Minnesota musician nominated for Best Original Song Oscar

It was a welcome surprise on Oscar nomination morning for one Minnesota-based musician.

Dan Wilson, one-third of the rock group Semisonic, was nominated for an Academy Award along with Jon Batiste for the song “It Never Went Away” from the documentary “American Symphony.”

Wilson said in a post on Instagram, “So many magical things have happened since I met and collaborated with @jonbatiste. But this is the biggest surprise yet. Holy buckets!”

The other nominees for Best Original Song include:

  • “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, “Barbie”
  • “I’m Just Ken,” by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, “Barbie”
  • “The Fire Inside” by Diane Warren, “Flamin’ Hot”
  • “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” by Scott George, “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Other Minnesota natives to win an Oscar in a music category include in 1985 when Prince won Best Original Song Score for “Purple Rain” and Bob Dylan winning Best Original Song for “Things Have Changed” from the film “Wonder Boys” in 2001.

Click here for a full list of the 2024 Academy Award nominations.