After all the buzz and hype for 2013’s Frozen, there was a moment when the Anna and Elsa were seemingly everywhere. Look back at your 2014 Halloween pictures: armies of Elsa’s were likely swarming! And above all else, one song became iconic. You know the one. Who needs a karaoke machine when you’ve heard “Let It Go” as much as its been played? It was Disney’s first hit pop song in a while and transcended the success of the animated musical.
Among 2019’s final big releases is Frozen II and Idina Menzel’s Elsa is coming back to belt out more empowering songs to play in the background of our brains. Six years after “Let It Go”, the voice actress/singer remains grateful for the viral song. In her words:
"Let It Go" — as much as it might be annoying to a lot of moms out there, and dads — it’s one of the great gifts of my career. It’s given me a way of communicating and connecting with young people that brings me so much joy. And also, it's a reminder to a woman in her 40s who has to be a role model to young people to practice what you preach.
Looks like the haters never bothered her anyway! (Sorry, had to – the song is already stuck in all our heads right?) It’s great to hear Idina Menzel’s massive hit hasn’t been tarnished all these years later and she has a grounded perspective on how important it has been in her career. Hardcore Menzel fans may still be floored by all the notes she hits in Wicked’s “Defying Gravity” but “Let It Go” is universal and has given her a chance to give a generation a lasting childhood memory.
Idina Menzel also celebrates that she was able to reach such fame at 42 years old – something not a load of women in Hollywood have accomplished. Not to mention how groundbreaking Elsa is to Disney canon! No love interest, no problem! Her character has even begun discussions about LGBT representation in animation, even if gay Elsa doesn’t seem to be Disney’s current plans.
Looking forward, Idina Menzel teased Elsa’s new songs in Frozen II to The Hollywood Reporter:
"Into the Unknown," and then there’s another song called "Show Yourself," which is pretty spectacular as well. Everyone always asks is it the next "Let it Go"? That's lightning in a bottle. All I know is this music really moved me when I heard it, and it moved me more when I was interpreting it.
There are high expectations for fans following the massive success of Frozen. How does a sequel top the songs of the original? Menzel’s next big track is “Into the Unknown” which will have Elsa singing about a calling into her uncharted origins that Frozen II will take audiences on. The song was presented at D23 Expo, which CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg described as when he attended as “an amazing track” with “the full power of Idina Menzel's voice pushing you into the back of your chair”.
Josh Gad, who plays Olaf in the Frozen films, recently said the songs in the sequel are even better and “catchier” than the original! Fans can of course judge for themselves when Frozen II hits theaters on November 22.
