The second (and possibly last) season of Carole & Tuesday dropped on Netflix over the holidays, and along with tying up a lot of loose ends, the season delivered a brand new setlist of incredible original songs. Whereas the plot of the first season largely revolved around a variety of debuting artists competing, this time around Carole & Tuesday are working on an album.
A noticeable change in season two's soundtrack is that the songs are more deliberate and meaningful. That's because our dynamic duo has established themselves as talented musicians and are exploring the impact their songs can have. Meanwhile, the growing cast of side characters deals with free speech issues in the music industry and healing both old and new wounds through performance.
10 Carole & Tuesday ft. Crystal - After The Fire
In the wake of all the distressing world events that take place during the second season—terrorist attacks, xenophobia, and corruption, to name a few—Carole and Tuesday are frustrated and want to do something about it. "After the fire" is a song written to address these feelings and spread hope in dark times.
When Gus surprises the girls with the opportunity to sing at the Mars Grammys alongside pro singer Crystal, they get to work putting together a song that meets her high expectations. After much agonizing about how to send their message, Carole & Tuesday complete "After the fire," fulfilling Crystal's desire to sing about more than just how the world is.
9 Ezekiel - Crash The Server
This music video is a wake-up call to the people of Mars, and for Carole and Tuesday especially. In response to presidential candidate Valerie Simmons' promise to deport immigrants from Earth, former Terran refugee Amer (now going by his rapper name, Ezekiel) drops a musical call-to-arms against such blatant xenophobia.
Ezekiel and his music are a big part of the season's larger rebuke of the systemic racism and nationalism in current American politics. Shortly after releasing "Crash The Server," the Mars division of ICE makes an example of Ezekiel, arresting him for illegal immigration.
8 Ertegun - Take Me Now
Season two was a rough time for a lot of the characters in Carole & Tuesday, and even the massively successful Ertegun doesn't escape unscathed. After losing everything and fighting to get it back, Ertegun performs "Take Me Now" at the Cydonia Festival, signifying his return to form.
Though the new track is Ertegun's usual brand of EDM, it's still a big moment for the redeemed DJ. Given how easily the public turned against him when he lost his fortune, Ertegun is convinced he will fade into obscurity. When the festival crowd responds to his trademark concert banter of "who am I" once more, Ertegun regains his full self-confidence.
7 Carole & Tuesday - Threads
Technically this song isn't performed on-screen, but it's still sung by Carole & Tuesday and presumably is part of their impending album release when it's played. This somber, beautiful track is the background theme when Carole and Tuesday start to drift apart.
For the second time in the series, the girls are out of sync. Tuesday is wrapped up in a secret crush that ends in heartbreak, and Carole is upset that despite expressing her undying support for her partner, Tuesday won't fully confide in her. In one of the most touching moments of the duo's story, they reconnect on the bridge where they first met.
6 Flora - Give You The World
Flora's "Give You The World" has a complicated history for the former star, who has fallen on hard times when she first appears in the story. As the song that made Flora popular years before, it has a special place in her heart but simultaneously reminds her of the mistakes she made in her career.
With Gus as her manager, Flora was becoming a star, but after leaving him behind for a record deal, her life went downhill. Having sworn off singing, Flora seeks out Gus once more years later. The former singer seems hopelessly inconsolable until hearing Gus' new managees, Carole & Tuesday, cover her first hit.
5 Angela - Breathe Again
Of all the main characters, Angela goes through the most hardship, self-reflection, and change this season. "Breathe Again" is the start of that journey for Carole & Tuesday's rival. Perhaps inspired by the events that closed out season one, Angela's record deal announcement track is about new beginnings and freedom.
The song could be considered a little ironic since the life of freedom Angela believes she's winning through singing is still wildly out of her control. "Breathe Again" is a thematic calm before the storm coming her way, unknowingly her last chance to breathe easy until the very end of the series.
4 Ertegun ft. Angela - Lights Go Out
Season one gave brief glimpses that the self-serving superstar Ertegun could be redeemed when given the chance. During the course of the second installment's events, he figuratively and literally has to face the music when his life of luxury is stripped away by a mistreated A.I., and "Lights Go Out" is a redemptive comeback for him.
Roddy takes in the penniless, destitute DJ and convinces him to return to his roots of composing with a keyboard instead of A.I. music software. In a scene that's equally sincere and humiliating, Ertegun beatboxes his idea for a new EDM song, "Lights Go Out," in front of Tao to earn Angela's collaboration in performing it.
3 Ezekiel - Lonestar Jazz
Recorded from his jail cell, "Lonestar Jazz" is both a continuation of Ezekiel's government protest and an apology to Carole for not acknowledging their past lives as best friends in a refugee camp on Earth. With his deportation to Earth imminent, Ezekiel gives Carole what she hoped for—hearing the "voice" of her friend Amer, not the persona he adopted on Mars.
The plot points surrounding Ezekiel are part of what makes this season so much heavier than the first. It's one of several interwoven stories of remembering who you are and where you came from in Carole & Tuesday. While season one was more about escaping to a new life, the characters have to start facing their pasts this time around.
2 Carole & Tuesday - Army Of Two
When their manager turns down the record deal from Mars' Brightest, it's Carole & Tuesday versus the world. "Army of Two" is their declaration that they plan to fight for themselves as independent artists. Much like Angela's "Breathe Again," the first song the girls write after the competition is meant to set the tone for where they're headed.
For Carole & Tuesday, the message proves true. From a street performance that lures the legendary producer Tobe to their cause, to the album version featuring a new group of backing musicians, "Army of Two" is a powerful independent debut that puts them on the path to success.
1 Voices From Mars - Mother
It's the seven-minute miracle referenced in the intro of every episode of the show. Even the near-death Desmond and grief-stricken Angela show up to participate in the musical collaboration that grabs the attention of everyone on Mars.
With the social and political climate worsening by the day, Carole & Tuesday write their final song of the season about freedom, connection, and commonality. Whether "Mother" is interpreted literally (like for Tuesday and Angela) or figuratively (about humanity's Earthly origins), this song is the climax and thematic convergence of the story.