The Song In Bridgerton’s Carriage Scene Is For The Millennial Fans

It wouldn’t be Bridgerton without bees, cleavage-baring ball gowns, or resplendent orchestral pop covers. That last one has become a hallmark of the show — to the point that fans have been curating playlists for Colin and Penelope and dream-casting the Season 3 soundtrack for years. (Even the show’s creator, Chris Van Dusen, once teased that he associated Taylor Swift’s “Dress” with the fan-favorite couple.)

But no matter how carefully fans make their predictions for #Polin’s friends-to-lovers playlist, Bridgerton’s best musical moments are sometimes the ones you don’t see coming. Case in point? The Pitbull song that plays during Season 3’s highly anticipated carriage ride. Spoilers ahead!

Mr. Worldwide Meets The Ton

Archer Marsh performs the string version of Pitbull’s 2011 club hit, “Give Me Everything,” which originally featured Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer. The song’s familiar, rising chorus can first be heard in the background as Colin confesses his feelings for Penelope in Episode 4’s final moments. It then reaches a crescendo to match the swells of their impromptu hookup.

Showrunner Jess Brownell tells Bustle that she listened to a playlist by Bridgerton music supervisor Justin Kamps while working on Colin and Penelope’s story, and “Give Me Everything” ultimately made the final cut.

“It’s such an unlikely choice,” she says. “But the build of that song is so emotional. And for a relationship that has taken so long to come to fruition, it felt like you needed something really cinematic and dramatic.”

Fittingly, the song is all about making the most of a passionate moment. As Ne-Yo sings, “For all we know, we might not get tomorrow.” And just a few episodes earlier, Penelope told Colin she didn’t want to die without ever having been kissed.

While fans obviously don’t hear lyrics in the instrumental Bridgerton version, the words come rushing back to anyone who’s ever moved to the song at a school dance or college night out.

A Surprising Trend

With the inclusion of “Give Me Everything,” Bridgerton seems to continue a fun but unexpected musical trend — a love for 2010s dance songs.

Yes, there are several traditionally romantic songs mixed into the Netflix show’s soundtracks (see Season 3’s “Snow on the Beach”). But many of its memorable moments are set to tunes that would resonate with a nostalgic millennial viewer.

In Season 2, for example, Kate and Anthony gave into their mounting tension in a steamy scene set to Kiris Houston’s cover of “How Deep Is Your Love” by Calvin Harris and Disciples. Episodes earlier, they danced to the Vitamin String Quartet’s take on “Dancing on My Own” by Robyn, and their charged gazes reflect the song’s theme of wanting someone you can’t have.

So, when curating your dream Bridgerton Season 4 soundtrack, the best place to start might be your abandoned night-out playlist from, say, 2015?