‘The Fault In Our Stars’ Soundtrack Makes The Movie ‘Very Different,’ Says Author
The Fault in Our Stars author John Green said there’s something about the soundtrack that makes the film adaptation of his novel “very different.” During The Fault in Our Stars Livestream Concert in Los Angeles, MTV News caught up with Green, and he explained how he loved the soundtrack. Green said it added something to the film that made the story “much more powerful.”
“I saw the movie before the soundtrack was final, and it’s a very different movie now,” he said. “It’s a lot better. It was already a beautiful story, but with the music, it just makes it that much more powerful.”
The soundtrack for The Fault in Our Stars consists of original ballads and anthems from artists like Birdy, Grouplove, Ed Sheeran, and Ray LaMontagne.
“I love the soundtrack; I’m so thrilled with it,” Green mentioned. “Music changes a story.”
The Fault in Our Stars director Josh Boone gave the musicians advance notice on when their songs would appear in the film, which tells the story of two cancer-stricken teenagers (Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort) who meet at a support group and fall in love.
Grouplove vocalist Hannah Hooper told Entertainment Weekly that they were able to use “the exact scene” from The Fault of Our Stars in which their single, “Let Me In,” would be played.
“Our song is about young love and kind of feeling a rush in time because of this special situation,” Hooper said. “We were asked to write a happier song, but there was just so much sadness in the story and that really inspired us.”
Ed Sheeran said that there’s a moment in The Fault in Our Stars that served as inspiration for his single, “All of the Stars,” but he also wanted to “pair it with my own experience with these sort of things.”
“It’s kind of like if I’m in England and you’re here in America and we both look up at the stars, it’s technically the same sky we’re looking at,” Sheeran added.
“All of Our Stars” will play during the film’s end credits.
Green mentioned that he “didn’t think” Sheeran would do something for The Fault in Our Stars. Now that Sheeran has, Green said he is “psyched” he did.
“I actually didn’t hear the song until I saw the music video along with everyone else on the day it came out, and I was just like, ‘This is beautiful — his voice is so beautiful and the way it breaks in little ways is just so gorgeous,'” Green added. “On top of that, the songwriting is just fantastic.”
Charli XCX’s “Boom Clap” was not written specifically for The Fault in Our Stars, but she feels it’s a good fit for the film, she said.
“I’ve seen the film, and I’ve seen the scene where they played my song in it and I cried and it was very emotional,” she added. “I like it. I love the whole film.”
The one song that Elgort and his co-star, Nat Wolff, say they liked best was M83’s “Wait.” Wolff called the band “amazing” and said he actually suggested to Boone that “Wait” should be used on the soundtrack for The Fault in Our Stars.
“Something about that song resonated with me for the story,” Wolff added.
Boone didn’t tell Wolff if he would use “Wait” for the film. But when Wolff saw The Fault in Our Stars, he heard it.
“So, I guess I must have some kind of hand in that,” he added.
Elgort called the song “very appropriate” for The Fault in Our Stars.
“It’s the one I remember most,” he said. “And it also comes at a very good point in the movie when the Amsterdam trip is done and Gus is about to tell Hazel some very important news.”
The soundtrack for The Fault in Our Stars will release May 19, and the movie opens in theaters on June 6.
[Image via Page to Premiere]