WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Emilia Pérez.
Music plays such a crucial and creative role in Netflix’s crime musicalEmilia Pérez. As much of the story is told through various styles of genres of music performed by the cast ofEmilia Pérez,the original songs become an essential part and driving force of the overall narrative. Directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard (Rust and Bone,The Sisters Brothers), the genre-blending film delivers innovative music numbers and choreography infused with a gut-wrenching story about unfulfilled desire and regret. Many of the original songs on Emilia Pérez’s soundtrack were written and performed by the French singer Camille.
Emilia Pérezis a loose adaptation of the 2018 novelÉcouteby Boris Razon. The story follows Saldaña’s Rita Moro Castro, a defense lawyer in Mexico City looking to make a difference, who encounters an unusual but lucrative opportunity from cartel kingpin Manitas Del Monte as he aims to fulfill his lifetime dream of transitioning to a woman.Emilia Pérez’smostly favorable reviewshave made it an early contender for Best Picture and has also generated Best Actress Oscar buzz for Gascón and Best Supporting Actress for Saldaña.The official soundtrack is also a top contender for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
Emilia Pérezis now streaming exclusively on Netflix.
All Songs In Emilia Pérez: Order & Meaning
“Subiendo (Part 1)” by Camille, Clément Ducol & Mexican Choir: This ethereal, atmospheric song plays at the very beginning ofEmilia Pérezand is featured throughout the film in various parts, often during transition scenes over landscape establishing shots.
“El Alegato” by Zoe Saldaña: This is the first musical number performed in the film and occurs around the 5-minute mark. Zoe Saldaña’s Rita sings about the case she is working on as a defense attorney which requires her to prove the innocence of a man she believes to be guilty of murdering his wife, Gabriel Mendoza. It demonstrates how Rita cares for a more noble judicial process and how so many acts of violence can go without consequences, partly because she is so good at her job.
“Todo y Nada” by Zoe Saldaña: Rita sings this song as she gets a mysterious call from Manitas in a bathroom stall around the 11:30 minute mark inEmila Pérez. She is accompanied by a background group of female custodians. She contemplates whether she will follow the caller’s ominous instructions to meet up and also takes a look at the bleak trajectory of her life if she chooses not to answer this knock of opportunity.
“El Encuentro” by Karla Sofía Gascón: Manitas whisper-raps this short song as he makes his offer to Rita in a single breath around the 17-minute mark. He makes it clear that once Rita accepts his offer there will be no going back.
“La Vaginoplastia” byZoe Saldaña: Around the 20:30 minute mark, Rita sings this memorable song in Bangkok, Thailand as she inquires about the various procedures Manitas needs to undergo to transition into a woman. She learns about the several required surgeries and prices so she can report back to Manitas.
“Lady” by Zoe Saldaña & Mark Ivanir: Around the 25-minute mark, Rita sings this duet with Mark Ivanir’s Dr. Wasserman as she convinces him to take on Manitas’s various operations to become Emilia Pérez. The doctor wants to ensure that Manitas is doing this for the right reasons, while Rita states her case about the importance of changing the “soul” to change “society.”
“Deseo” by Camille & Karla Sofía Gascón: Manitas sings this song as he expresses his desire to be “her” around the 34-minute mark. It is essentially Manitas’s swan song as he says goodbye to his old life and his family.
“Swing Supreme” by Robbie Williams: This 2013 song by English singer Robbie Williams plays around the 42-minute mark as the film advances four years into the future when Rita reencounters Emilia in London.
“Por Casualidad” by Camille, Karla Sofía Gascón & Zoe Saldaña: This song plays around the 45-minute mark as Emilia explains to Rita why she has sought her out again. She explains they have not met by chance as she wants Rita to help reunite her with her children in Mexico.
“Bienvenida” by Selena Gomez: Selena Gomez’s first of two original songs inEmilia Pérezarrives around the 52-minute mark. Her character, Jessi, sings and dances in her new bedroom at Emilia’s house after moving back to Mexico with her children. Jessi expresses how she’s unhappy living back in Mexico with Manitas’s cousin Emilia and feels trapped by her spoils. She describes the various luxuries offered to her there as methods to keep her happy and still.
