Joshuah Brian Campbell Got to ‘Thank’ Harriet Tubman After

Not many individuals get to thank the inspiration for his or her biggest work to this point — definitely not once they’ve been lifeless for over 100 years — however Joshuah Brian Campbell obtained that likelihood and it meant the world to him.

Campbell and “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo are nominated for Best Original Song for his or her work, “Stand Up,” which performs throughout the closing credit of the movie. During TheWrap’s Screening Series at The Landmark in Los Angeles on Sunday, Campbell spoke about how when he obtained the decision saying “Stand Up” can be used within the movie, he was really on his manner see Tubman’s last house in Upstate New York.

“When I got the go-ahead call that they wanted to use the piece,” Campbell defined, “I was prepping to get on a bus to go on a pilgrimage to the Harriet Tubman home site. It was really special that I was sort of able to say thank you to her on the land she spent her last years.”

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Campbell was introduced on to the undertaking after the movie’s composer, Terence Blanchard, noticed Campbell carry out his music “Sing Out, March On” at Harvard’s graduation in 2018. To work on the movie was a pure match for Campbell, who related very strongly to Tubman’s religion — the 2 really belonged to the identical denomination, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

“I think the film captures pretty beautifully Harriet as a woman of faith and the almost mystical but very viscerally real connection to God and to spirit that she seemed to have,” Campbell stated. “And that’s one thing that’s actually necessary to me. So I feel being concerned within the undertaking, due to that, was particular. And additionally as a result of the sound that Cynthia, the producers and I have been capable of create with the music actually is de facto trustworthy to my roots in gospel and southern conventional black music. I used to be capable of pour so many items of myself into the sound world of the music and that was actually particular.

During an interview final 12 months, Erivo informed TheWrap she thought she “was most likely a ache to most individuals as a result of I used to be so particular about what I needed to listen to and what I needed to do.” Campbell couldn’t disagree extra.

Also Read: ‘Harriet’ Star Cynthia Erivo Is One Step Closer to EGOT Status With 2 Oscar Nominations

“I think she’s alluding to the fact that she had high standards and I count it as a blessing to work with somebody, especially a vocalist who knows her instrument like Cynthia, who is very clear about what it is they want out of the sound or out of the piece,” Campbell stated. “I grew up in the black church and choir directors are no joke — and I have been a choir director — so I know what it’s like. I really didn’t experience any pain for the process. I thought it was a really strong musician who is clear about what they want and need.”