Disney has officially released the highly anticipated song "Love Power" by Idina Menzel from the upcoming film Disenchanted. The film is the long-awaited sequel to the 2007 movie Enchanted, starring Amy Adams as Giselle, a young, would-be princess whose life is turned upside down when she leaves her fairytale world and falls into modern day New York City. Its sequel has been discussed for some time but only recently got off the ground; Disenchanted will debut as a Disney+ exclusive this weekend and picks up a few years after the first film. Giselle has grown disillusioned by her life in the real world and wishes for a fairytale, only to inflict a curse upon herself and the ones she loves.
The latest video released by Walt Disney Studios gives audiences a taste of "Love Power", Menzel's second featured musical number in the sequel Disenchanted. The video intercuts scenes from the upcoming film with Menzel's Nancy belting her performance next to Morgan Philip, Giselle's step-daughter. The music swells as magical memories swirl around the two, seemingly transporting them to Andalasia in the process. This fairy godmother-esque moment shows off Menzel's vocal excellence that fans of hers have come to expect. Watch the full video below:
Disenchanted Is Making Up For Enchanted's Biggest Mistake
The Broadway actor rose to stardom in 1996 after making her debut as Maureen in the musical Rent, a role Menzel later reprised in the film adaptation. Her performance received a Tony Award nomination, boosting her status within the theater world. Later, when Menzel starred in Wicked as Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, her Tony-winning performance garnered her a dedicated fan base which allowed her to transition to on-screen roles. Since Menzel achieved this prior to appearing in Enchanted, it is confusing that Disney would downplay her talent for their live-action fantasy musical. After all, one of her most notable onscreen roles, as Rachel Berry's mom Shelby on Glee, allowed her to sing on multiple occasions.
It is then a relief that Disenchanted is finally using Menzel's vocal talent after it was strangely absent from the original film. In a recent interview, Adams revealed that she believes not having Menzel sing was Enchanted's biggest mistake, expressing excitement for her featured song. Adams did most of the singing in Enchanted, with James Marsden also contributing some vocals. While both have commendable singing voices, Menzel's can arguably be deemed the best of them all. That she will now get the chance to show it off for Disenchanted only makes the sequel more intriguing. Enchanted gave Menzel her first role in a Disney movie, which helped set the stage for a successful working relationship with the studio.
Since the first Enchanted film premiered in 2007, Menzel has become a household name within the Disney brand. Menzel starred as Queen Elsa in 2014's animated smash hit Frozen. Not only did Menzel gain mainstream recognition for the depth she brought to the character of Elsa, she broke records with the Oscar and Grammy-winning song "Let It Go," which has become an iconic Disney anthem. The studio is likely hoping to recapture some of that success in Menzel's Disenchanted ballad, "Love Power," a song that already sounds perfect for her powerhouse vocals.
Source: Walt Disney Studios/YouTube