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By Matthew Perlman
Brooklyn Daily
A pair of Park Slope songwriters are up for an Oscar for a tune they penned in Prospect Park.
Bobby Lopez and his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez co-wrote the song “Let it Go” for the Disney box office smash “Frozen” and the ditty is now a contender for Best Original Song at this year’s Academy Awards. Needless to say, they are excited.
“It feels like your birthday, the birth of your child, and your wedding all at the same time,” said Anderson-Lopez. “Everyone’s reaching out to you, It’s the coolest thing.”
Prospect Park played an important role in inspiring the song’s arc, Anderson-Lopez said.
“We went for a walk in Prospect Park and stood on picnic bench,” she said. “We looked across the park and said, you’re on a mountain alone and you’ve lost everything you knew. But also everything you’ve been holding back.”
The song is a seminal piece of the film, marking the moment when the main character Elsa, voiced by Idina Menzel, lets loose her hidden abilities and constructs a massive ice palace.
“Letting go of fear and shame and allowing yourself to let your unique power out is a message we’re excited to have go around the world,” Anderson-Lopez said.
Their kids love the movie too.
“My daughter was singing ‘Let it Go’ as she went to sleep last night,” Anderson-Lopez said.
The song is a favorite for the award and has quite a following among “Frozen” fans — a Youtube video of the clip has 41 million views and the film’s soundtrack topped the Billboard charts earlier this month when it sold 165,000 copies in a week. The kids flick is also nominated for Best Animated Feature.
Lopez is no stranger to success. He worked on the Broadway musicals “Avenue Q” and “Book of Mormon,” which netted him Tony and Grammy awards. He has also won an Emmy.The pair worked together on the 2011 “Winnie the Pooh” movie, but this is the first award they are being nominated for together.The Oscars will air live on Sunday, March 2 at 7 pm.