BB’s Theme is “the song that I’ve spent most time on, more than anything I’ve written in my entire life”, said Death Stranding composer Ludvig Forssell.
Eurogamer spoke with Forssell and the song’s vocalist Jenny Plant ahead of the Strands of Harmony concert series that starts next month, celebrating the music of the two Death Stranding games.
BB’s Theme will be performed in a new arrangement first heard earlier this year at London’s Roundhouse, with Plant providing live vocals. The song is an iconic part of the soundtrack to both games, but how did it come to be?
“Mr. Kojima had originally the idea of a lullaby theme for [Death Stranding 1], and that’s going to come into its full bloom at the very end of the game,” Forssell explained. “This theme that has been played out throughout the game, hummed by various characters, gets to play in full length. That was there as an idea from the very beginning for Mr. Kojima.”
Though Forssell had ideas for the piece early on, he had been travelling and unable to find time to sit down and write it in full. Then, over time, Forssell laid the groundwork for the song, recorded strings, added guitar, and doubled the length of the final chorus as requested by Kojima.
“In the background we were also looking for the perfect singer for it and got introduced to Jenny’s stuff,” said Forssell. “This is the soothing voice that we need for a lullaby.”
He concluded: “This is the song that I’ve spent most time on, more than anything that I’ve written in my entire life.”
Plant’s involvement began when she was put forward for a “secret project” and, after being selected, recorded her vocals in London’s iconic Abbey Road studio. “I met Ludvig on Zoom there,” she said, “and he talked to me about the game and the song. Obviously I’d heard the music before the session but he talked me through the story and the feelings and what needs to be evoked when I sing it. I had some visuals, it was all a bit crazy!”
Plant was aware of the Metal Gear Solid games beforehand, but admitted singing in a video game was “a bit of a new world” and thanked fans for being “especially awesome” and for the “great conversations” she’s had since.
“It’s an amazing song to perform,” Plant continued, discussing its emotional intensity. “Dynamically starting off in that soft, gentle ‘I will hold you’ – that opening line is so powerful – and then going up and to the big climax moments. It’s amazing. Being a mum now myself, singing this song has got that lovely connection as well. So when I perform it, it always feels extra special.”
“Being a mum now myself, singing this song has got that lovely connection as well. So when I perform it, it always feels extra special.”
Since working on the first Death Stranding game, the lives of both Forssell and Plant have changed considerably.
Forssell credits his involvement in the series for giving him “the chance to spread my wings”, and is thankful for the opportunity. “We started out with 30 people in rental offices trying to figure out how to make a game about carrying packages and figuring out how to make that fun,” he said. Now Kojima Productions is “doing great”, he added. “Every time I go there I’m surprised at how far they’ve made it – and it’s really down to one man, Hideo Kojima, who came up with all of that from zero.”
Forssell also noted how the first Death Stranding game has been “re-evaluated years after it came out” and now “everybody’s on board – and that’s really fun to see”.
Plant, meanwhile, described her involvement as “a wild ride”, while the forthcoming tour is “such an exciting opportunity to travel and sing and be part of something so exciting”.
Eurogamer spoke further with Forssell on Death Stranding 2, discussing his relationship with Kojima, and honouring Low Roar frontman Ryan Karazija who passed away between the two games.
