Barbra Streisand has recorded a new song, “Love Will Survive,” to serve as the end-title theme for “The Tattooist of Auschwitz,” a six-part, Holocaust-themedseries that premieres on Peacock in the U.S. and Sky in other territories on May 2.
The song will come out globally via her longtime label, Columbia Records, on April 25.
It’s Streisand’s first-ever song pegged for a television series. Although she has released a series of archival recordings in recent years, “Love Will Survive” marks her first release of new and original material since her “Walls” album in 2018.
Said Streisand in a statement: “Because of the rise in antisemitism around the world today, I wanted to sing ‘Love Will Survive’ in the context of this series, as a way of remembering the 6 million souls who were lost less than 80 years ago. And also to say that even in the darkest of times, the power of love can triumph and endure.”
“Love Will Survive” reunites the singer with one of her key collaborators on the “Walls” project six years ago, Walter Afanasieff (famous for Mariah Carey’s early recordings), returning as both a co-writer and co-producer. Producing the new track along with him is Peter Asher. The co-writers of the music with Afanasieff are Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve, and the lyrics were written by Charlie Midnight. Zimmer and Talve are the co-composers for the limited series, and the song is rooted in their instrumental score.
Streisand is joined on the track by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by William Ross.
“Barbra Streisand is one of the most renowned artists in the world, and we are deeply honored to be working with her,” said Claire Mundell of Synchronicity Films, an executive producer on the series. “Barbra and her team have crafted the most beautiful song, based on Hans’ and Kara’s main theme for the show, and it sums up the key message of the series: love will survive. Recording the song with Barbra’s iconic vocals and William Ross conducting the LSO at Abbey Road Studios was an unforgettable moment and a memory I will treasure forever. We are thrilled to be able to honor the memory of Lali and Gita in this way, with this beautiful original piece of music.”
Streisand is an executive producer on the new song along with Jay Landers and Russell Emanuel.
“The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is directed by Tali Shalom-Ezer and stars Harvey Keitel, Melanie Lynskey, Jonah Hauer-King, Anna Próchniak and Jonas Nay.
The series tells the story of Lali (Hauer-King), a Slovakian Jew who was deported to Auschwitz, the concentration camp where over a million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, and who was charged with inking ID numbers on fellow prisoners’ arms. It is also his love story with Gita (Próchniak), as they endeavor to survive under the watchful eye of Nazi SS officer Stefan Baretzki (Jonas Nay). A jump 60 years into the future has Lali (now played by Keitel) in his 80s and meeting writer Heather Morris (Lynskey), who wants to tell the world his story.
The series will be available globally starting May 2 on Peacock in the U.S., Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, along with Stan in Australia.