Birmingham native’s TikTok famous Bridgerton Musical nominated for a Grammy

A never-before-seen concept—a musical soundtrack for a Netflix show made on Tik Tok. Thanks to the musical genius of Birmingham native, Abigail Barlow and her co-writer Emily Bear, this unique masterpiece just secured a Grammy nomination. Find out more about Barlow and how their soundtrack made it to the Grammys.

What is the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical

If you have TikTok or love musicals you’ve probably heard of the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. The unofficial part of the title comes from the fact that although the music is based around the popular Netflix series, Bridgerton, it was not created by Netflix.

No, this musical had a much more interesting start. TikTok was where this soundtrack was born when Mountain Brook singer/songwriter Abigail Barlow teamed up with her friend Emily Bear to create something I never knew I needed so badly—a Bridgerton musical.

The soundtrack consists of 15 original songs based on the plot and characters of the tv show. One of the most notable songs that quickly caught fire on social media is Burn For You.

The style of the music follows a recent trend that we see in shows like Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen, of combining classic theatrical elements with pop music. The result—an incredible collection of songs that has enraptured not only the internet but the theatre Grammy giving gods themselves.

The story of Bridgerton

Bridgerton premiered on Netflix over peak quarantine, and I, like many others, couldn’t get enough of the show. Set in Regency England, it follows the high-society traditions of finding a husband in a time where that was all women were expected to do.

The main focus of the first season is on the romance between innocent Daphne Bridgerton and the infamous Duke. However, the show also challenges the standards of the time with the character Eloise Bridgerton and in the musical, she is given one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack, If I Were A Man.

A little about Barlow & Bear

Abigail Barlow was immediately inspired after watching Bridgerton. The Mountain Brook songwriter had experience in theatre from Red Mountain Theatre Company and knew this would be a concept that would translate perfectly onto the stage. It has all of the drama, romance, new age ideas and creativity of a perfect musical.

All it needed was the music and a voice behind the sound. The show itself already had incorporated modern songs such as Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next by transforming them into instrumental orchestra versions. This helped Barlow make the leap to create a pop musical.

She and co-writer Emily Bear got to work on writing, and as they did, Barlow amassed a huge following on TikTok. I remember hearing the first song they released and instantly following because I couldn’t wait for more. Barlow is now verified on TikTok and has 2.4 million followers.

Becoming a Grammy Nominee

On November 25, 2021, the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album. This is huge for Barlow, 23, and Bear, 20, who have attained recognition for their talents worldwide. You can see the two’s emotional reactions to being nominated on Barlow’s TikTok.

Want to give this award-winning soundtrack a listen? The album is now available on all major music streaming services.

Have you listened to the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical? Let us know by tagging us @bhamnow.