As flames rose up on the screen behind her, Becky G performed the red-hot song “The Fire Inside” at Sunday’s (March 10) 2024 Oscars. The best original song nominee, with music and lyrics by Diane Warren, is from the biographical film Flamin’ Hot, which tells the story of Richard Montañez, the former Frito-Lay janitor who claims to have invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Becky G started the performance on her own — wearing a two-piece black bralette and skirt ensemble with long gloves to match — and was then flanked by 10 girls in white shirts and red pants to sing along with her and a 12-woman choir on the side stages, as well as a full orchestra elevated above the flames behind her.
The Mexican-American singer ended the performance by joining hands with the girls at her side before receiving a standing ovation from the Oscars crowd, which included the song’s nominated writer, Warren, in a black blazer with flames climbing up the lapels and Flamin’ Hot director Eva Longoria.
“The Fire Inside” is Warren’s 15th song to be nominated in the achievement in music written for motion pictures (original song) category at the Oscars, and in an interview with Billboard, she admitted it’s “kind of my theme song.”
“The song’s really about passion,” Warren said. “As I was writing it, I’m thinking, ‘I’m like that, too.’ I’m the person always having to convince people and fight for what I believe in. I’ve always been a self-starter. I’m pretty persistent. This is kind of my theme song, too, I have to say.”
Warren is up against Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt (“I’m Just Ken” from Barbie); Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson (“It Never Went Away” from American Symphony); Scott George (“Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon); and Billie Eilish and Finneas (“What Was I Made For?” from Barbie) for best original song.
