Inside Music with Katie Hasty

Adele collaborator Paul Epworth talks Golden Globes nomination and the Oscars

'Skyfall' earns a nod, can it grab an Academy Award?

By Katie Hasty Thursday, Dec 13, 2012 4:56 PM

Paul Epworth at the 2012 Grammy Awards

Credit: AP Photo

Producer Paul Epworth walked away with four Grammys earlier this year, mostly for his work with Adele on tracks like mega-hit “Rolling in the Deep” and her album “21.” His combo with Adele, again, has set him on the path for even more accolades, this time in the film world. This morning, Epworth became a Golden Globe nominee as the producer of “Skyfall,” Adele’s epic James Bond theme up for Best Original Song.

Listen during “Django Unchained, and you’ll hear Epworth’s mark on critical favorite Quentin Tarantino’s latest: Epworth produced John Legend’s new track “Who Did That To You?”.

Paul Epworth, only naturally, has been thinking about movies lately.

“My earliest work were scores. A lot of the songs I made were from a cinematic perspective,” Epworth said in our interview this morning. So here’s a line to filmmakers, who could use the heavy weights of Grammys on their side: “So, If somebody wants to take a punt with a young gun and have never done it before, I’m all ears.”

Golden Globes precedes Academy Awards nominations, with nominations crossing over (though only one in the last eight Golden Globes winners have gone on to bag an Oscar). Epworth doesn’t know if his co-wrte “Skyfall” is a sure-fire Oscars nom, and he doesn’t dare conjecture. But he knows it’d change his world.

“I can’t even speculate on that kind of stuff. It’d be the most wonderful thing,” he said. It’s a new perspective into his craft. “For a piece of music to be judged in context with a movie, it’s judged in an obviously different context. I felt like the piece of music should be a moment of the moment. It’s a mark of quality of that work.”

As for future quality works, Epworth is also mum, though he’s confirmed to be collaborating on Azealia Banks’ debut in 2013. He didn’t want to say if he’d combine again with previous acts like Foster the People or U2. He couldn’t – again --“speculate” if Adele would perform at the Oscars were “Skyfall” nominated, nor can he confirm if he and Adele will work together again in the new year.

“If she’s ready to go, I’m ready to go,” he said.

He’s done a fine job championing and elevating her career as well as another female-led act up for more Grammys in 2013, Florence + The Machine. What is the draw to working with women, especially when their talents and sounds are so varied?

“There’s more emotions, more coming through women. In 2013 there will be even more amazing female artists. There are periods where audiences are big into bands. There’s a so much to do with what labels do with the roster they have. But female artists will be increasing in presence,” he said. “There are so many good female artists around. And I love to be in contact with them, to be around for when they hit.”