The soundtrack for DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island,” which debuted at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its September 25 theatrical release, carries one of the largest concentrations of Filipino and Filipino-American musical talent ever assembled for a major Hollywood production, spanning Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R., Tony winner Lea Salonga, Filipino pop groups BINI and SB19, and composer Nathan Matthew David in a project that bridges Philippine folklore with contemporary pop culture.
Key Takeaways
- The “Forgotten Island” soundtrack features H.E.R., Lea Salonga, BINI, SB19, Sophia Laforteza, and Amielynn Abellera, representing the largest concentration of Filipino and Filipino-American musical talent on a major Hollywood animated film soundtrack.
- H.E.R., who voices the lead character Jo, contributes to the soundtrack including the single “BRB” recorded with co-star Liza Soberano; the track bridges the film’s 1990s Philippine setting with contemporary pop production.
- Tony winner Lea Salonga, who voices the film’s central antagonist, the Dreaded Manananggal, also appears on the soundtrack, adding Broadway and Disney vocal pedigree to the project.
- Filipino composer Nathan Matthew David scored the film, making “Forgotten Island” one of the rare major animated features with a Filipino composer, Filipino lead voice cast, and a Filipino-sourced mythology at its foundation.
- “Forgotten Island” debuted at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews; Box Office Pro projects a $20–$30 million domestic opening weekend for the September 25 release.
H.E.R. Anchors the Soundtrack as Both Lead Voice and Recording Artist
Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, the Grammy and Academy Award-winning artist who performs as H.E.R., occupies a dual role in “Forgotten Island” that extends beyond the typical voice-acting contribution to an animated film. H.E.R. voices Jo, the film’s lead character, a mischievous storyteller growing up in the Philippines in the 1990s who discovers a portal to the mythical island of Nakali with her lifelong friend Raissa, voiced by Liza Soberano. Beyond the voice performance, H.E.R. contributes directly to the soundtrack, including the collaborative single “BRB” recorded with Soberano.
“BRB” functions as both a promotional vehicle and a tonal anchor for the film’s musical identity. The track pairs H.E.R.’s R&B-rooted vocal approach with production that nods to the 1990s Philippine setting of the film while remaining grounded in contemporary pop sensibilities. H.E.R., who is half-Filipino and half-Black, has spoken publicly about the significance of voicing a character rooted in Philippine culture, connecting the role to her own heritage and the visibility the film creates for Filipino audiences in a Hollywood landscape where Filipino representation in lead roles remains uncommon. The combination of H.E.R.’s recording-artist profile (five Grammy Awards, an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Fight for You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”) and her voice-acting debut gives the “Forgotten Island” soundtrack a commercial anchor that extends beyond the film’s theatrical run.
Lea Salonga Brings Broadway and Disney Legacy to the Villain’s Voice
Tony Award winner Lea Salonga voices the Dreaded Manananggal, the film’s primary antagonist and one of the most feared creatures in Philippine folklore, a vampire-like figure capable of splitting its body in half. Salonga’s casting carries a layered significance. As the singing voice behind Disney’s Jasmine in “Aladdin” (1992) and Mulan in “Mulan” (1998), Salonga has been embedded in the animated musical canon for more than three decades. Her Tony Award for “Miss Saigon” (1991) and her continued presence on Broadway and in international concert tours have made Salonga one of the most recognized Filipino artists in the history of Western entertainment.
Directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado described the casting as both an artistic and cultural decision. Mercado, who is Filipino-American, told Variety that Salonga “is Filipino royalty, and such a big name in what she’s done for animation as the singing voice of Jasmine and Mulan.” The directors said they envisioned the Manananggal as a figure who could carry both terror and vocal grandeur, and that Salonga’s ability to project menace through a voice audiences associate with Disney heroism creates a deliberate subversion. Salonga’s soundtrack contribution adds a vocal dimension to the film’s musical palette that no other casting decision could replicate, connecting “Forgotten Island” to the lineage of animated musicals where the villain’s voice is as memorable as the hero’s.
BINI and SB19 Bring the Commercial Weight of P-Pop to a Hollywood Soundtrack
The inclusion of BINI and SB19 on the “Forgotten Island” soundtrack represents a commercial bet on the global viability of Philippine pop music. BINI, the eight-member girl group managed by ABS-CBN’s Star Magic and widely regarded as the Philippines’ leading P-pop act, has built a fanbase that extends across Southeast Asia and into diaspora communities worldwide. SB19, the five-member boy band that became the first Southeast Asian act to be nominated for a Billboard Music Award (Top Social Artist, 2021), has demonstrated sustained crossover potential through YouTube viewership numbers, concert sellouts, and an international touring profile that reaches beyond traditional K-pop comparison markets.
