODA”), Stephen Bray (“Respect,” “Juanita”) and Blitz Bazawule.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Harpo Films Production, an Amblin Entertainment Production, a Scott Sanders Production/a QJP Production, “The Color Purple.” It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theatres in North America on December 25, 2023 and internationally beginning 18 January 2024.

#GRAMMYS: BEYONCÉ, H.E.R., TAYLOR SWIFT, BILLIE EILISH AND MEGAN THEE STALLION AMONG BIG WINNERS AT 2021 GRAMMYS

The 2021 Grammys were about female empowerment with female Artists taking home top prizes this evening at the socially-distanced ceremony hosted by Trevor Noah, which clocked-in at almost four hours.

Beyoncé became the most awarded female Artist of all time at the Awards, honouring Music’s best, bringing her hardware tally to 28 Grammys tonight.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift took home Album of the Year for folklore, her first of two Discs to be released in 2020. Swift became the first ever female Artist to take Album of the Year three times, previously winning with 1989 and Fearless.

H.E.R. took Song of the Year with I Can’t Breathe, a powerful track inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Megan Thee Stallion also was a big winner taking Best New Artist, also winning a Grammy for Best Rap Song with her collaboration with Beyoncé, the Savage Remix.

Record of the Year went to last year’s award-sweeping Billie Eilish for her track All I Ever Wanted. She also took Best Song Written For Visual Media with Bond theme No Time to Die.

Some performances from tonight:

Complete list of winners can be found here.

(Photo credit: Grammys)