Dive into the sonic world of Ironheart with composer Dara Taylor! Discover how she crafted the score for Marvel’s newest hero.
Marvel’s newest Disney+ series, Ironheart, explores more of Riri Williams, a brilliant young inventor who creates an advanced suit of armor in the vein of Iron Man. Fresh off her appearance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri, played by Dominique Thorne, brings her unique blend of intellect and ingenuity to the forefront as she navigates the challenges of being a budding superhero in Chicago. The series promises to delve deeper into her journey, exploring the complexities of her creations and the threats she faces, all while expanding the rich tapestry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Behind the captivating sounds of Ironheart is the talented composer Dara Taylor, known for her diverse and impactful work across film and television. Taylor’s impressive resume includes scoring for hit shows like Little Ellen and Pride, as well as films such as Straw and The Tender Bar. Her ability to craft unique sonic landscapes that perfectly complement storytelling has made her a sought-after talent in the industry.
In this interview, Dara pulls back the curtain on her creative process for Ironheart, from collaborating with Marvel to crafting distinct themes for its compelling characters.
Dara Taylor On Her Collaboration with Marvel
Mama’s Geeky: What was the collaboration with Marvel like?
Dara Taylor: The collaboration with Marvel was wonderful. To have people with such an intimate knowledge and understanding of the entire canon was invaluable. Brad Winderbaum and Zoie Naglehout were with me every step of the way with fantastic feedback and it’s always fun to work with people who love an easter egg as much as I do!
Character Themes and Wakanda Forever Inspirations
Mama’s Geeky: Can you talk about the inspiration behind the different character themes and did you incorporate anything from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?
Dara Taylor: For RiRi I wanted to give her import with big bombastic orchestra, but also lean into her tech genius so I also used a fair amount of electronics which often doubled the orchestra. There were also 2 parts to her theme, the melodic portion which is used in her moments of heroism and also her more emotional moments, but then a secondary, shorter staccato motif which we affectionately called “bad-ass RiRi” which was used basically anytime she’s “winning” whether that’s winning with strength or winning with wit. We decided to give RiRi her own sonic thumbprint so no thematic material from Wakanda Forever was used, but there is one moment in episode 3 where the script actually mentioned adding a little talking drum as RiRi stares into the water and remembers almost drowning, so I added a processed talking drum. It’s a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” moment but it was fun, scripted, easter egg.
For Parker I chose a different approach, going darker with his theme starting with descending low octaves signifying his descent into madness. His theme also has intentional pauses in it, representing the moments he holds his breath to turn invisible. In the first few episodes his entrances also have more swagger and groove to them as we first think of him as this Robin Hood anti-hero, but as his dark intentions become known the swagger also fades away. He also has a distorted violin motif that accompanies his scars, the use of the violin being very intentional since it mirrors the violin we hear for another character.
The crew also has its own motif that stems from Parker’s descending octave theme, but is much more buoyant and heist-forward. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. typically has a synthetic vocal that accompanies her more “human” moments. And Zeke’s theme is definitely the quirkiest of the themes but has the capability of turning dark like in episode 5. His theme also includes some low, staccato piano which harkens back to the use of low staccato piano in the Iron Monger motif from Iron Man 1.
Incorporating New Sounds
Mama’s Geeky: Is there any sound that you incorporated that you had never used before when working on this score?
Dara Taylor: One of the most fun recording sessions I’ve had was a bucket drum session. Starting in episode 2 (where RiRi starts to feel at home again since N.A.T.A.L.I.E. reappears) there are many instances of bucket drums, either played alone, or within the fabric of the orchestra. These are used as the score’s nod to Chicago and add a fun sound I hadn’t worked with before now.
Scoring Emotional Moments vs. Action Sequences
Mama’s Geeky: Can you talk about working on the slower, more emotional moments versus the big, high-stakes fights and heist sequences?
Dara Taylor: My hope was to create motifs that could be malleable enough to play both big and small. If we look at RiRi’s theme it plays big during the TNNL heist and the big fight scenes in episode 5 but small and soft when speaking with Ronnie or N.A.T.A.L.I.E. about Gary.
Mama’s Geeky: Is there a piece that came together the easiest for you?
Dara Taylor: I think the crew motif came the easiest. I love a heist and I love a groove so after coming up with the main 3 themes (RiRi, Parker, Mephisto) the next thing I tackled was the scene where we’re first introduced to the cue while they’re failing that heist. I think the Stuartness of it all also helped make this first moment cheekier and more fun.
Mama’s Geeky: And on the contrary, one that took the longest to come together?
Dara Taylor: I think the scene in the Stanton shop took a little longer. This is where I first use the “magic” motif and since RiRi is going into a different world, the music does as well so finding a tone that was separate and special enough but still felt like it belongs within the fabric of the show was a fun challenge.
Composing for Mephisto’s MCU Debut
Mama’s Geeky: We FINALLY get Mephisto in the MCU. Can you talk about the inspiration for his scenes and what it was like for you knowing that you had a hand in the introduction of a character so many have been waiting for?
Dara Taylor: I’m just so incredibly humbled and honored to write the theme for such a long-awaited character! For Mephisto I wanted to make sure his music felt “old” and “ancient” while again still being able to fit within the fabric of the show. So I started with a dark gothic melody with big leaps but added other elements like a quickly descending violin figure which is reminiscent of a song from Faust where Mephistopheles is trying to entice Faust into a deal. I also used a variety of textures from processed guttural grunts to reversed whispers (where the choir said “something you won’t even miss” a Mephisto line from episode 6 when he describes his “fee”) to make his musical palette feel pagan as well. These various elements can also be heard sprinkled into cues as early as episode 1 when we see and speak about Parker’s Hood, then they become their most full-throated in episode 6 when he has his first official introduction. In the pizza parlor scenes I also used a lot of processing on these and other elements to keep the tone contemporary but the constituent parts gothic and pagan.
The entire first season of Ironheart is streaming now on Disney+. Watch for yourself and experience Dara Taylor’s incredible and unforgettable score bringing Riri Williams’ world to life!
NEXT: Ironheart Review: Don’t Sleep On This Series
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.