‘Blitz’: Saoirse Ronan on Training to Sing Onscreen and Performing ‘Winter Coat’ in Front of 300 Extras

As a dedicated fan of Saoirse Ronan, I must say that her performance in “Blitz” is nothing short of remarkable. Her transformation into Rita, a resilient young mother searching for her missing son amidst the chaos of World War II, is truly commendable. What stood out to me the most was her rendition of “Winter Coat,” a song that resonates deeply with the wartime optimism that tomorrow will be a better day.

Yes, that is Saoirse Ronan singing in Steve McQueen’s “Blitz.”

In the AppleTV+ World War II series currently streaming, Ronan portrays Rita, a young mom on a heartrending quest to find her lost son, who was previously relocated and is presumed missing.

In one instance, Rita, an employee at a munitions factory, rises to perform a wartime melody titled “Winter Coat” for her fellow workers. Although Ronan is a strong contender for best supporting actress, securing the part was not straightforward. The song had been included in the script all along. Ronan expresses that if he offered her the role, there was never any doubt about her ability to sing.

McQueen and Ronan connected via Zoom, however, it was only after Ronan had a singing lesson and vocal coaching that she secured the part. “He offered me the role after his vocal coach (Fiona McDougal) assured him I wasn’t musically challenged.

“Winter Coat” was written by Nicholas Britell, Taura Stinson and McQueen.

The inspiration for McQueen’s song originated from something deeply meaningful and intimate to him – his late father’s winter coat. In a conversation with EbMaster, he shared, “My dad passed away approximately 18 years ago, and I inherited his winter coat. When he passed, I wore it to feel enveloped by him.” He went on to say, “I find the concept of comfort and tangibility in a coat captivating. Therefore, as I donned this coat, it was like a warm embrace.

The idea was the song would lean into the wartime optimism that tomorrow would be a better day.

Enter Emmy-award winning composer Britell, a long-time McQueen collaborator.

Britell points out that musically, McQueen sought a sound that didn’t resemble an antique from the past, but rather something immediate, relatable, and impactful for today’s audience. This artistic requirement presented a challenge, as Britell explains, “That was quite a task because if it doesn’t resonate with the present, it could disrupt the viewing experience.

Instead, he pondered over the varieties of harmonies and chord progressions, being mindful that “certain chord combinations might seem reminiscent of 1968.

McQueen and Britell collaborated on the early stages of the song at Abbey Road Studios in London, as Britell shared, “We spent a significant amount of time together there, which was truly enchanting to carefully consider our approach and establish the foundation. Steve had a wealth of lyrical concepts about what this meant for him.

With Britell’s musical vision and McQueen’s poetic lyrics, the tune gradually took shape.

But Britell didn’t know how to make it a finished song, and so he turned to Stinson.

Stinson, with a track record of penning tunes alongside artists like Destiny’s Child, Mary J. Blige, and Cynthia Erivo, proved an ideal partner to finalize the song and seamlessly complete its creation process.

Stinson shares that when she first heard the song, it seemed as if the lyrics were meant to tug at your emotional heartstrings. “My aim was to ensure each phrase would be emotionally raw.” To keep the song’s tone consistent with its storyline, she drew inspiration from her grandmother. “I played the demo, and she commented, ‘Wow, that sounds so familiar.’ She said it sounded just like something I would have been exposed to growing up.” This validation confirmed for her that she was on the right path in creating a song reminiscent of Rita’s own musical background.

During their performance preparation, Ronan and McDougal devoted much time to practice. She attributes her ability to confidently perform the song in front of 300 extras to her vocal coach, who made her feel “safe, calm, and secure.” Until that moment, the crew hadn’t heard her sing before. “It was truly captivating,” she said. “Indeed, it was an emotional day.

Enhancing the day’s emotional resonance, Ronan notes that many of the extras were young women who likely had relatives who played significant roles during the war. He expresses that this made the performance particularly poignant, as it felt like they were singing about something profound and soothing.

Watch the video above.

2024-11-26 23:17

‘Blitz’: Saoirse Ronan on Training to Sing Onscreen and Performing ‘Winter Coat’ in Front of 300 Extras

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