Tune-Yards Joins Forces with Boots Riley for I’m A Virgo: A Creative Collaboration Like No Other

Summary

"I'm A Virgo" is a surreal comedy series by Boots Riley, known for his film "Sorry to Bother You," featuring a 13-foot-tall Black man named Cootie.

The series has been a successful blend of social commentary, heart, and humor for Riley, receiving both creative and critical acclaim.

Riley collaborated with Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner from the indie band Tune-Yards to produce experimental and powerful music that harmoniously complements the avant-garde essence of the series.

I'm A Virgo, a surreal comedy series created by Boots Riley, the musician, activist, and filmmaker known for the 2018 film Sorry to Bother You, tells the story of Cootie, a 13-foot-tall young Black man who emerges from a lifetime of seclusion to face the real world. Packed with social commentary, heart, and humor, the series is another triumph for Riley, showcasing his unique creativity and critical insight. To ensure the full impact of the series' wild moments and emotional highs, Boots Riley enlisted the help of Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, the duo behind the popular indie band Tune-Yards. Having previously collaborated on the score for Sorry to Bother You, Garbus and Brenner once again deliver a fittingly experimental and impactful sonic experience, perfectly complementing Riley's avant-garde filmmaking style.

Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner discussed their experience scoring their inaugural series and their collaboration with Boots Riley in an interview with Screen Rant. Notably, this discussion took place amidst the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, highlighting the indispensable contributions of writers and actors from both unions in the creation of the featured show.

Tune-Yards on I’m A Virgo

Screen Rant: I adored Sorry to Bother You and learned that it was your inaugural film score. Could you elaborate on the major differences you encountered when transitioning from working on a film to a series?

Nate Brenner: It felt as if we were working on a series that consisted of seven films, even though the total runtime was only about three and a half hours. When watching the series, it now feels like a lengthy film, but during our work on it, it felt like scoring seven distinct films. Initially, when [Boots Riley] approached us a while back, he mentioned that there would be 10 hour-long episodes, each with completely different music, and the plan was to release ten vinyl albums for the show. We knew going in that we would need to write a significant amount of music.

Merrill Garbus: The production for the TV series had a lot of elements that differed greatly from Sorry to Bother You, which was a very independent production. Throughout the process, it always felt like there was a possibility that the movie wouldn't even get made, so we just kept exploring and experimenting creatively. It's amazing that it was ultimately picked up.

This series was funded by Amazon, and we were well aware that the deadlines would be approaching. We initially took our time to think about when we would start writing music. We made preparations and wrote a considerable number of demos in the early stages of the process. However, when the time came, it was suddenly urgent. We had to deliver episode one by tomorrow and episode two by next week. Once it began, we worked tirelessly, even with a new baby. We asked the babysitter to help us out more often. We worked late into the night after putting the child to sleep. It turned into an intense, rapid, and exhilarating composing experience.

It seems that you began writing based on the scripts, without having seen any footage.

Regarding the actual show, how much emphasis do you place on aligning with frames and cuts? Do you modify your demos or make alterations to ensure a more precise synchronization?

Merrill Garbus: Yes, we had to take care of everything ourselves. The music editor, Michael Brake, was very helpful in ensuring we met certain requirements. We did our best to hit those points, but it often felt like predicting the future; guessing if a particular tempo would work.

It's evident that Boots and yourself have distinct visions, which is reflected in your music. Given how closely you worked together, did you encounter any conflicts? Were there instances where you had particular ideas that required discussions with Boots?

Merrill Garbus: As the band leader and someone with strong opinions within Tune-Yards, I mostly deferred to him. In Sorry to Bother You, I learned to let go of my own preferences. From the beginning, we discussed how TV shows like Succession or White Lotus often focus on one theme and build upon it throughout the series. We suggested that approach to Boots, but he had a different vision. He wanted a variety of sounds and styles throughout the show.

At this point, we trust him completely. His vision is unique and he is determined to challenge conventions. Perhaps he doesn't pay attention to the rules and simply follows his own desires.

The range of what you have accomplished in this is vast. For instance, there is a cue called "Lipsmack" that I adore, and then there is another called "This is Where I Turn Into an Idea", and they are completely different. Were you intentional about maintaining consistency with the instrumentation to ensure a unified sound?

I believe we were initially very focused on it, but then it almost seemed like he desired the opposite, wanting it to be purely creative. Sometimes, a saxophone would come in even though there was no saxophone present, and it was surprisingly helpful for me. It allowed me to break free from the initial rigidity and worry about adhering strictly to specific sound palettes. It feels like he believes anything is possible. After that, I began to recognize that it is more about embracing creativity rather than adhering to self-imposed rules.

