Halle Bailey is set to make a big impression as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
The singer-actress has debuted her rendition of “Part of Your World” from the 1989 animated film before the highly anticipated film hits theaters next month. Halle lets her vocals soar as she reinvents the classic, which was originally performed by Jodi Benson.
In an interview with Apple Music, she explained why the song means so much to her.
“The song ‘Part of Your World’ means so much to me,” she explained to Zane Lowe. “I mean, this movie has meant so much to a lot of us since I was a little girl, but this song has really stuck with me since I was a little girl.” Every time I hear Jodi Benson sing it, the nostalgia that I feel is incredible, and it fills me with so much joy.”
Halle was ecstatic to reimagine the classic song. “I took inspiration from the original, really based off the amazing base that we had of the original already,” she explained. “I mean, Jodi Benson is an iconic singer, but she’s also such a lovely person on the inside and out.” So, when redoing an already great song, you just have to do your best to honor the original while also not being afraid to make it your own. So that’s exactly what I attempted.”
The Little Mermaid, starring Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, and Awkwafina, will be released in theaters on May 26. The soundtrack, which includes music by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda, will be released on May 19 and will include three new songs: “For the First Time,” “Wild Uncharted Waters,” and “Scuttlebutt.”
