Movies News Talk
Well-known performers and singers abound in the musical film The Greatest Showman. Hugh Jackman's P.T. Barnum is told in the film, but Loren Allred's amazing vocals really bring the song "Never Enough" life. Rebecca Ferguson plays opera singer Jenny Lind, hence she performs the song on screen.
Ferguson elected not to sing "Never Enough" herself despite her musical experience. Ferguson had musical instruction but was worried about the quality of her voice for the song even though she is not a professional singer. She finally chose to give the character of Jenny Lind her voice from professional vocalist Allred.
Loren Allred sings since she was a young child and hails from a musical household. 2012 saw her compete on The Voice, where Adam Levine encouraged her to highlight her amazing vocal range and power. Following several demos, the musical pair Benji Pasek and Justin Paul selected her to contribute the vocals for "Never Enough." Her strong vocals grabbed listeners all over, so the song became an international hit. Allred's Billboard debut came with the platinum soundtrack for The Greatest Showman topping the Billboard albums chart.
Following her hit with "Never Enough," Allred kept working on her singing career. She sang on the well-known British talent program, Britain's Got Talent, in 2022 and provided vocals for various TV shows including A Capitol Fourth, PBS 4th of July anniversary broadcast, and 2018 Oscars. She also sung in the ensemble choir for the 2021 film Dear Evan Hansen.
Though not a skilled singer, Rebecca Ferguson, portraying Jenny Lind, is a gifted actress. She said she was not confident enough in her vocal ability to do the performance, hence she decided not to sing the song "Never Enough" in the movie. Ferguson has freely shared her choice, noting that she would have been ashamed if her vocals hadn't been up to pace. Her compliments on Allred's ability—which she described as "a wonderful match—a reflection of their mutual regard.
In Musical Movies, Ferguson's choice to have Allred sing "Never Enough" is somewhat standard. When actors lack the confidence or ability to sing live, many choose to have professional vocalists supply their voice files. It's evidence of the need of discovering the appropriate voice for the appropriate music, even if it means choosing a different vocalist than the actor that shows on screen.
The Greatest Showman is not unusual in using professional singers. Many Musical Films feature professional vocalists for performers who do not have the vocal range needed for their parts. This technique is particularly prevalent in movies with performers who are not well-known for their vocals or who are portraying characters requiring highly particular vocal styles.
Ferguson's co-star Zac Efron sang for his part in The Greatest Showman; he did not sing for his breakthrough performance in High School Musical. Despite his own singing career, Jamie Foxx lipsynced to vintage recordings of Ray Charles for the biopic Ray, a similar technique applied in La Vie en Rose for Marion Cotillard playing Édith Piaf and in Bohemian Rhapsody for Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. These decisions show the difficulty of distilling the core of a live performance and juggling acting with singing ability. Professional singers help to improve the musical experience and highlight the actual spectrum of ability in the movie business, so giving viewers an amazing and unforgettable musical trip.