“Mis Siete Hermanas y Yo” by Xiomara Ahumada Quito: This song appears around the 56-minute mark as a woman hands out fliers for her missing son. This inspires Emilia to dedicate her life to finding missing persons with Rita’s help.
“Papá” by Juan Pablo Monterrubio & Karla Sofía Gascón: This song plays roughly 1-hour intoEmilia Pérezas Emilia’s son sings about how he misses his father Manitas. He also notes how his Auntie Emilia reminds him of his dad, particularly in the way she smells.
“Para” by Aitza Terán, Iván Ruiz de Velasco & Mexican Choir: This song plays around the 1-hour, 7-minute mark as dozens of people volunteer to help find missing persons through Emilia’s foundation, La Lucecita. A couple of volunteers explain why they are dedicating their time to finding the more than 10,000 missing persons in the area, saying that they wish to allow others to mourn for the dead and to do good for society in the face of evil.
“Amor a Primera Vista” by Belinda, Lalo, and Los Ángeles Azules: This song plays around the 1-hour, 10-minute song as Gustavo, Jessi’s lover, is introduced. Jessi is shown being driven in his car and appears to be deeply in love with Gustavo as he smiles and drives.
“El Mal” by Camille, Zoe Saldaña & Karla Sofía Gascón: This song plays around the 1-hour, 17-minute mark as Emilia gives a speech at a fundraising event for La Lucecita in front of a crowd of corrupt politicians, judges, and public figures. Rita’s lyrics and choreography expose the various crimes of these wealthy and powerful people and the hypocrisy of asking them for money for their good cause.
“El Amor” by Camille, Karla Sofía Gascón & Adriana Paz: This song plays around the 1-hour, 27-minute mark as Emilia describes what it’s like loving a split life filled with secrecy. Internally, she feels more like her true self than ever before but to the world, she is only half-discovered to everyone except Rita.
“Mi Camino” by Selena Gomez: This original song by Selena Gomez and written by Camille and Clément Ducol is performed around the 1-hour, 33-minute mark. The song is most likely to compete for the Best Original Song Oscar in 2025, as it represents the main themes of love and identity of all three main characters in the film.
“El Trio” by Karla Sofía Gascón & Zoe Saldaña: This song appears around the 1-hour, 33-minute mark in Emilia Pérez. Rita fields calls from both Jessi and Emilia as they make demands about their money and children. Rita tries to mitigate the situation but Jessi and Emilia are at fierce odds with each other.
“Perdóname” by Camille & Karla Sofía Gascón: Emilia sings this confessional ballad to Jessi during the climax of the film around the 1-hour, 55-minute mark. During a shootout intended to exchange Emilia for millions of dollars, Emilia tells Jessi that she was formerly her husband, Manitas, which completely upends Jessi’s world.
“Las Dama que Pasan” by Adriana Paz & Mexican Choir: This song plays at the end ofEmilia Pérezaround the 2-hour mark as swarms of people walk the streets to remember the life and legacy of Emilia after her death. Emilia is worshipped and remembered as a saintlike figure.
Where To Listen To Emilia Pérez’s Soundtrack
The complete officialEmilia Pérezsoundtrack is available to stream on Apple Music and Spotify. Each song is also available for free on YouTube. The complete soundtrack has a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes and contains every original song from the film, including Selena Gomez’s two new tracks. TheEmilia Pérezsoundtrack also features alternate versions of some of the songs that were not featured in the film and the entirety of its original score as well by Clément Ducol and Camille.
Emilia Perez
Cast
Emilia Perez is a drama film that follows the life of Emilia Perez, a determined and ambitious individual striving to make a name for herself in a competitive environment. The story explores her journey as she navigates the challenges and obstacles that come her way, all while uncovering the complexities of her own identity.
