Christina Perri Explains How She Wrote 'A Thousand Years'

Teen Vogue recently interviewed Christina Perri on the process of her writing 'A Thousand Years'.

The five Twilight films have featured songs by Bon Iver, Anya Marina, and Lupe Fiasco, but there's only one tune that's become the anthem for the franchise. Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years," a romantic song about the fear of falling in love, is a sleeper hit. It played during the credits of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, but after fans heard it on the movie's soundtrack, they adopted it as the song to stand for Bella and Edward's romance. Christina was asked to record a new version of the tune for Breaking Dawn—Part 2, and this rendition is an acoustic duet featuring Tony Award-winner Steve Kazee from the Broadway show Once. We spoke to Christina about what first inspired the song and the new music she's recording.

How'd it feel to hear that your song would be featured a second time?

"It was such an incredible day. I received a phone call that during a screening for Breaking Dawn – Part 2, they put in 'A Thousand Years' as a temp, and they had planned to use a new song. But when they watched it together, they said, 'this is it.' I was asked if I minded recording it again, and I said, 'no!' I got to re-do it with a full orchestra, and I made it a duet and added a verse. I'm super honored. I'm literally sporting my Breaking Dawn t-shirt right now."

What first inspired you to write it?

"The producers came to me in 2011 and said, 'can you write a song for Breaking Dawn – Part 1?' So I went and saw the film six months before it came out, and wrote 'A Thousand Years' for Edward and Bella. I'm not a vampire, even though I wish I was, but I tried to step into their love story."

During which moments does your song play?

"In Breaking Dawn – Part 1, the song was in the credits. And it was the second credit song, so most of the people had pretty much left the theatre, but it connected with all of the fans more than the singles from the soundtrack and the bigger scenes. So that's what makes it really special that they asked me if it could be in the most epic six minutes of the final film. It plays during the last moments that we see Edward and Bella, and then a curtain call of the whole cast, so it's pretty epic. Now the song is not just for Edward and Bella; it's for the whole franchise. It's crazy for my little Twihard heart."

You also just released a holiday album.

"I'm such a Christmas fanatic—beyond my family and the holiday, musically, Christmas carols are the first songs I ever performed. So doing a Christmas EP was inevitable for me; I've always wanted to record one. I did seven songs."

Are you working on new music now?

"I'm smack in the middle of making album two. I was on tour for 27 months, but then I jumped right into it. Fortunately or unfortunately, I keep falling in and out of love, so I've got tons of material! I'll start recording at the beginning of next year, and it'll come out in 2013."

What other movies would you like to write songs for?

"I love The Hunger Games. I'm such a book nerd! We'll see."