One has to wonder who exactly makes up the Academy’s music branch—and what motivates some of its more baffling choices. The nomination of the operatic “Sweet Dreams of Joy” from the little-seen Italian documentary Viva Verdi! is the kind of selection that will likely be debated for years to come.

The documentary itself is modest in scope. It plays more like a well-produced PBS feature than an Oscar contender, chronicling retired Italian musicians living at Casa Verdi in Milan—a retirement home founded by Giuseppe Verdi in 1896. There, aging artists mentor younger performers, rediscovering how music can sustain vitality and purpose late in life. It’s a pleasant and earnest portrait, but hardly the sort of film one would expect to generate an Academy Award–nominated original song.

Which raises the inevitable question: how did composer Nicholas Pike break through? Pike is a respected industry veteran, and a quick glance at photos of him alongside Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, and Bono suggests he’s hardly an outsider. Industry relationships often matter in branch-driven categories, and while Pike has not previously been nominated, his longstanding presence may have quietly worked in his favor. In a category where familiarity and reputation can carry weight, that wouldn’t be unprecedented.

Still, the nomination landed as one of the morning’s biggest surprises—particularly given the omission of more expected contenders. Stephen Schwartz, for example, a frequent nominee with nine prior nominations and three wins, was widely assumed to be in the mix for Wicked: For Good. Instead, voters opted for a far more obscure entry.

Ultimately, though, the broader context of the race may render the surprise moot. “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters has become a cultural juggernaut and appears poised to dominate the category. In that sense, the rest of the lineup—however puzzling—may simply be competing for second place.