The power of a perfect needle drop in television shows and films is undeniable: the right song at the right moment can decide whether or not a scene lands with the audience.
It’s especially important in a show like “Off Campus,” where music is integral to the plot. On May 15, I had the opportunity to listen in on a conversation with executive music producer Alana Da Fonseca, music supervisor Amanda Thomas, and actress Ella Bright, who stars as Hannah Wells about the hit Amazon Prime series’ soundtrack and the impact of music in television.
“Off Campus” is a TV adaptation of the book series of the same name, with season one focusing on the relationship between hockey captain Garrett Graham and music major Hannah Wells, where Hannah tutors Garrett so he can stay on the hockey team and in return, Garrett will pretend to date her to make her musician crush, Justin Kohl, jealous.
Da Fonseca and Thomas both wanted to create distinct sonic worlds for each pairing in the show: while Justin’s band is more indie-rock, Garrett and Hannah’s relationship is distinctly soundtracked by classic rock, evident by the very first scene scored to “Dancing With Myself” by Generation X. The secondary couple of this season, Dean Di Laurentiis and Allie Hayes, are paired with Hip-Hop and R&B tracks like “On the Floor” by Jennier Lopez and Pitbull.
Not only does a good soundtrack resonate with the audience, but the actors as well. When asked about how she used music to better understand Hannah’s character, Bright reflected on how she listened to “Call Your Mom” by Noah Kahan constantly when preparing for the phone call scene between Hannah and her mom in episode seven, despite the actual scene not having any music at all.
Throughout the entire filming process, music and playlists guided the cast. According to Da Fonseca and Thomas, both the production team and actors were constantly making playlists for the characters and sending them between each other, which made music feel like “a third character,” added Bright.
One fan-favorite musical moment was the inclusion of Remi Wolf as a guest performance in episode 1 during Briar U’s block party. Several tracks from her 2024 album “Big Ideas” are featured in the series, as well as a cover of “Dancing With Myself” performed by Wolf as a callback to the first scene of the episode.
The music team had reached out to many different artists when planning the scene, but Remi Wolf was one of the first on the list of artists contacted. After filming, Wolf hung out with the cast for hours because she was having so much fun being involved with the show.
A good soundtrack impacts more than just the show and its actors, but the artists whose work is featured in iconic scenes. Some examples of this is “All the Things She Said” by t.A.T.u charting on at 156 on the Global Billboard Top 200 in 2026 over 20 years after its initial release thanks to Heated Rivalry, and “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush jumping to No. 1 in eight countries on the Billboard Hot 100 shortly after its use in a climatic scene in Stranger Things. I’m confident that Off Campus will see similar results with its stellar tracklist.
I would like to thank 1824 for the opportunity, as well as Alana Da Fonseca, Amanda Thomas and Ella Bright for taking the time to speak with everyone in attendance at the press conference. Be sure to check out season one of Off Campus on Amazon Prime, and stream the official soundtrack here!
