The Sam Sanders Show How Did K-Pop Make Hollywood History?
Mar 17, 2026
Mark Sonnenblick, songwriter and musician who co-wrote the Oscar-winning K-pop anthem "Golden," talks about the song's rise and surprising popularity. He explains why the vocal bridge is so challenging. They explore how a powerful high note serves the film's story and how pop form meets theatrical complexity in animated musical storytelling.
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Winning An Oscar After A Cut Speech
- Mark Sonnenblick describes being part of the songwriting team for Golden and how winning the Oscar felt despite the interrupted stage moment.
- He spoke backstage about the film's themes and relived the experience of creating the song with directors Maggie and Chris and collaborators like EJ.
Song Crafted As Storytelling And Pop Anthem
- Golden was written to serve both as a pop anthem and a deep storytelling device embedded in the film's narrative.
- Mark notes the song's breakthrough came from fans and word-of-mouth, not just charts, because it resonated with the story and characters.
Extreme Vocal Range Is A Narrative Device
- The signature high phrase in Golden is intentionally extreme: an octave jump spanning over two octaves and a fifth to match Rumi's superpower.
- EJ sings part of it an octave lower then soars, making the feat dramatic and narratively meaningful.