If Diane Warren were to receive an Oscar nomination for writing the music and lyrics to the new song “The Journey” from Netflix’s feature film “The Six Triple Eight,” it would be her sweet 16th overall bid (and eighth in a row). “By the way, when I was a kid, I never had a sweet 16,” she laughs. “So, yeah, I love this [Oscar buzz]. I’m still excited, of course. I’m so proud of this song. I think this is maybe the best song I ever did for a movie.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
“The Six Triple Eight” comes from writer-director Tyler Perry and tells the true story of the only all-Black and all-female war battalion in World War II. Kerry Washington portrays Major Charity Adams and leads a large ensemble cast that includes both recognizable faces (Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, Oprah Winfrey) and fresh faces to the scene (Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson).
“I can’t remember getting a reaction like this from another song I’ve done for a movie,” Warren reveals about “The Journey,” which is performed by H.E.R., aka Gabi Wilson. “The only thing close was when I wrote the song that Lady Gaga sang, ‘Til It Happens to You’ [from the documentary ‘The Hunting Ground’]. And this far surpassed that with people calling me and saying what this song means to them, and how it always makes everybody cry.”
“The Journey” plays at the end of the movie as viewers see real footage from the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion intercut with new interviews with some of the survivors. “That made me cry,” the artisan reveals about the placement of her song within “The Six Triple Eight.” “I watched it as a viewer, and it got me so emotional. I had tears running down my face, and seeing the real women, that got me, too. It’s very effective.”
As for H.E.R.’s performance, Warren is “astounded by what she did with that song — it’s vocally brilliant.” The only other time she recalls having such an experience with another entertainer was Steven Tyler of Aerosmith for the song from “Armageddon” (1998). “I remember sitting at the piano and teaching Steven Tyler ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ and having that come alive,” she explains. “And to me, this is on that level. Those are just two things that come to mind where someone’s hearing something raw, and then it becomes their song.”
Also in our exclusive video interview, Warren talks about her personal process for writing the lyrics, how the melody is going on its own journey within the song, and what she thinks of the Academy Awards frequently toying with the idea of not allowing all five Best Song nominees to perform live on the big stage. “The Six Triple Eight” will be released in theaters on Dec. 6 and it begins streaming on Netflix on Dec. 20.
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