The OrchardSara Bareilles joins rapper/actor Common on a new duet for the indie film All About Nina, which hits theaters Friday.
The jazzy, piano-driven song called “The Train” – co-written by Common and Samora Pinderhughes — is about finding the strength to move forward through life’s struggles. It mirrors what the film’s main character, Nina, a comedian dealing with past abuse, is going through.
Common, who co-stars in the film as Nina’s boyfriend Rafe, tells Billboard he asked Sara to perform on the song with him and she immediately called back and said yes.
“When she came in, you could feel the joy she felt in doing the song and she really just wanted to light it up and make it be as powerful and beautiful as possible,” he says. “I really enjoyed that experience with her.”
Common says the song was not only inspired by Nina, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, but by female survivors in general. “The Train” will play over the movie’s closing credits.
By the way, Common’s track record when it comes to writing songs for movies is pretty good: He and John Legend won an Oscar for co-writing “Glory,” from the movie Selma.
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