One of the great successes of the the Walt Disney Company Animation Studios has been its ability to find winning songs and well known singers to perform them. Think “Let It Go” from Frozen! I wonder if Idina Menzel knew what was in store for her when she recorded that iconic song? This new song for “Wish,” performed by Ariana DeBose, might just be another one. At least I’m sure Ariana and Disney are crossing their fingers and hoping history repeats itself. Both Menzel and Dubose were famous Broadway performers before they joined the Disney family. I guess the question is, does Disney popularity translate into pop success? Does recording a hit Disney song mean an artist can grow new, multi generational audiences that follow him/her for years into the future? History tells us it just might. Julie Andrews brought Mary Poppins to life, Randy Newman performed “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story and Benjamin Bratt soulfully sang “Remember Me” in Coco. They built their fan base by partnering with Disney. My fingers are crossed for Ariana DeBose too.
