Does Ella Bright actually sing in 'Off Campus'? Revealing the truth behind Hannah's captivating vocals
'Off Campus' Season 1 has captivated audiences with its television adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s novel, 'The Deal' from her eponymous book series. The teen drama series focuses on the men's hockey team at Briar University in Massachusetts and their romantic interests. The show's first season centers on the love story between Hannah Wells and the hockey player Garrett Graham. The 19-year-old Ella Bright stars as the shy singer-songwriter Hannah opposite Belmont Cameli's Garrett as the two begin a fake relationship to make her crush, Justin, jealous, but they eventually fall for each other. However, fans had one blazing question.
In addition to Hannah's love life, the series also charts her journey as an aspiring singer-songwriter. In the series, she is introduced as a classical music student who composes but struggles to write songs due to her traumatic past. Hannah competes in a pop music competition, hoping to use the prize money towards her scholarship to Briar University. Ahead of the show's premiere, the British actress spoke to Variety on May 12 about the preparations needed to play a singer onscreen. "I feel very happy to say that it was all me," Ella proudly stated in response to being asked if she sang on the show. She shared that she didn't use a vocal double for her singing scenes; instead, she worked really hard with a vocal coach to improve her singing. Ella even learned piano and guitar, with no prior training, for the role.
The showrunner, Louisa Levy, told Deadline that Hannah and Garrett bond over their shared love for music. "Hannah is described in the books as having very eclectic musical taste. I was really curious to see how her musical taste could overlap with Garrett’s," she said before adding that she wanted to find "the pulse of these characters through music," calling it "a very big part of the show.” During her interview with Variety, Ella shared that she created a playlist to help her get into her character's headspace. It included songs like Olivia Rodrigo's 'Scared of My Guitar' and Ethel Cain's 'Sun Bleached Flies.' The actress mentioned that the latter song helped her find Hannah's emotional core. "I really think there’s a quiet strength to that song that I see in Hannah. I really felt connected to it," she said.
'Off Campus' features a total of seven songs, including four original songs written by songwriter Amy Allen. She has written songs for Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, and others. Throughout the show, Ella is seen performing several songs, including 'Page One' (in episode 2), Warrant’s 'Cherry Pie' (in episode 3), and the cover of 'Now That I’ve Found You' (in episode 4). By the season finale, she overcomes her writer's block and sings the ballad, 'Girl That I Am,' at the competition, which serves as a catalyst for Hannah and Garrett's reunion. Viewers can watch all episodes of 'Off Campus' Season 1 on Prime Video.
