Birmingham’s Own Abigail Barlow Shines in Moana 2 with Barlow & Bear
Did you know that the brilliant musical duo Barlow & Bear has roots right here in the charming city of Birmingham? That’s right! It was here in The Magic City that Abigail Barlow honed her love for the arts, thanks in part to the incredible opportunities provided by local resources like the Red Mountain Theatre Company. Isn’t that fantastic?
From Birmingham to the Bright Lights
For those who haven’t been glued to their screens, Barlow & Bear hit the international scene with a bang after creating an unofficial TikTok musical based on the popular Netflix series Bridgerton. This delightful period piece stole hearts with its frilly dresses and tantalizing love stories. Their creation garnered attention and ultimately led to a Grammy win in 2022. Talk about striking gold!
Now, these two talented artists are soaring even higher with their exciting new project – music for Moana 2! The story of Moana, a character navigating complicated feelings about her identity and destiny, resonates deeply with both Barlow and Bear. They describe this opportunity as incredibly meaningful, stating, “Ultimately, she becomes a better leader in this sequel. Like I said, this process, I felt like life was a classroom and I was learning so, so much about myself, about this industry.”
The Journey of Growth
Abigail Barlow, hailing from the lovely neighborhood of Mountain Brook, has always been surrounded by artistic inspiration. She started her journey in the theater world at a young age, immersing herself in local performances. Now, she is not only a celebrated artist but also a member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list! She and Emily Bear became the first all-female writing team to create music for Disney and the youngest composers to take on Disney projects. How inspiring is that?
From Fun to Fame
When Abigail looks back, she is amazed at how a simple concept album created during the challenging times of COVID-19 took off. “But it’s crazy that a concept album based off of a TV show that we wrote for fun during COVID was the thing that blew open all the doors for us. It was not planned. It started out as something to pass the time when we had no jobs and no money during COVID, and it just outgrew us. Bloomed and blossomed and flew away like a dandelion.”
What’s Next?
With their continued success, Barlow & Bear are now looking to the future. They have graciously taken on the challenge of bringing Moana 2 to life through music that will hopefully inspire and connect with audiences everywhere. This project not only highlights their immense talent but also adds a little bit of Birmingham magic to it!
So, if you’ve already caught a glimpse of Barlow & Bear’s latest work in Moana 2, we want to hear all about it! What did you think? Don’t forget to tag us @bhamnow and share your thoughts. Are you as excited as we are to see what this Birmingham duo will tackle next? The world is definitely watching this dynamic pair as they continue to break boundaries and create beautiful music that resonates with all of us!
