Anna Calvi announces release of original score for ‘Peaky Blinders’
Mercury-nominated artist Anna Calvi has announced the release of her original scores for seasons five and six of the hit TV show Peaky Blinders, due for release on January 26th 2024.
Calvi’s unique guitar styling and ability to make vast, dark soundscapes made her a natural fit for the series. The BBC show Peaky Blinders follows a gang loosely based on one with the same name, active in Birmingham in the early 1900s.
Starring Cillian Murphy as the protagonist Tommy Shelby, the series became increasingly popular and darker with each season. With Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand providing the opening credits music, the show quickly fostered a strong musical legacy.
Back in 2022, Calvi released an EP of songs from the show titled Tommy. Including a cover of the Nick Cave track, a take on a Bob Dylan song and original efforts written for the show.
However, for seasons five and six, Calvi was brought in as the composer and commissioned to make a totally unique score. Talking about the project, Calvi said, “Composing for Peaky Blinders was about atmosphere and space. There’s so much nuance when it comes to scoring to picture. It’s more about what you leave out than what you leave in. I had to let the voice of the actors do the talking but find ways of bringing out the emotion within that.”
Calvi was utterly dedicated to the project and the characters she was creating soundtracks for, adding, “I became completely obsessed with Tommy Shelby, I dreamt about him every night whilst I was working on the scores, I had to really inhabit the show.”
Previously only heard during the series, Calvi is now releasing her original scores. Peaky Blinders: Season 5 & 6 (Original Score) features 37 tracks, including some instrumentals and some new original tracks. The lead single, ‘Black Tuesday’, features Calvi’s signature guitar playing at its best and most recognisable.
For season six, Calvi waded into different musical waters, stating, “For Season 6 I wanted to bring more musicians on board for a fresh take, and I wanted to find a new musical voice for Tommy.” Adding in more piano and sparser, lighter sounds to up the atmosphere, it offers a different version of Calvi.
On the whole project, Calvi added, “What I learnt most from writing for Peaky Blinders is to trust my instincts. I realised I shouldn’t be afraid of simplicity, and I shouldn’t assume that if something happens quickly, that the quality is compromised.”
Listen to ‘Black Tuesday’ below.
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