Warriors (Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis album)
| Warriors | |
|---|---|
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| Studio album by | |
| Released | 18 October 2024 |
| Label | Atlantic Records |
| Producer | Mike Elizondo |
Warriors is a forthcoming concept album by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis. It is inspired by the 1979 action film The Warriors.[1] It is scheduled for release on 18 October 2024 on Atlantic Records.[2] It is executive produced by Nas, and produced by Mike Elizondo.[3]
Background
[edit]In August 2023, the New York Post was the first media outlet to report that Lin-Manuel Miranda was working on a stage musical adaptation of Sol Yurick’s novel The Warriors.[4][5]
In July 2024, it was reported that Miranda was completing the recording of a concept album for a new musical.[6] The next month the album's release date was confirmed. The New York Times said it was unclear if the album will lead to a stage musical, while the Los Angeles Times described earlier reports that the album was to be a stage production as "speculation". The New York Times noted that "Hamilton was initially conceived as a concept album, and there is a history of concept albums evolving into stage productions, from Jesus Christ Superstar to Hadestown."[3][1]
In a September 2024 interview, Miranda said he'd "lowkey been thinking about" adapting The Warriors since a friend suggested the idea to him in 2009 after In The Heights came out. Miranda initially told his friend that the idea would never work. He then proposed the idea to Eisa Davis in 2022.[2]
Concept
[edit]Miranda describes gender-flipping the characters of The Warriors as being key to him understanding how his adaptation could be interesting to write. He told the Associated Press that if the warriors are women "at every point, it complicates [the narrative] in a really compelling way". In the same interview, Davis adds, "I think that it’s just so crucial to think about this - it’s a group of women that no one believes. Everyone is accusing you falsely, [...] and what is it that you do? What is it that you try?"[2]
Personnel
[edit]Featured on the album are:[7][2]
- Utkarsh Ambudkar - Sully
- Marc Anthony - Tato
- Busta Rhymes - voice of Brooklyn
- Cam’ron - Manhattan
- Colman Domingo - Masai of the Gramercy Riffs
- Luis Figueroa - Miguel
- Aneesa Folds - Cleon
- Ghostface Killah - voice of Staten Island
- Amber Gray - Ajaz
- Julia Harriman - Mercy
- Joshua Henry - Wanya
- Lauryn Hill - Cyrus
- Timothy Hughes - Lance
- Sasha Hutchings - Cowgirl
- Michaela Jaé - Yaya
- Daniel Jikal - Joon
- Gizel Jiménez - Rembrandt
- Jasmine Cephas Jones - Swan
- David Patrick Kelly - cop
- Mykal Kilgore - Élan
- Casey Likes - Jesse
- Kenita Miller - Cochise
- Nas - Queens
- Flaco Navaja - Jesús
- Billy Porter - Granger
- James Remar - cop
- Chris Rivers - The Bronx
- RZA - voice of Staten Island
- Stephen Sanchez - Cal
- Phillipa Soo - Fox
References
[edit]- ^ a b Paulson, Michael (2024-08-01). "Lin-Manuel Miranda's Next Project: A 'Warriors' Album With Eisa Davis". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2024-09-07. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ a b c d "Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis on their 'Warriors' musical concept album with Lauryn Hill". AP News. 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ a b "Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis' 'Warriors' will be a concept album, not a stage musical". Los Angeles Times. 2024-08-01. Archived from the original on 2024-09-23. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ Lang, Rebecca; Rubin, Brent (2023-08-03). "Lin-Manuel Miranda to Adapt 'The Warriors' as Stage Musical". Variety. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
- ^ Oleksinski, Johnny (2023-08-03). "Exclusive | Lin-Manuel Miranda is working on a new Broadway musical". Retrieved 2024-09-30.
- ^ "Lin-Manuel Miranda's Next Musical Project Will Be a Concept Album". Bloomberg.com. 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
- ^ "Complete cast announced for Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis' Warriors musical album". 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2024-09-28.