Diane Warren is no stranger to writing blockbuster songs, so it was no surprise when she was able to pull together an A-list cast of singers for “Gonna Be You.” Warren was tasked with writing a song for the 2023 film 80 For Brady starring legendary actresses Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno inspired by the real-life “Over 80 for Brady” club. Warren pulled together an equally impressive group of music legends to sing one of the soundtrack singles, “Gonna Be You,” with Dolly Parton (who starred alongside Tomlin and Fonda in 9 to 5), Gloria Estefan, Cyndi Lauper, and Belinda Carlisle all singing on the song that serves as a celebration of female friendship and the art of showing up for one another.
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Meaning Behind the Song
“When I wrote ‘Gonna Be You’ for 80 For Brady, I wanted to write a song that celebrated these women’s deep friendship,” Warren explained in a press statement in January 2023 when the song was released. “Since ’80’ was in the title I got a crazy idea, why not get some of the most iconic singers from the ’80s, who are still amazing and always will be, to all sing it?! Everyone I approached said yes and was just as excited as me! I’m honored to have Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan, and Debbie Harry on this song. ‘Gonna Be You’ is that song you want to sing along to with all your good friends!”
Elaborating further on the song’s origins, Warren shared in an interview with Deadline that she “absolutely” had the idea to pull that group of singers together. “That was my crazy idea and I love when my crazy ideas work,” she said. “I’m just so excited about it, they all sound great.”
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The pop melody folds in a bit of a flamenco vibe, with Warren revealing that she initially intended to write a reggae song. “When I first wrote it, I really wrote it as a reggae song and I kind of toned that part of it down,” she explains, adding that “Gonna Be You” is different from the typical ballads she tends to write for films. “I like that feel. It’s just a fun, uptempo song.”
Warren has been nominated 14 times at the Academy Awards for Best Original Song, most recently at the 2023 ceremony for “Applause” performed by Alessia Cara in Tell it Like a Woman. Other famous nominated works Warren’s written include “How Do I Live” by LeAnn Rimes (Con Air), “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith (Armageddon), and “There’ll You Be” by Faith Hill (Pearl Harbor).
“I hope we’ll be talking about this song a year from now,” Warren said to Deadline about “Gonna Be You.” “That would be awesome.”
Photo Credit: Will Russell/Getty Images
