Hazbin Hotel Songwriters Break Down Season 2 Showstopper 'Vox Populi'
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Hazbin Hotel songwriters Sam Haft and Andrew Underberg spoke with Polygon about crafting season 2's pivotal song "Vox Populi," detailing how stars Jeremy Jordan and Christian Borle shaped the track through ad-libs and vocal performances.
As Hazbin Hotel continues to dominate discussions across streaming and creator spaces, the music behind Prime Video's hit animated series remains a massive part of its cultural footprint. In a recent interview with Polygon, songwriters Sam Haft and Andrew Underberg pulled back the curtain on crafting season 2's standout musical showdown, episode five's "Vox Populi." The track features a high stakes confrontation between demon overlord Vox, played by Christian Borle, and Lucifer Morningstar, played by Jeremy Jordan, where a tense political rally transforms into a musical clash of personalities.
Writing for a returning cast allowed the creative duo to lean directly into the unique strengths of their lead performers. According to Haft, getting to know the actors personally between seasons changed how they approached the material. While Jordan is renowned as a Broadway leading man, Haft noted that he is a rock star at heart, bringing plenty of self directed ad-libs and rock flourishes to the recording booth. Both Jordan and Borle are known for constantly changing up their delivery across different takes, giving the composers plenty of dynamic options to work with during production.
Structurally, "Vox Populi" functions almost like two distinct songs stitched together, capturing the shifting power dynamics between the characters. Haft also pointed out that music serves as the ultimate persuasion tool within the literal confines of Hell. Characters use songs to bypass listener skepticism, getting crowds to tap along and buy into a message before they even realize what they are supporting. You can read the full breakdown over at Polygon.
Tags: Hazbin Hotel, Streaming, Animation, Prime Video, Music
Original article: Polygon