This Is the Most Iconic Song Arrangement in the 'Bridgerton' Soundtrack

Bridgerton is undeniably at the forefront of steamy period dramas and has a particular knack for charging nineteenth-century ballrooms with the intense emotion of a contemporary dance floor. With the new season of Bridgerton dropping on January 29, this emotional charge feels especially powerful. Its soundtrack famously transforms modern pop songs into string arrangements, proving that a good melody will transcend the boundaries of any genre and time period.

The recontextualization of popular hits allows us to connect with historical settings through their familiarity, translating complex emotions into what we know. Even though moments on the show are soundtracked by pop heavyweights, namely Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams,” nothing captures the intensity of Bridgerton like the use of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own.” The 2010s club classic is perfect for telling the story of stolen glances, forbidden love, and isolation.

Why Pop Music Feels So Natural in the World of Bridgerton

The Bridgerton soundtrack is a compilation of pop songs transformed into string arrangements, a case of historical tourism for our favorite hits. What is truly fascinating about the soundtrack style is how the feelings prompted by the original songs remain the same in the string versions but are also intensified. It’s a testament to the strong curation of the pop songs selected to feature in the show.

In Bridgerton's world, a ball is the period equivalent of a night at the club. Adapting a club classic like "Dancing On My Own," performed here by the Vitamin String Quartet, into a historical context is a stroke of genius. Not only does the arrangement succeed emotionally and musically, but its functional role also draws the viewer closer to the characters' situation. The musical narrator is in the same position, quite literally, as the Bridgerton characters, and we’re right there with them.

"Dancing On My Own" Is An Underrated Classic Perfect For the Show

“Dancing On My Own” is an electro-pop anthem, commonly referred to as a “sad banger.” This perfectly encapsulates the mixed, almost confused, energy of the song that expresses longing for love and isolation at the same time. From her perspective, Robyn does not feel good enough and is alone in a room full of people.

“Dancing On My Own” received great critical acclaim, with Pitchfork naming it the best new track when it was released in April 2010 and the best song of 2010 by The Guardian. Commercially, the single did not perform as well as its Bridgerton soundtrack companions. The Bridgerton soundtrack is sprinkled with tracks from Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Harry Styles, so it was refreshing when the series chose a more alternative path in its second season. Despite critical raves, “Dancing On My Own” remained underrated in the mainstream scene, so Bridgerton did a good job in bringing attention to the under-the-radar masterpiece.

The Lyrics That Mirror Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma’s Love Story

“Dancing On My Own” appears in the fourth episode of the second season of Bridgerton, “Victory.” The song begins as Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) share their first dance. At this point, Kate isn’t Anthony’s love interest in any official sense. She’s the older sister of Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran), the woman he is actively courting and plans to marry. Looking back, it’s painfully awkward, and that context makes the moment uncomfortable and very tense indeed.

As Kate and Anthony dance, it’s clear that there is a very particular tension between them which goes beyond politeness, and it’s obviously not the mutual dislike they both pretend to feel. As the strings carry the melody, it’s impossible not to hear the lyrics in your head if you know the song. When the camera cuts to Edwina, it lines up with the moment Robyn would sing “I keep dancing on my own,” which feels unintentionally brutal. Edwina has to watch on whilst her sister and her betrothed attempt to control their obvious attraction for one another. Thankfully, she’s clueless about the reality, and in this case, ignorance really is bliss.

Halfway through, Kate and Anthony have a heated discussion regarding his engagement to Edwina, where they both hint at him perhaps inevitably failing to make her happy due to his feelings for Kate. When he finds out she is to return to India, he rushes away emotionally, truly leaving Kate to dance on her own. Anthony and Kate's feelings are scandalous and rebellious, capturing the messiness and discomfort of youthful desire. Some things will always remain the same, no matter how much time passes.

Ultimately, the Bridgerton version of Robyn’s hit works so perfectly because of the strength of the song’s storytelling. By stripping “Dancing On My Own” down to strings, Bridgerton preserves the emotional core of the song while allowing it to be closer to the characters than to the viewer. It’s a perfect reminder that no matter the century, yearning and the discomfort of desire always sound the same. The new series of Bridgerton premieres on Netflix on January 29, and here's hoping the soundtrack still delivers all the same feelings.