Halle Bailey Loved Working on Songs With “Living Legend” Alan Menken

in Disney, Entertainment

Halle Bailey on singing the little mermaid songs for alan menken

Credit: ITM

There has been no shortage of interviews of actress Halle Bailey circling this week as we ramp up for the premiere of the highly anticipated, critically-praised live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Of course, one could hardly talk about the film without eventually mentioning Alan Menken.

One of the biggest draws of The Little Mermaid is, of course, the music. Composed by legendary Disney team Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, this was the first in a series of three Disney musicals that put the company back on the map – the next two being Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, the latter of which Ashman also penned the story for before his untimely death.

Alan Menken is a Living Disney Legend

Alan Menken
Credit: Disney

Related: Early Viewers Call ‘The Little Mermaid’ The Best Live-Action Disney Movie Ever Made

Menken and Ashman are a large part of why Disney is the musical powerhouse it is today, and those in the business are well aware of that. It is, therefore, not surprising that the new Ariel, Halle Bailey, was so excited to work with him.

She said:

I mean, Alan Menken was just a legend. He’s a living legend, and being able to sing these songs that he has written so beautifully – it was an honor. The singer in me was screaming with glee, wanted to do these songs justice, from the work Jodi Benson did so beautifully. I felt like I just had to give it my all because of the beautiful work that was left for us. I just really went into that with the mindset.

Related: Original Ariel Won’t Give Advice to Halle Bailey For New ‘Little Mermaid’ Movie

Recording Songs For ‘The Little Mermaid’ Was Something Special

Bailey also discussed the powerful feeling of being able to sing The Little Mermaid songs in front of a hundred-piece orchestra; both the classics – like the slightly re-worked “Kiss the Girl” – and the new ones that Alan Menken wrote especially for the new film.

Me and Jonah had a beautiful opportunity to sing in front of this hundred-piece orchestra that was recording strings the day we got to go in and record our vocals over these new scores of the songs…it was just a dream.

Ariel and Eric "Kiss the Girl" scene, leaning in on boat, from The Little Mermaid 2023 remake
Credit: Disney

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Halle Bailey and Jonah-Hauer King, along with the rest of the cast, have put their names in Disney history forever by being part of this remake, and it’s evident that that feeling was palpable for everyone in the recording studio.

We’ll see how all that hard work and dedication paid off when The Little Mermaid finally releases in theaters on May 26.

Are you excited to hear the new songs Alan Menken wrote for The Little Mermaid? Let us know in the comments!

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