The Schuyler Sisters
{{Short description|Song from the 2015 musical Hamilton}}
{{For|the historical figures|Angelica Schuyler Church|Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton|Peggy Schuyler}}
{{Infobox song
| name = The Schuyler Sisters
| artist = Renée Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Leslie Odom Jr., and the cast of Hamilton
| album = Hamilton
| released = 2015
| recorded =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=07}}
| writer = Lin-Manuel Miranda
| producer =
| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|UeqKF_NF1Qs|"The Schuyler Sisters"}}}}
}}
"The Schuyler Sisters" is the fifth song from Act 1 of the musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote both the music and lyrics to the song.
Background
Musical director Alex Lacamoire explained that the song originally had a throwback Daft Punk/Pharrell quality, but after viewing a series of Vines with the three actresses improvising on Destiny's Child songs, he reworked the song to give it similar characteristics, then let the sisters add their own harmonies to the tune; he "realized there's nothing in the song as cool as the harmonies the girls do when they're messing around, so we... just let them riff".Jones, Nate. [http://www.vulture.com/2016/01/hamilton-alex-lacamoire-interview.html "Nerding Out With Hamilton Musical Director, Alex Lacamoire"], Vulture (NY Magazine), January 13, 2016
Synopsis
The song introduces the three Schuyler sisters: Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy, their different personalities and views, and how they are excited to be in a new age,{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/2015/10/hamilton-soundtrack-review/|title=Going H.A.M.: A Track-By-Track Review Of The 'Hamilton' Soundtrack|work=Vibe|date=20 October 2015 }} "amidst the powder keg of the early days of the revolution".{{cite web|url=http://www.seewrites.com/notednyc/2015/04/02/hamilton-the-musical-review/|title=Hamilton the Musical review|work=Noted in NYC|date=2 April 2015 }} Burr tries to flirt with Angelica, but Angelica rejects him and instead professes how she wants a "revelation" instead of a "revolution."
Style
The New Yorker described the sisters as a "Destiny's Child-esque R&B girl group."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-women-of-hamilton|title=The Women of "Hamilton"|author=Michael Schulman|date=6 August 2015|magazine=The New Yorker}} Pitchfork said the song wouldn't sound out of place in an album by Wyclef protégé City High.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21122-hamilton-original-broadway-cast-recording/|title=Various Artists|work=Pitchfork}} The Guardian said the number "combines TLC with the Andrews Sisters and a hat tip to 'Three Little Maids From School Are We'".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/feb/18/hamilton-review-founding-father-gets-a-hip-hop-makeover|title=Hamilton review – founding father gets a hip-hop makeover|author=Alexis Soloski|work=the Guardian|date=18 February 2015 }} WIUX described it as "a pre-pre-feminist power anthem".{{cite web|url=http://wiux.org/2015/10/28/hamilton-original-broadway-cast-recording/|title=Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)|date=29 October 2015|publisher=}}
Critical reception
Entertainment Monthly says this song marks the moment when "the album really kicks it into high gear."{{cite web|url=https://emertainmentmonthly.org/2015/09/22/a-day-spent-listening-to-hamilton/|title=A Day Spent Listening to 'Hamilton'|last=Dominick|first=Nora|work=Emertainment Monthly|date=22 September 2015 |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309174856/http://emertainmentmonthly.com/2015/09/22/a-day-spent-listening-to-hamilton/|archivedate=2016-03-09}} Jeff Lunden of Byline said that this is the song he keeps "more or less in constant rotation".{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/12/25/461046606/song-from-broadway-musical-hamilton-celebrates-founding-mothers|title=Song From Broadway Musical 'Hamilton' Celebrates Founding Mothers|date=25 December 2015|work=NPR.org}} When Miranda appeared on the West Wing Weekly podcast, he said the line "I'm looking for a mind at work" was taken from the TV series The West Wing.
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "The Schuyler Sisters"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|certyear=2024|title=The Schuyler Sisters|artist=Goldsberry/Soo/Cephas-Jones|type=single|access-date=January 27, 2024|relyear=2015|id=16756-5404-1}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2023|title=The Schuyler Sisters|artist=Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton|type=single|access-date=October 1, 2023|relyear=2015}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Hamilton (musical)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schuyler Sisters}}
Category:Songs from Hamilton (musical)