You Will Be Found Explained

You Will Be Found
Artist:Ben Platt, Kristolyn Lloyd, Will Roland, Laura Dreyfuss & Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen
Released:January 27, 2017
Genre:Show tune
Length:6:01

"You Will Be Found" is the Act 1 finale of the 2015 musical Dear Evan Hansen, which premiered on Broadway in 2016. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.[1]

Synopsis

The song begins during the Kickoff Assembly for The Connor Project, a student organization that the musical's protagonist, Evan Hansen had formed, with help from Jared Kleinman and Alana Beck, in order to keep the memory of a fellow student, Connor Murphy (whose suicide sets off the events in the musical) alive. Evan, at first, gives a speech on the stage of his high school's auditorium. After fumbling through his note cards mid-speech, he begins to have a panic attack and sits on the ground as his anxiety takes over. He takes a deep breath, stands up, starts over and gives a new speech, this time through song. While knowing that he has been lying all this time, his speech presents a message of hope to those in attendance. After the first chorus, it's revealed that an audience attendee videotaped the speech and put it up online. As the song builds up into an uplifting climax, it goes viral, the entire public believing and consuming Evan's lies in the process. The song returns in Act 2 as a much darker-toned reprise underscoring Alana putting Evan's note (believed to have been Connor's suicide note) online, which gets immediate backlash on social media.

Background

The song was written for the musical's Off-Broadway production at Second Stage Theater in 2016, replacing "Part of Me", which originally closed Act 1 in the world premiere production at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage in 2015. The latter song was featured as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of the show's Original Broadway Cast Recording.[2] After the show premiered on Broadway, Pasek and Paul were surprised to see how far "You Will Be Found" had gone outside of the show's context to resonate with audiences, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Benj Pasek explained this by saying that it was "In part because it’s a speech that Evan is giving to his classmates, an idealized version of how he wants to feel, the lyrics had a chance to resonate beyond the story—we realized people all over the world were using it as a means of finding connection and hope in challenging times."[3]

Reception

In his review of the Broadway production of the musical for The New York Times, Charles Isherwood called it the show's most memorable song, and a "soaring anthem" that "becomes one of the rallying cries for the social media movement that the death of Connor — and Evan's speech about him — incites."[4]

Book adaptation

Pasek and Paul adapted the song into a picture book released by Little, Brown and Company on March 17, 2020, with illustrations by Sarah J. Coleman.[3]

2021 film version

See main article: Dear Evan Hansen (film).

You Will Be Found
Artist:Ben Platt, Amandla Stenberg, Liz Kate, DeMarius Copes, Isaac Powell, Hadiya Eshe', Kaitlyn Dever and Dear Evan Hansen Choir
Album:Dear Evan Hansen: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released:September 24, 2021
Recorded:2020
Length:5:58
Label:Interscope
Producer:
Chronology:Ben Platt singles
Prev Title:Waving Through a Window
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:Only Us
Next Year:2021

"You Will Be Found" was featured in Universal Pictures' 2021 film adaptation of the musical, starring Ben Platt, who reprised his performance in the titular role. The film, which premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2021,[5] followed by a theatrical release on September 24, 2021, is directed by Stephen Chbosky from a screenplay by the musical's librettist Steven Levenson, who also serves as an executive producer with Michael Bederman, Pasek & Paul and the show's lead producer Stacey Mindich. Ben's father Marc Platt and Adam Siegel serve as producers.[6] In the film, while the song and who sings which lyrics remain the same, Jared's parts of the song were given to some of the film's new characters: Gemma (Liz Kate), Oliver (DeMarius Copes), Rhys (Isaac Powell) and Cherise (Hadiya Eshe'). The song's Act 2 reprise was cut from this film and replaced by a reprise of "The Anonymous Ones," one of the two new songs written for the film, sung by Alana as she puts Evan's letter on social media.

A remixed version of this film's rendition of the song was used to underscore its first trailer, which was released online on May 18, 2021.[7] Platt also performed a solo version of the song on Season 16 of NBC's America's Got Talent to promote the film.[8]

The film version of the song was made available as an exclusive download from the soundtrack album on August 26, 2021, alongside "Waving Through a Window". The album was released on September 24, 2021, the same day as the film.

Sam Smith and Summer Walker version

You Will Be Found
Cover:Sam Smith-Summer Walker You Will Be Found.jpeg
Artist:Sam Smith and Summer Walker
Album:Dear Evan Hansen: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released:September 24, 2021
Recorded:2020
Length:3:57
Label:Interscope
Chronology:Sam Smith
Type:single
Prev Title:The Lighthouse Keeper
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:Love Me More
Next Year:2022

Sam Smith and Summer Walker also covered the song for the soundtrack album of the 2021 film adaptation. This version was released as a single on September 17, 2021, and plays during the closing credits of the film itself.[9]

Music video

A music video of their version, featuring the various locations the film used for filming, was released on September 24, 2021.[10]

Charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Peak
position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[11] 28

