Pharrell Williams Dishes on Making Music for Despicable Me
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Not only did this year’s hit flick Despicable Me have a pretty cool pedigree of voices (Steve Carell, Russell Brand and Jason Segel), but it also boasts a hot soundtrack produced by Pharrell Williams.
PEOPLE Moms & Babies recently chatted with the music producer about his experiences creating kid-friendly music.
“It’s a big hallmark of my career,” he says of his first-ever film score. “To be able to provide the music for those visuals was a really great time.”
Williams was involved in the movie — which will be released on Blu Ray and DVD on Dec. 14 — from the very beginning, drawing inspiration from initial sketches unveiled in Paris and ultimately working in Los Angeles with a host of musicians, including “genius” producer Hans Zimmer and singer Robin Thicke.
“It was a super-fun process, and such a pleasure to work with the animation team,” Williams says.
And just because the film is geared toward the younger set doesn’t mean Williams was composing kiddie music. “You’re mainly just thinking about what’s appropriate for the screen, not in terms of kids or grown-ups,” he says.
“You think about what sounds right, and makes sense in terms of what’s happening in the movie. It’s lyrics that can get suggestive, so if those get a little too mature, you address it.”
 Courtesy Universal |
Williams, who has worked with everyone from Kelis and Snoop Dogg to Madonna and Kanye West, says “Rocket’s Theme” was his favorite song on the 10-track album, because it “just meant a lot” to him.
Overall, the whole movie left an impression on the “big fan” of animation. “It was full of vivid colors, and just a wonderful story,” he shares. “It’s something that resonates with everyone.”
So what’s up next for Williams? In addition to working on another album with his band N.E.R.D., he also has two more movie soundtracks in the works.
— Kate Hogan
