The Bridgerton universe is dripping in glamour thanks to its sumptuous set design and intricate costumes. But one element really makes this world pop — the orchestral pop covers lighting up the soundtrack. Everything from Madonna’s 1980s hit “Material Girl” (covered by Kris Bowers)  to Billie Eilish’s Gen Z banger “bad guy” (as performed by Vitamin String Quartet) has graced the Bridgerton ballroom. 

Naturally, the sonic world of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is maintaining that trend, with an extra surprise befitting its royal subject: Each and every pop cover in the prequel is in homage to a Black woman artist’s song. “It was important to honor Queen Charlotte with her own musical palette… and that felt like Charlotte’s essence,” Alexandra Patsavas, Queen Charlotte music supervisor and a longtime collaborator of creator Shonda Rhimes, tells Tudum.  

Fittingly, the queen of modern music — Beyoncé — is showing up for the queen of Bridgerton (India Amarteifio and Golda Rosheuvel).Here’s a full list of all the orchestral covers you’ll find in Queen Charlotte’s soundtrack: 

1. “Halo” (Beyoncé cover) by Brian Chan and Caleb Chan
2. “If I Ain’t Got You” (Alicia Keys cover) by Vitamin String Quartet 
3. “Déjà Vu” (Beyoncé cover) by Audiostation 
4. “Run the World” (Beyoncé cover) by Brian Chan and Caleb Chan
5. “Nobody Gets Me” (SZA cover) by Brian Chan and Caleb Chan
6. “I Will Always Love You” (Whitney Houston cover) by Vitamin String Quartet

Keys also rerecorded a sung version of her 2003 classic “If I Ain’t Got You” for Queen Charlotte as a celebration of the Grammy-winning song’s 20th anniversary. The track is accompanied by a first-of-its-kind orchestra made up of more than 70 women of color who hail from all over the world, including Sweden, South Africa and France. 

“Alicia’s participation is so thrilling for this project,” says Patsavas, who’s particularly excited about the music video for the rerecorded song. “It’s just gorgeous in a beautiful Bridgerton sort of setting, with the costumes and the immensely talented women.” 

Composer Kris Bowers, who has shaped the Bridgerton universe’s musical sensibilities since Season 1, whipped up a classical piece of his own for Queen Charlotte, “A Feeling I’ve Never Been.” The song plays during young Queen Charlotte and young King George’s wedding. 

“So much [of the music] comes together in the edit. What were the costumes going to be? The set design, the hair?” Patsavas says. “And it’s breathtaking, I think.” 

Patsavas is equally moved by the inclusion of Chevalier de Saint-Georges — “colloquially known as Joseph Bologne,” she says — in the orchestral portion of the soundtrack. “He was of the Georgian era and French Creole,” explains Patsavas. “So he was the first acknowledged man of color who was a really world-famous virtuoso violinist and composer.” 

The Bridgerton universe’s Queen Charlotte would certainly approve. 

You can waltz along to every stirring rendition right now and listen to the complete Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story covers album below.