Brad Bird discusses Kimbra's soundtrack contributions to Ray Gunn

Director Brad Bird has detailed the creative process behind the music for his animated sci-fi noir film, Ray Gunn. During a Q&A in Los Angeles, Bird explained that singer-songwriter Kimbra was tasked with writing songs that served specific narrative functions within the story.

One particular song, titled ‘Innocent’, was designed to be a catchy yet slightly irritating earworm. Bird requested a melody that would be difficult to shake, serving as a persistent public presence for the character played by Scarlett Johansson. The title ‘Innocent’ was chosen strategically to allow the in-universe press to frame questions regarding the character's guilt or innocence, thereby integrating the music into the film's central mystery.

Bird also noted that other compositions in the film were intended to be more intimate, expressing the character's vulnerability and the challenges of maintaining authenticity under the pressures of celebrity.