Merrill Garbus stated that he believed the director had confidence in the fact that the score was composed by Tune-Yards, serving as a consistent element throughout. Rather than excluding vocals and keeping it purely instrumental, the director insisted on incorporating vocals, trusting that it would contribute to the overall cohesiveness of the project. To illustrate, Garbus mentions the music for Parking Tickets, which possesses a distinct, unpredictable quality reminiscent of other animated shows. Were there any other scores or references, whether in the specific Parking Tickets segments or in the entirety of the show, that inspired or influenced your work?

Nate Brenner: Scott Walker stands out among the many people we worked with, as his name came up multiple times for various scores. Working with Boots is particularly enjoyable and exhilarating because he constantly introduces us to different types of music. He shares videos from YouTube or sends us text messages saying, "Listen to this track! Check out this track." It's as if we were always being exposed to new music that was completely unfamiliar to us.

Merrill Garbus: This even includes film soundtracks. I had never been exposed to Scott Walker's work until then – he also happened to be on 4AD, just like us – as he had a career as a recording artist and later scored films. The music in the "Rosemary's Baby" episode of "Parking Tickets" felt closely connected to "The Childhood of a Leader."

In general, our aim for all the Parking Tickets episodes was to create the impression that a highly trained composer had been hired, rather than our indie band scoring it. We dedicated a significant amount of effort to these episodes.

Is there a certain cue from the soundtrack that stands out to you, and does it align with your favorite moment from the show?

Merrill Garbus: It's hard for me to choose just one. I particularly enjoy the "Psychic Theater" piece. It's fascinating how Boots takes this one melodic theme and incorporates it into various music genres throughout the show. I especially love how it was used in the final episode, highlighting the character of Jones and delivering a critique of capitalism in just seven minutes, accompanied by this incredible soundtrack. That moment is definitely one of my favorites. Additionally, I feel a sense of pride because we put a lot of effort into rewriting and refining it multiple times. I'm thrilled with how it turned out.

Nate Brenner: Same here. I can't pick a definite favorite, but the "Boyoyoyoing" one stands out to me. The animation is absolutely amazing, and watching it was a truly profound experience.

Merrill Garbus: I think we used Debussy as temporary music for that part, so we were basically competing with Debussy. It was such a fun process. The whole project required a tremendous amount of effort, but exploring these various musical styles was incredibly enjoyable.

Merrill Garbus explained that composing for film and TV has had an interesting impact on creating music for the band. Exploring without the pressure of writing lyrics has allowed her to experiment and develop her vocal abilities. Serving another vision has made her more adaptable as a singer, resulting in a enjoyable experience.

Nate Brenner: This experience has taught us numerous new skills. For instance, we had the opportunity to learn and utilize music production software called Kontakt, which we had never used before. Additionally, we made changes to our studio setup by incorporating a MIDI keyboard for the first time. This enables us to feed MIDI to various synthesizers and other equipment. The technical aspect of being in the studio and consistently creating has greatly benefited us.

Moreover, working with someone like Boots Riley has had a positive impact on our creative and spiritual approach. Riley possesses an immense amount of pure creative energy and exudes confidence. Being around that energy and incorporating it into our Tune-Yards projects has been incredibly influential.

About I’m A Virgo

Merrill Garbus: It appears that he pays no attention to societal norms or expectations. It seems to me that there is immense pleasure and enjoyment in disregarding rules, especially in the realm of popular music where there are numerous conventions to challenge. We have already defied some of these rules, but it only ignites our determination to break them even further.

I’m A Virgo is an uproarious, darkly comedic journey of self-discovery set in Oakland, California. Our protagonist, Cootie (Jerome), stands an astonishing 13 feet tall and is a young Black man. Raised in seclusion, Cootie's only companions were comic books and TV shows, until he decides to venture out into the real world to uncover its complexities and wonders. Along the way, he forges meaningful friendships, experiences the rollercoaster of love, navigates through cringeworthy situations, and crosses paths with his personal idol, a bona fide superhero known as The Hero, portrayed by Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, The Righteous Gemstones). I’m A Virgo takes audiences on an extraordinary mythical odyssey that challenges the very essence of its purpose.

Check out our other I’m A Virgo interviews:

Carmen Ejogo

Olivia Washington & Kara Young

Brett Gray & Allius Barnes

Michael Ellenberg

Jharrel Jerome

I’m A Virgo is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.