"Stand Up"
Single by Cynthia Erivo
from the album Harriet (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Released25 October 2019 (2019-10-25)
Length5:03
LabelBack Lot Music
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Will Wells
  • Gabe Fox-Peck
Cynthia Erivo singles chronology
"God Only Knows"
(2018) 		"Stand Up"
(2019) 		"When You Believe"
(2020)
Music video
"Stand Up" on YouTube

"Stand Up", officially titled "Stand Up (from Harriet)", is a song performed by English singer Cynthia Erivo and co-written by Erivo with Joshuah Brian Campbell. It was released on 25 October 2019, as the lead single from the soundtrack to the biographical film Harriet, which also stars Erivo.

Background and composition

In 2017, English singer and actress Cynthia Erivo was cast to portray abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman in the biographical film eponymously titled Harriet.[1] Following the completion of filming, Erivo collaborated with composer Joshuah Brian Campbell to write the song for the end credits of the film.[2]

Written by Erivo and Campbell, "Stand Up" was produced by Will Wells and Gabe Fox-Peck.[3] The song was described by Rolling Stone's Jon Blistein as a "slow-burning, gospel-tinged ballad."[4] Rania Aniftos of Billboard noted that it chronicles themes of "hope, overcoming obstacles and kindness for others."[5] The song's lyrics also make use of Tubman's last words before her death in 1913: "I go to prepare a place for you."[6]

Music video

The music video for "Stand Up" was released on 8 November 2019.[5] It shows Erivo performing the song on an "empty but beautifully lit soundstage."[4]

Accolades

Following its release, the song earned Golden Globe Award and Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations for Best Original Song and Best Song, respectively.[7][8] It also garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.[9] The song was also nominated for the Best Song Written For Visual Media at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, the Best Original Song at the 51st NAACP Image Awards, and the Best Original Song at the 13th Houston Film Critics Society Awards.[10][11][12] It won the Society of Composers & Lyricists Award for Outstanding Original Song for Visual Media.[13]

Charts

Chart performance for "Stand Up"
Chart (2020–2021) Peak
position
Hungary (Single Top 40)[14] 36
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 2
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[16] 31

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 25 October 2019
Back Lot Music [17]

References

  1. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (8 February 2017). "Cynthia Erivo To Star As Harriet Tubman In Upcoming 'Harriet' Biopic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ^ Aurthur, Kate (1 November 2019). "Cynthia Erivo's 'Stand Up' Is a Rousing Civil Rights Anthem for 'Harriet'". Variety. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021.
  3. ^ "5 Questions With Golden Globe-Nominated Joshuah Brian Campbell". Broadcast Music, Inc. 17 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b Blistein, Jon (8 November 2019). "Watch Cynthia Erivo's Emotional Video for Harriet Tubman Biopic Song 'Stand Up'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b Aniftos, Rania (8 November 2019). "Cynthia Erivo Delivers the Empowering 'Stand Up' for 'Harriet' Film: Exclusive". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  6. ^ Mitchell, Amanda (4 November 2019). "How the Lyrics to Cynthia Erivo's New Song "Stand up" Honor Harriet Tubman". O, The Oprah Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  7. ^ Ford, Rebecca (9 December 2019). "Golden Globes: Cynthia Erivo "Proud" of Double Nomination for 'Harriet'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  8. ^ Jones, Marcus (12 January 2020). "Critics' Choice Awards 2020: See the full winners list". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. ^ Abad-Santos, Alex; Wilkinson, Alissa (9 February 2020). "Oscars 2020: the full list of nominees". Vox. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  10. ^ Flanagan, Andrew (24 November 2020). "List: The 2021 Grammy Nominations". NPR. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  11. ^ Schaffstall, Katherine; Howard, Annie (22 February 2020). "NAACP Image Awards: Lizzo Named Entertainer of the Year; 'Just Mercy,' 'Black-ish' Among Top Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  12. ^ "HFCS Gives 'Parasite' Top Award at 13th Annual Awards Show". Houston Film Critics Society. 3 January 2020. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  13. ^ Anderson, Erik (8 January 2020). "Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) Awards: Hildur Guðnadóttir a double winner for 'Joker,' 'Chernobyl'". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  14. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 12". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Cynthia Erivo Stand Up (From Harriet) Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  17. ^ "Stand Up (from Harriet) – Single". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2019.

External links

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