Cover versions

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dear Evan Hansen [Original Broadway Cast Recording]]. Marcy. Donelson. AllMusic.
  2. Web site: Dear Evan Hansen Deluxe Album, Including Cut Songs and Katy Perry's 'Waving Through a Window,' Released November 2. Gans. Andrew. en-US. Playbill. November 2, 2018 . August 14, 2021.
  3. Web site: Why Dear Evan Hansen's Benj Pasek and Justin Paul Turned 'You Will Be Found' Into a Book. Fierberg. Ruthie. en-US. Playbill. April 13, 2020 . August 14, 2021.
  4. News: Isherwood. Charles. December 4, 2016. Review: In 'Dear Evan Hansen,' a Lonely Teenager, a Viral Lie and a Breakout Star. en-US. The New York Times. August 14, 2021.
  5. News: Toronto Festival Unveils 'Dear Evan Hansen' As Opening-Night Premiere, Zhang Yimou's 'One Second' As Closer; Check Out First Slated Films . Deadline Hollywood. July 20, 2021. Fleming. Mike Jr. . July 20, 2021.
  6. Web site: Photos: Check out the New Poster for the DEAR EVAN HANSEN Movie. Desk. BBW News. BroadwayWorld. May 18, 2021. May 21, 2021.
  7. Web site: The 'Dear Evan Hansen' Movie Premieres in Theaters on September 24. September 10, 2021.
  8. Web site: Ben Platt May Have Just Won Season 16 of 'AGT' with His Perfect Guest Performance. September 2, 2021.
  9. Web site: Dear Evan Hansen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Ben Platt, SZA, Sam Smith & Benj Pasek & Justin Paul. September 24, 2021.
  10. First Out: New Music from Lil Nas X, Kehlani, Sam Smith & More. Billboard. September 17, 2021.
  11. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. September 27, 2021. September 25, 2021.
  12. Web site: VIDEO: 2016 Highlight: Cynthia Erivo Joins DEAR EVAN HANSEN's Benj Pasek & Justin Paul for 'You Will Be Found'. Robbins . Caryn . BroadwayWorld. December 27, 2016. August 14, 2021.
  13. Web site: BYU Vocal Point Delivers Powerful Message in New Music Video "You Will Be Found". Brown . Keith L. . Latter-day Saint Musicians. May 3, 2017. August 14, 2021.
  14. Web site: Here Are the Best and Worst Moments from the 2017 Tony Awards.
  15. Sanders . Thomas . ThomasSanders . 873996008853786624 . June 11, 2017 . I teamed up with @RobynAdele & @VonSmith to sing an important song to me, "You Will Be Found" from Dear Evan Hansen. #TonysWithThomas https://t.co/o8ojUtp7wV . en . September 7, 2021.
  16. Web site: One Voice Children's Choir Releases Anti-Bullying Music Video "You Will be Found". May 9, 2017.
  17. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Platt release 'Hamilton'/'Dear Evan Hansen' mash-up 'Found/Tonight'. Entertainment Weekly. August 14, 2021.
  18. August 31, 2018 . "You Will Be Found" from the DEAR EVAN HANSEN . . . September 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210814171344/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00MMGfPrNIU . August 14, 2021 . live.
  19. Web site: WATCH: Luke Islam's Golden Buzzer Performance on 'America's Got Talent' (Video). Thompson. D.L.. Heavy.. July 9, 2019. August 14, 2021.
  20. January 27, 2018 . Dear Evan Hansen Medley - Peter Hollens . . . September 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818161631/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYwrW37cbKA . August 18, 2021 . live.
  21. June 26, 2020 . You Will Be Found Peter Hollens (A Cappella Cover from Dear Evan Hansen) . . . September 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818190358/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uF_-ntCJM8 . August 18, 2021 . live.
  22. Web site: The Bostonians: Balancing Tradition and Innovation - the Heights. October 28, 2019.
  23. News: Jim Brickman to Release Broadway Album, JIM BRICKMAN ON BROADWAY. Rabinowitz. Chloe. BroadwayWorld. May 12, 2020. August 14, 2021.
  24. Web site: You Will be Found (From "Dear Evan Hansen") [A Cappella] - Single by Nick Pitera. September 5, 2020.
  25. Web site: Voctave, Featuring Members of EPCOT's Voices of Liberty, Release "The Corner of Broadway and Main Street, Vol. 2" Now Streaming on Amazon, Apple Music, and More. October 7, 2020.
  26. Web site: Hugh Jackman sings 'You Will Be Found' while social distancing. May 6, 2022.
  27. Web site: Virtual Edition of Broadway Backwards Breaks Fundraising Record. Gans. Andrew. Playbill. April 2, 2021. August 14, 2021.
  28. Web site: What's next for this Utah father-daughter duo? A new album and a big show. April 27, 2021.
  29. Web site: Track-by-Track Breakdown: Jennifer Nettles Celebrates Broadway on New Album Always Like New. McPhee. Ryan. Playbill. June 25, 2021. August 14, 2021.
  30. August 17, 2021 . Northwell Health Nurse Choir Sings "You Will Be Found" - America's Got Talent 2021 . . . September 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210901221234/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3lqlrP8AhU . September 1, 2021 . live.
  31. Web site: VIDEO: Northwell Health Nurse Choir Dazzles AGT with a Performance of 'You Will be Found!'.
  32. Web site: VIDEO: Watch THE VOICE Contestant Joshua Vacanti Perform 'You Will be Found'.
  33. Web site: Natalie Grant Enlists Cory Asbury For Powerful Recording Of "You Will Be Found".

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