Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid (2023) officially splashed into theaters on Friday, and with it, has introduced a brand new Ariel to the next generation of fans. But years before she was ever considered for the leading role, Halle Bailey might’ve accidentally manifested playing a mermaid in her debut album cover.

Rob Marshall’s The Little Mermaid has only been out for a matter of days. But it’s safe to say that Halle Bailey has already blown everyone out of the water with her portrayal of the free-spirited, headstrong Princess Ariel.

Following a similar story to the beloved animated classic of the same name, the new movie sees Bailey starring alongside an A-list cast from the likes of Javier Bardem, who plays King Triton, Melissa McCarthy, who plays the conniving sea witch, Ursula, and Daveed Diggs, who lends his voice to Triton’s right-hand crustacean, Sebastian.
Watch the official trailer for Walt Disney Studios’ The Little Mermaid below:
Audience reviews are starting to trickle in, and so far, it seems like The Little Mermaid is shaping up to be one of Disney’s best live-action reboots to date. And although she faced a wave of racist backlash after being cast in the role of Ariel, Bailey’s performance as Ariel is wowing even the staunchest critics—thanks to her effortless charm and scene-stealing vocals.
Bailey, a Grammy-nominated recording artist, gets plenty of chances to shine in the film, with her goosebump-raising version of “Part of Your World,” on top of a new original song, “For the First Time,” penned by Hamilton creator Lin Manuel-Miranda.

Of course, this isn’t the multi-hyphenate singer’s first rodeo. Bailey has been in R&B duo Chloe x Halle with her sister, Chloe, since 2011, even gaining the attention of Beyoncé, who became their mentor and later signed them to her label, Parkwood Entertainment.

But long before they were nominated for Grammys, Billboard Music Awards, and virtually everything in between, Chloe x Halle released their critically-acclaimed mixtape The Two of Us in 2017—featuring cover art that seems a bit too much of a coincidence when considering Halle’s Disney future.
On the album art, Halle can be seen sitting next to her sister on a pink flamingo pool float, wearing—hilariously enough—a blue mermaid tail. Check out the image below:

While it may just be a funny coincidence that she rocked a mermaid tail in one of her first mixtape covers, it seems like Bailey was truly destined to go “Under the Sea.” And based on fans and critics’ responses, Bailey’s performance in the new movie only goes to show that she was born to play the role of Ariel.
Are you heading to theaters to see The Little Mermaid this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.