Bridgertons Justin Kamps: Crafting the Perfect Soundtrack for the Rom-Com Vibes
Bridgerton's third season is a musical exploration that highlights the work of the show's music supervisors in creating a soundtrack that complements the romantic comedy vibes of the show. The season focuses on Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), who has finally given up her crush on Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) after hearing him disparage her to his friends last season. Instead, she's focusing on finding a husband who will respect her independence so she may continue her double life as Lady Whistledown. However, due to her lack of confidence, her search doesn't go as smoothly as she had hoped.
Meanwhile, Colin is back from his summer travels with a new look and major swagger. He is disheartened to learn that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin helps Penelope boost her confidence so as to attract the perfect husband. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin is faced with figuring out what his true feelings for his friend really are.
Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise (Claudia Jessie), who has found a new friend in an unlikely place. Meanwhile, Penelope's growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.
The third season also welcomed a new showrunner and executive producer in Jess Brownell, who worked closely with music supervisor Justin Kamps. Kamps took over from Chop Shop founder Alexandra Patsavas, who moved inhouse at Netflix in 2020. Kamps had worked with Patsavas on season one and took over as sole music supervisor for seasons two and three (and the upcoming fourth season).
Kamps explained that finding the right songs for Bridgerton is not always easy. He often reaches out to independent string quartets and composers who are interested in arranging something for the show with song ideas. The first song licensed for the third season was Gayle's "abcdefu" covered by Vitula, which played during Penelope's makeover moment in episode one. The song was a powerful moment and played well during her ballroom entrance, where she's saying to everyone, "This is me and this is how I want to be."
Other notable songs include Shimmer's cover of "Jealous" by Nick Jonas, which was found back when they were working on season two and thought it could be a good track for a love triangle. The most significant song in the season is Archer Marsh's cover of "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull, which played during a heated argument between Penelope and Colin and became a viral sensation on TikTok.
The most unexpected song in the season was Imagine Dragons' "Thunder" covered by Thomas Mercier and Théo Croix. The cover was super playful and light, much different sounding than the original song and was used during a Lady Bridgerton moment hinting at something happening for her and Lord Anderson.
Overall, the music in Bridgerton's third season is a key element that enhances the romantic comedy vibes of the show and adds depth to the characters' stories.
