Anya Taylor-Joy is starring in the awaited horror film “Last Night in SoHo.” Aside from the expected acting, Taylor-Joy will also be singing; in the film, she plays the part of a performer in the ‘60s, and had to record several versions of the iconic “Downtown.”
Sound bites of the recording were previewed on the first trailer of the film, but this new video shows her singing the song in full, alongside an orchestra and new footage of the film. Anya shared the video through her Instagram, writing, “It’s not every day you’re asked to record several versions of an iconic song. The sounds of the 60s was what first made me fall in love with music so I was overjoyed when Edgar asked me to give it a go.”
In an interview with Den of Geek, Taylor-Joy spoke about her love of singing, and how that’s something she’s been doing most of her life. When talking about her parents and family, she said, “They’re like, ‘Where do we find the button to switch you off?’ because I’m always singing and dancing, and being a general nuisance.”
“Downtown” was originally sung by Petula Clark in 1964, recorded to a more upbeat tempo. Anya’s version, a moodier and slower take on the original, is meant to evoke the mood of the film. “Last Night in SoHo” stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eloise, a young student who moves to London to study fashion design. Feeling lonely and out of place, she finds herself mysteriously time traveling to 1966 and embodying Sandy, played by Taylor-Joy, who is a glamorous wannabe singer that gets entangled with a dangerous man. The film stars Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Diana Rigg, and more.
The film’s soundtrack will be released on October 22nd, and will likely be made up of an eclectic mix of old and new sounds. Edgar Wright, the film’s director, who also directed and wrote the hugely successful “Baby Driver,” is known for his taste in music, which tend to occupy special places in his films. “Last Night in SoHo” opens in theaters on October 29th.
