Rita Wilson And Sebastián Yatra Join Forces On Theme From ‘A Man Called Otto’
Wilson co-wrote the song with Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated songwriter and producer David Hodges.
Much-admired singer-songwriters Rita Wilson and Sebastián Yatra have joined forces on the new song “Til You’re Home,” newly released by Decca Records. It’s the theme from the highly-anticipated Sony Pictures film A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks, which opens in select theaters in Los Angeles and New York on December 25 and nationwide across the US on January 13, 2023.
Wilson co-wrote “Til You’re Home” with Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated songwriter and producer David Hodges (Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood); she co-produced it with the Grammy-winning Matt Rollings, whose credits include Willie Nelson and Keith Urban. Variety has already observed that Wilson “will enter the awards conversation for best original song,” and that the track is “already off to a good start” with its nomination for Best Song In A Film (Independent) at the 2022 Hollywood in Music Media Awards.
The song is a first-time collaboration between Wilson and the Grammy-nominated Yatra, with their poignant vocals set against piano and strings that capture the film’s themes of love and loss. Says Rita: “Marc Forster, the director of A Man Called Otto, asked me to write a song for the movie. He was familiar with my music and felt that I should also sing the song. I was very humbled and grateful for the opportunity but also made him promise to be honest with me if he didn’t want to use the song.
“As the producer of the film, my first allegiance is to the film and to the director’s vision,” she goes on. “David Hodges and I had written together before and have always been like-minded musically and lyrically. A lot of the inspiration began with David Magee’s script. This is a movie about love, the depths of love and how love continues even after a person leaves this earth. There are two LatinX characters in the film – I wanted to find a way to bring them into the song. I envisioned it as a duet…I have loved Sebastián Yatra’s voice since hearing him in Encanto and he felt like the perfect person to do it. We were incredibly lucky he said yes and all the planets aligned.”
Notes Hodges: “It’s always special to be a part of writing for a film, and especially one as beautiful as A Man Called Otto. When Rita and I started to collaborate for it, each word and melody of ‘Til You’re Home’ seemed to be waiting for us like little steps on a path to what the story needed. I’m so excited to finally share one of my favorite songs I’ve ever been a part of writing.”
Yatra, who was a big winner at both this year’s Latin Grammys and American Music Awards, and has nominations for the upcoming Grammy and People’s Choice Awards, said: “I am extremely honored by Rita Wilson’s invitation to join her on ‘Til You’re Home’ for the A Man Called Otto soundtrack. The story behind the film is heartwarming and moving and I was inspired to convey that emotion in this song. Overall, this project has been very inspiring and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
The film, directed by Marc Forster (Finding Neverland), is based on Swedish writer Fredrik Backman’s 2012 novel and New York Times No.1 bestseller A Man Called Ove. It tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), who no longer sees purpose in his life following the loss of his wife. Otto is ready to end it all, but when a young family moves in next door, he meets the quick-witted Marisol, whjo challenges him to view life differently. The original score soundtrack by composer Thomas Newman, featuring “Til You’re Home,” will be released by Decca on December 30.
