To All the Boys 2: P.S. I Still Love You": All the Secrets of a Catchy Soundtrack
*WARNING: This article contains spoilers*
When Netflix delivered the soundtrack for To All The Boys 2: P.S. Still Love You, the song played on a loop in my head for days. The music deftly captures Lara Jean's psychology as she manages her high school correspondence, navigates her first (fake and real) romance, and reminds us of the power of sisterhood. To sum up: whether you're Team Peter Kavinsky or Team John Ambrose, it's very *chef's kiss*. (opens in new tab)
The magic of the soundtracks for the first and second films (opens in new tab) is a credit to music supervisors Lindsay Wolfington and Laura Webb, whose combined careers include "One Tree Hill," "Teen Wolf," "The Hills " and other titles (i.e., they understand teen angst). We spoke with Wolfington and Webb, who have already begun work on the music for the third film, about how the timeless soundtrack for the sequel came about.
"I grew up on John Hughes' movies, so if I can make something that lasts like that ...... That's my goal," Webb says.
Wolfington adds: "I think what unintentionally happened with the first film was that there was an '80s vibe to the whole feel of the music. [This feeling is most evident in the opening song "And Then He Kissed Me," a tribute to "The Babysitter's Adventure."
But the nostalgic overtones didn't stop Wolfington and Webb from considering Top 40 songs; BLACKPINK's 2019 hit "Kill This Love" was an easy choice, they explain, because it's a song that's "a little bit more nostalgic, a little bit more fun, a little bit more fun. The song's opening melody, a mix of marching band and electronic beats, perfectly symbolized Lara Jean (Lana Kandor) suiting up to play the role of "supportive girlfriend." What about the scene where Lara Jean makes a cherry turnover for Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo)? They both have folders on their desktops filled with delicious music that would make anyone want to grab a rolling pin, aptly titled "Pensive Baking."
But not every combination of music and scene was this simple. Wolfington and Webb reveal that Lara Jean's first steps into Bellevue were among the most difficult. The nursing home represented the beginning for Lara Jean to reunite with John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher), the man of her dreams from the sixth grade, and to bond with Stormy (Holland Taylor).
"The director said, 'I don't want this place to play like your grandparents' retirement home. This is a place full of life,'" Wolfington said. Countless songs were discussed, but Sophie Tucker's "Purple Hat," suggested by one of the film's performers, fit the bill perfectly. Noah (Centineo) was like, "You know what song I really enjoy?" I was like, "I don't know. And Michael [the director] came in and played it for us," Webb explains.
Unlike the first soundtrack, this collection also features six original songs, including songs by The New Respects, Hanne Meowen, and MARINA, who composed "About Love (open in new tab)."
"I don't really know a lot about love, A lot about love, a lot about love," MARINA sings at the end of the film when Lara Jean and Peter share a picture-book kiss.
"But you're in my head, you're in my blood, it feels so good, it hurts so much."
The lyrics perfectly describe not only the plot of the film, but also how the audience feels about the soundtrack: it's in our heads and it feels so good.
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