When the Netflix original show Bridgerton aired on December 25th, 2020, it immediately caused a frenzy amongst viewers. The show gained the title of Netflix’s most popular show, and with good reason. This 18th century drama follows the lives of the Bridgerton family as they try to find their way through the season and their way through romance. It became one of the main topics of conversation on many social media platforms, especially Tik Tok. Users of this app began to even bring back corsets as a fashion statement, and eventually, someone had the great idea to turn the show into a musical.
This idea can be credited to 22-year-old creator and musician Abigail Barlow, who also partnered with 19-year-old composer Emily Bear to create a variety of songs for the possible Bridgerton the Musical. It all began when Barlow decided to post a snippet of the song “Ocean’s Away” on Tik Tok, which was inspired by the line “You have no idea what it’s like to be in a room with someone you can’t live without, and feel like they’re oceans away from you” from the actual series. The video went viral and received a rapidly supportive response from viewers – everyone wanted more.
Barlow followed it with the song “Burn for You” – my personal favorite – and it now has 4.7 million views with hundreds of duets and collaborations that other Tik Tok creators have added. Users began commenting ideas for future songs and many were included in the brainstorming process, given that Barlow incorporated a lot of the ideas commented in the following songs. Soon, she partnered with Bear and the whole ordeal grew even further. The two creators began to share their song-writing process on Tik Tok and Instagram live, making sure to take in feedback and continue to form a bond with their audience.
