Once again, Ted Lasso has proven that its music team knows exactly how to set the mood.
The soundtrack for Ted Lasso Season 4 delivered plenty of memorable moments, but the premiere of the finale’s opening credits brought an especially striking surprise: an emotional cover of the “Ted Lasso Theme” performed by 11-time Grammy Award winner Brandi Carlile.
The result was every bit as gorgeous as fans could have hoped. The complete version of Carlile’s cover is available to hear here and below.
The exact path that brought Carlile to the Ted Lasso title track remains unclear. The original theme was co-written and recorded by Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons alongside composer Tom Howe. Still, Carlile and Mumford have a long-standing friendship and creative partnership, regularly writing, recording, and performing together. Their collaboration can also be heard on “How,” from Mumford’s 2022 “(self-titled)” album, which they co-wrote and performed.
That close relationship may have helped bring the new Ted Lasso rendition to life. Another possible connection is Christa Miller, the series’ music supervisor, who has previously worked with Carlile.
Miller is also the music supervisor—and a cast member—on Shrinking, the Apple TV+ comedy from Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein, and Jason Segel. The Season 3 finale of that series featured a memorable Brandi Carlile track as well.
Carlile’s “You Without Me” played over the closing moments of Shrinking Season 3, and Miller previously explained the story behind the song’s appearance to DECIDER.
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“I think one of the best moments was Brandi Carlile’s song, which my daughter’s fiancé, Andrew Watt, produced,” Miller told DECIDER during the Shrinking Season 3 press day. “I heard it two years ago, and the second I heard it, I was like, ‘Well, that’s the first song for Shrinking! It has to be! I want it!’ And he’s like, ‘It’s not even finished. It’s being produced, relax.’ So last year I wanted it again. I’m like, ‘It’s for Shrinking!’ He’s like, ‘It’s not ready.’ And it was actually a blessing in disguise. It really should have been for this season.”
Eventually, Miller received the call she had been hoping for, though several other productions were also pursuing the song. “Brandi and her wife Catherine called me and said, ‘We have four other shows that want the song.’ And we were in the middle of shooting, and I’ve never done this before, but I was like, ‘We’re buying it! We want it!’” Miller recalled. “And because we had it so early, I was able to bring it to Bill and the writers, who loved it. Thank god. So they wrote for it. And that makes it a whole different ballgame.”
Fans will have to wait for the full story behind Carlile’s Ted Lasso cover—and perhaps an explanation for her custom AFC Richmond jersey. Even without those details, the performance made for a deeply moving conclusion to the show’s first women’s season. A fitting final touch from the Ted Lasso team.
Ted Lasso Season 4 is now streaming on Apple TV.