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Shondaland and Netflix’s Bridgerton has become synonymous with lively, romantic string covers of pop songs: Celeste’s “Strange” from Season 1, Bollywood hit “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” from Season 2, and Beyoncé’s “Halo” from spin-off Queen Charlotte, for instance.
For Bridgerton‘s third season, new showrunner Jess Brownell takes over from Chris Van Dusen but continues the show’s allegiance to matchmaking its Regency characters’ capers with modern pop moments. Having led the music on Seasons 1 and 2, Kris Bowers returns, with music supervisor Justin Kamps ensuring the ballrooms and carriages of the Ton are filled with covers of BTS, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and… Pitbull? It happens. Of course, many of the songs are by Bridgerton stalwarts Vitamin String Quartet.
Here’s every song in Bridgerton Season 3, and which episode we heard it in. And reader beware, spoilers abound.
“abcdefu” by GAYLE (episode 1)
At Lady Danbury’s Four Seasons Ball, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) debuts a verdant new palette to distance herself from her citrus-clad family. She’s also reeling from Bridgerton drama: her fallout with Eloise and scorning by her crush, Colin. As she enters the room drawing every single eye, a Vitula cover of GAYLE’s 2021 banger “abcdefu” plays. Though the instrumental version doesn’t include the song’s not-quite-Regency lyrics — “Fuck you and your mom and your sister and your job” — we know Pen’s got these words rampaging through her head.
“Dynamite” by BTS (episode 2)
The K-pop superstars’ 2020 megahit plays during the ball in the second episode, as Eloise tells owl jokes to a group of ladies and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) dances with Miss Stowell. It’s super short and kind of random, but we love to hear it covered by Vitamin String Quartet.
“Jealous” by Nick Jonas (episode 2)
During the same ball, when Colin insists Penelope must try out her charm skills on one of the lords in attendance, she strikes gold with Whistledown fan Lord Remington. Colin can’t help himself and watches the exchange as a Vitamin String Quartet cover of Nick Jonas’ 2014 ode to envy makes it pretty obvious to the viewer what’s going on in this Bridgerton’s head. J’accuse!
“Cheap Thrills” by Sia (episode 3)
A Vitamin String Quartet cover of Sia’s 2015 party anthem plays as Eloise and Colin arrive to this episode’s ball. It’s not that deep.
“Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish (episode 3)
YOU MADE ME HAAAATE THIS CIIIIITYYYYY. The perfect song for the perfect moment in the Ton. During a ball later in the episode, after Colin is about to finally ask Pen “a question”, he’s interrupted by Lord Debling (Sam Phillips), who leads her away. The Ton ain’t big enough for these two friend-zoned lovers, and though technically Pen has talked shit about Colin on the Ton internet, she has waited long enough for her love to do something while Dreamy Debling’s right there. So this Billie Eilish cover from Vitamin String Quartet can eat me up and spit me out. Don’t waste the time I don’t have.
“Snow on the Beach” by Taylor Swift feat. Lana Del Rey (episode 4)
Taylor Swift covers in Regency series can stay. Bridgerton’s already featured “Wildest Dreams” in one of the best covers of Season 1. And in Season 3, episode 4, Swift’s Midnights dream pop duet with Lana Del Rey, covered by Atwood Quartet, simmers as Penelope and Debling dance together and speak covertly of marriage — then Colin turns up in a grand romantic gesture that throws everyone. Swift herself says, “The song is about falling in love with someone at the same time as they’re falling in love with you, in this cataclysmic, fated moment where you realize someone feels exactly the same way that you feel.” Weird, but fuckin’ beautiful.
“Give Me Everything” by Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Nayer (episode 4)
OK, so this one’s a Decision — and it works. Pitbull’s major club rollick through hedonism and one-night-only indulgence matches the pure desire steaming up the carriage holding Penelope and Colin post-ball in episode 4. They might not get tomorrow, so…
“POV” by Arianda Grande (episode 5)
During the simmering mirror sex scene between Penelope and Colin in episode 5, a cover of Ariana Grande’s “POV” by Strings from Paris plays. It’s a strong choice, with Grande’s deeply romantic song all about wanting someone to “see me from your point of view”.
“Thunder” by Imagine Dragons (episode 6)
When Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli), the quietest pair in the Ton, announce their engagement to the family in episode 6, Thomas Mercier’s cover of Imagine Dragons’ “Thunder” plays — a song about not conforming and finding your own way.
“Confident” by Demi Lovato (episode 6)
When Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) shows up uninvited to the Mondrich’s ball in episode 6, having claimed the identity of Lady Whistledown for her own, she arrives in style. The Ton’s resident Mean Girl struts in with her mother and her head held high, needing to impress the Queen or GTFO. So, Demi Lovato’s anthem of self-confidence, covered by Archer Marsh, booms as Cressida dominates the ballroom in red. What’s wrong with being confident?
“Yellow” by Coldplay (episode 7)
Look, it’s a bit of a cheesy choice, but you can’t doubt the power of Coldplay’s toweringly popular love song “Yellow” at Penelope and Colin’s wedding ceremony, covered by Vitamin String Quartet. The song’s played at infinite wedding ceremonies the world over since it was released in 2000, so it’s a obvious one but a classic.
“You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift (episode 7)
No one in the Ton was is wearing short skirts or T-shirts, but Taylor Swift’s singalong pop plea about unrequited love and being on the bleachers feels like a pretty fitting moment for Colin and Penelope’s first dance at their wedding breakfast reception. It’s been a long road, people! Covered by Duomo, it’s the second Swift cover this season, after episode 4’s “Snow on the Beach.”
“Lights (Stripped Down)” by Ellie Goulding (episode 8)
At the beginning of the finale’s glittering, chandelier-adorned Dankworth-Finch ball, held by Featherington sisters Prudence (Bessie Carter) and Philippa (Harriet Cains), Archer Marsh’s cover of Ellie Goulding’s “Lights” plays. The real song’s lyrics “the queen has been overthrown” are an interesting undercurrent here, as the ball will set the scene for Queen Charlotte’s (Golda Rosheuvel) unmasking of the real Lady Whistledown.
“All I Want” by Tori Kelly (episode 8)
This one’s an original! Bridgerton’s first ever original song, “All I Want” was performed live by Tori Kelly at the Bridgerton fan wedding between Tiffany Rae and Shanti Hinton, and gets an orchestral version from composer Kris Bowers in episode 8.
How to watch: Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix.
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In Season 3, Shondaland and Netflix’s “Bridgerton” fills its ballrooms with the likes of BTS, Taylor Swift and… Pitbull?
