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Charli XCX Collaborator Sees Wuthering Heights Soundtrack as Ideal New Direction

According to Finn Keane, creating the soundtrack was a distinctly unique experience, differing from the style of the pop star’s Brat summer era.

Following a successful collaboration with Charli XCX on her most popular songs, a songwriter has revealed that working on the Wuthering Heights soundtrack was a natural transition after the Brat summer phenomenon.

A close-up photo of Finn Keane and Charli XCX stood next to each other on a red carpet. There is a white wall behind them and Finn's head is blocking the word Heights from a Wuthering Heights logo. Finn is wearing a white shirt with a dark navy jacket unbuttoned and is staring directly at the camera. Charli has her long black hair down and is wearing a gold dress.
Finn Keane worked closely with Charli XCX on the movie's soundtrack

Finn Keane, who has worked with Charli XCX on numerous projects and won a Grammy for producing her hit song Von Dutch, brought his expertise to the soundtrack.

The Brat album, which included electro and dance-inspired tracks, sparked a cultural phenomenon in 2024, characterized by its lime green aesthetic.

Charli XCX announced the end of the Brat summer in September 2024, and it has since been revealed that she was already exploring new creative avenues at the time.

According to Keane, both he and Charli XCX were drawn to the script for Emerald Fennell's adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel, and this marked the beginning of their collaboration on the soundtrack.

In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, Keane explained that the darker themes of Wuthering Heights provided a suitable contrast to their previous work on Brat.

Keane stated that they were eager to venture into a different musical genre, moving away from dance music.

Charli XCX's artistic approach often involves exploring extremes, and Keane believed that working on the Wuthering Heights soundtrack would be an exciting departure from her previous work.

The opportunity to create something unexpected and surprising was a key motivator for Keane and Charli XCX as they embarked on this new project.

The soundtrack's development began while Charli XCX was touring her Brat remix album, with Keane and Charli XCX working on the music during their downtime.

Initially, the plan was to create a single song for the soundtrack, but Charli XCX's enthusiasm led to the decision to produce an entire album.

Keane recalled that Charli XCX was inspired by the project and wanted to fully immerse herself in the creative process.

The duo would often work on the soundtrack in hotel rooms or studios during their breaks from touring, making the most of their limited time.

Keane's collaboration with Charli XCX on the Barbie soundtrack, Speed Drive, was a different experience from working on Wuthering Heights, which had a distinct brief and required a unique approach.

Three separate images of Jacob Elordi, Margot Robbie and Charli XCX from the premiere of Wuthering Heights. Jacob Elordi is wearing a designer grey/ green suit. Margot Robbie is wearing a  sheer  light pink corseted dress with gold embellishments.  And Charlie XCX wears a pink chiffon gown which covers her face
"Sorry, I can barely see you," Charli XCX told reporters at the film's UK premiere

To achieve the desired gothic atmosphere, Keane incorporated orchestral elements, recording at Abbey Road Studios.

Keane even played an instrument himself, despite being inexperienced, to add a raw, unpolished feel to the music.

He revealed that his amateur violin playing is featured on the soundtrack, intentionally creating "horrible, scratchy sounds" to enhance the overall aesthetic.

Keane's unrefined playing style was a deliberate choice, adding a layer of authenticity to the music.

When listening to the soundtrack, the distinctive, raspy sounds can be attributed to Keane's contributions, rather than the professional musicians involved in the project.

At the film's UK premiere, Charli XCX mentioned being inspired by artists such as The Cure and Kate Bush, who famously released a song titled Wuthering Heights in the 1970s.

Keane shared that they also drew inspiration from John Cale, an 83-year-old Welsh musician who features on the soundtrack's first single, House.

Keane described the experience of collaborating with John Cale as surreal, receiving a spoken-word poem from the legendary musician was a highlight of the project.

The Wuthering Heights soundtrack, which Charli XCX teased on Instagram in January, features 12 tracks, including a collaboration with Sky Ferreira.

Finn Keane at the 67th GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony held at the Peacock Theater on February 2, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Finn Keane picked up a Grammy in 2025 for his work on Charli's Von Dutch

For Keane, working on the soundtrack was a vastly different experience from creating the Brat album, which was characterized by Charli XCX's unwavering vision.

The goal was to create a soundtrack that would not only stand as a strong collection of songs but also perfectly complement the film, evoking a range of emotions.

Keane aimed to strike a balance between crafting songs that would resonate with listeners and creating a score that would seamlessly integrate with the movie.

Keane expressed his excitement for the film's release, describing it as "visually stunning" and "darkly beautiful".

He hopes that the music, combined with the film's narrative, will deeply move audiences and showcase a new facet of Charli XCX's artistry.

Keane believes that the soundtrack will demonstrate Charli XCX's versatility and ability to create diverse music, from the Brat album to the Wuthering Heights score.

The film's gothic and raunchy themes have been widely publicized, and Keane advises viewers to experience it in a cinema, preferably without their parents.

For those planning to watch the film, Keane suggests attending a screening with a date, rather than family members.

He recommends watching the film in a cinema, but warns that it may not be suitable for all audiences.

The Wuthering Heights film and Charli XCX's soundtrack are set to be released in UK cinemas on 13 February.

Newsbeat can be listened to live at 12:45 and 17:45 on weekdays, or accessed on demand.

A footer logo for BBC Newsbeat. It has the BBC logo and the word Newsbeat in white over a colorful background of violet, purple and orange shapes. At the bottom a black square reading "Listen on Sounds" is visible.
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Entertainment And Arts

Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign

The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.

A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.

James Van Der Beek wearing a maroon dickie bow while smiling for the cameras on arrival at the 2019 Emmy Awards
James Van Der Beek's character Dawson was a famous fan of filmmaker Spielberg

Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.

Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.

A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.

The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.

It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.

Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.

Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.

At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.

In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.

Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.

Steven Spielberg arrives for the 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA, 10 February 2026
Spielberg made a surprise video appearance at last year's Dawson's Creek reunion

He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.

The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.

The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.

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Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance

Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.

In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.

The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.

Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.

Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.

The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.

A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.

After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.

With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.

The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.

Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.

Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.

In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.

A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.

Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.

However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.

A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.

Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.

There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.

For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.

A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.

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FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008

As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.

This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.

Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.

However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.

Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?

For more quizzes, visit our Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes sections, where you can also subscribe to receive the latest quizzes directly on your device.

We have a quiz question tailored to each Premier League team – test your knowledge and see how you score.

Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?

Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?

Explore our Sports Quizzes page for a wide range of challenging and engaging quizzes.

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