Both groups contribute tracks to the “Forgotten Island” soundtrack that are positioned to introduce their music to a North American audience that may have limited exposure to P-pop as a category. The strategic logic is similar to what Disney achieved with Colombian artists on the “Encanto” soundtrack and what Pixar accomplished by embedding Mexican musical traditions into “Coco” — using the film as a discovery vehicle for a musical culture that the audience may not have actively sought out on streaming platforms. The difference with “Forgotten Island” is the density of the Filipino musical representation. Rather than a single artist or a culturally adjacent genre, the soundtrack stacks multiple Filipino acts across different commercial tiers, creating a body of work that functions as a sampler of contemporary Filipino pop music embedded within a Hollywood tentpole release.
Nathan Matthew David’s Score Grounds the Film in Filipino Musical Language
Composer Nathan Matthew David, who is Filipino, scored “Forgotten Island,” making the film one of the rare major animated features where the composer, the lead voice cast, the mythology, and the contributing recording artists all share a common cultural foundation. David’s score navigates the film’s tonal range, from the 1990s Philippine suburban setting of its opening act to the fantastical, creature-populated mythology of Nakali, to the emotional climax where Jo and Raissa confront the possibility of losing their shared memories as the price of returning home.
Critics have noted that the score avoids the common pitfall of treating non-Western musical traditions as exotic wallpaper. Discussing Film’s review awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 and praised the “thrilling score” as integral to the film’s emotional architecture. The score incorporates Filipino musical elements, including instrumentation and rhythmic patterns drawn from traditional Philippine music, while maintaining the orchestral scale that mainstream animated features require for theatrical impact. The result is a musical identity that feels specific to the Philippines without being inaccessible to an international audience unfamiliar with the cultural references.
Sophia Laforteza and Amielynn Abellera Round Out A Deep Bench of Filipino Talent
Beyond the headline names, the “Forgotten Island” soundtrack includes contributions from Sophia Laforteza, a young Filipino vocalist who has built a following through covers, original music, and social media presence, and Amielynn Abellera, a Filipina-American actress and singer who also voices a role in the film. Their inclusion reinforces the depth of the project’s commitment to Filipino representation across multiple tiers of visibility, from Grammy winners and Tony laureates to emerging artists whose profiles the film could meaningfully amplify.
The cumulative effect of the soundtrack’s roster is something that transcends any individual track. When H.E.R., Lea Salonga, BINI, SB19, Sophia Laforteza, Amielynn Abellera, and Nathan Matthew David appear together on a single project distributed globally by Universal Pictures, the result is a cultural infrastructure investment that positions Filipino music as a viable commercial category within the Western entertainment ecosystem. The film opened its review embargo on September 21 to a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from 20 initial reviews, and Box Office Pro projects a domestic opening weekend between $20 million and $30 million. If those projections hold, “Forgotten Island” would deliver the largest theatrical audience ever assembled for a product with this concentration of Filipino musical talent, turning a DreamWorks animated film into, among other things, one of the most significant platforms for Filipino music that Hollywood has produced.
FAQs
Who Is On The “Forgotten Island” Soundtrack?
The soundtrack features Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R., Tony winner Lea Salonga, Filipino pop groups BINI and SB19, vocalist Sophia Laforteza, and actress-singer Amielynn Abellera. Filipino composer Nathan Matthew David scored the film.
What Song Did H.E.R. Release For “Forgotten Island”?
H.E.R. recorded the single “BRB” with co-star Liza Soberano for the “Forgotten Island” soundtrack. H.E.R. also voices the film’s lead character, Jo, making her both the soundtrack’s commercial anchor and the film’s central voice performance.
Who Are BINI And SB19?
BINI is an eight-member Filipino girl group managed by ABS-CBN’s Star Magic, widely regarded as the Philippines’ leading P-pop act. SB19 is a five-member Filipino boy band that became the first Southeast Asian act nominated for a Billboard Music Award. Both groups contribute tracks to the “Forgotten Island” soundtrack.
When Does “Forgotten Island” Open In Theaters?
“Forgotten Island” opens in U.S. theaters on September 25, 2026, with preview screenings on the evening of September 24. The film debuted at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews when the embargo lifted on September 21.
Who Composed The Score For “Forgotten Island”?
Filipino composer Nathan Matthew David scored the film, incorporating traditional Philippine musical elements within a full orchestral framework. Critics praised the score for grounding the film in Filipino musical language while maintaining the theatrical scale expected of a major animated feature.
