Off the back of his stirring score for Solo: A Star Wars Story, which is on constant rotation in these parts, John Powell talks with Billboard about his new classical album Hubris.
But after teaming with John Williams to re-imagine the musical soundscape of one of science fiction’s most beloved characters, Powell is ready to, yes, go solo, with his debut classical album, the eight-track Hubris, out today on 5 Cat Studios (June 15). A whirlwind of emotions and styles, the oratorio was inspired by an obscure historical figure whose military decision kicked off WWI, as well as thoughts on institutionalized sexism and misogyny, and Powell’s own grief over the death of his wife.
“It’s something I’ve been meaning to write for years and years, and I was coming down off lots of work in Hollywood and I thought I needed to write something for myself,” says Powell, currently finishing up work on the score for the upcoming threequel to How to Train Your Dragon. “It formed once I had a good story, which is something I found out now that I’ve been in Hollywood so long: I needed a story.”
You can listen to tracks from Hubris below:
