Exclusive Interview
Inside the Music of ‘Off Campus’: Finding Hannah’s Voice, Justin’s Taylor Swift Moment & More
What To Know
- Off Campus showrunner Louisa Levy revealed to Swooon that Ella Bright’s voice was key to shaping Hannah Wells’ musical identity.
- She took us inside After Hours’ sound, brought to life by Josh Heuston.
- Levy revealed the meaning behind Hannah’s showcase song, “Girl That I Am.”
If “Girl That I Am” and the rest of the original music from Off Campus have been playing nonstop in your head since the series premiere, you’re not alone.
While Belmont Cameli, Stephen Kalyn, Antonio Cipriano, and Jalen Thomas Brooks had to train on the ice to get their hockey on as the Briar U Hawks, Ella Bright and Josh Heuston had their own studying to do. As music major Hannah Wells and After Hours lead singer Justin Kohl, Bright and Heuston lent their voices to the original music of Off Campus.
Ahead of the Off Campus premiere, showrunner Louisa Levy took Swooon inside Season 1’s songs, how the cast shaped their characters’ artistic styles, and more.
In The Deal, music is a massive part of Hannah’s character. Going into the audition process, there was no clear vision for Hannah’s voice. “We wanted to find the right Hannah because we wanted [the original songs] to feel organic for that Hannah’s voice.” While Allie (Mika Abdalla) asks Hannah whether she’s more of a Taylor Swift or a Lady Gaga, Hannah’s voice was never meant to fit a mold.
Prime
“We auditioned lots of people with lots of different sounds,” Levy explained, “We didn’t want to make the sound fit the show. We wanted her voice to ring true, and Ella’s does.” When it comes to what Bright’s voice brought to Hannah’s musicianship, Levy revealed, “It really feels so natural and singer-songwritery, which is Hannah in the book, so it did kind of fall into place.”
According to Levy, when they found Bright, they knew she was their Hannah. “Ella just was Hannah. She has an extraordinary voice. I think even she doesn’t know how good it is.” Still, after she was cast, Bright put her heart and soul into becoming a Hannah Wells-level musician. “A large part of her work with Alana, honestly, was developing that sound. We also had a phenomenal coach on set, Michael, who helped her with both guitar and piano.”
While Justin Kohl was a football player in the book, in the adaptation, he’s a bona fide rock star — at least on campus. He’s the lead singer of After Hours, who can be seen in Malone’s playing everything from P!nk’s “U + UR Hand” to Hannah’s almost-showcase song, “Yellow Haze.”
“[After Hours’ sound] was largely developed in conjunction with Josh himself and also our fabulous music team. Alana Da Fonseca, our music producer, spearheaded a lot of that and wrote all of his original songs,” Levy said. According to the showrunner, After Hours originally sang a Taylor Swift song in the pilot. “We have a pop adaptation that he does in the pilot, ‘Into You’ [by Paramore]. We like the idea that his band does covers and also original music, because he obviously becomes a formative part of Hannah’s songwriting journey.” Since they cast Heuston, an Australian actor, they were eager to give Justin an “Aussie rocker vibe.”
Liane Hentscher / Prime
Both the climax of Hannah’s musical journey and the heart of Hannah and Garrett’s reunion, the original song “Girl That I Am” is undoubtedly the anthem of Off Campus Season 1. Levy revealed, “We loved the idea that Hannah played multiple instruments; she just naturally picks up things. I love that she plays piano and guitar, and then builds this song that’s looping, because it all feeds into this idea: She didn’t need a band.”
Behind the scenes, Levy revealed that “[‘Girl That I Am’] was touched by so many different hands and so many different voices. Amy [Allen] and Ethan [Gruska] wrote it for us, and Alana Da Fonseca did the arrangement.”
While Hannah ends up with Garrett, “Girl That I Am” proves she never needed anyone else to feel whole. “She didn’t need anyone else,” Levy explained. “It’s all the pieces and layers of her that she puts together into this one piece. I think it showcases Hannah’s journey so beautifully.”
Let us know your favorite original song from Off Campus below!
Off Campus, Season 1, Streaming Now, Prime Video
