'Begin Again' songwriters talk Oscar nomination for 'Lost Stars'

ByGeorge Pennacchio KABC logo
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
'Begin Again' songwriters talk Oscar nomination for 'Lost Stars'
'Lost Stars,' the song written by Danielle Brisebois and Gregg Alexander and performed both by Keira Knightley and Adam Levine in the film 'Begin Again', has earned an Academy Award nomination for best original song.

"Lost Stars" from the movie, "Begin Again," is nominated for an Oscar this year.

The song, performed both by Keira Knightley and Adam Levine, was written by Danielle Brisebois and Gregg Alexander.

"To write a song that maybe will fit like for a female singer and voice as well as a male was a unique kind of challenge, but it was fun and so the fact that some people seem to be liking it, we were all taken by surprise," Alexander said.

Brisebois and Alexander have been friends for decades.

"Oddly enough, we've had various successes here and there independent of each other. This is the first time that we've done something that actually got out there and got heard properly," Alexander said.

Songwriters Danielle Brisebois and Gregg Alexander are seen in this undated file photo.

"I think our friendship works regardless if there was an Oscar nomination or not, and that's always the most important thing to us, or to me, about our relationship, is always being friends," Brisebois said. "This is just a nice perk."

Both artists enjoyed success early in their careers.

Alexander was the front man for '90s alternative rock band "The New Radicals", and Brisebois was part of that group. She is also the little girl who stole Archie Bunker's heart on TV.

Now it's music that will be bringing them to into the spotlight on Oscar Sunday.

"Danielle managed to get me into a suit and stuff like that, you know, and I think it'll be fun for our mothers. That's very exciting," Alexander said.

Watch the 87th Oscars ceremony on Feb. 22 on ABC!