The Little Mermaid live-action featuring Halle Bailey as Ariel officially hits theaters on May 26, but the original soundtrack is here to keep us company until then. Highlighting classic and brand-new original songs, The Little Mermaid original soundtrack is undoubtedly one of the most satisfactory live-action albums to date. Alongside the talented artists, the legendary Alan Menken returns to provide his familiar touch to the instrumentals, helping create a magical world that feeds into the stunning escapism of Disney fairytales.
We all knew we were in for something spectacular the moment we got our first sneak peek of Halle Bailey’s voice as Ariel, and no matter some of the critiques on the CGI, there’s no denying that Bailey’s a shining star here. Her rendition of “Part of Your World,” as well as the reprise, are so beautifully soulful and evocative that if these are your favorite Disney songs, chances are you’ll start to adore them even more. Bailey was born to bring her voice and heart to Ariel, and that much is perfectly clear from The Little Mermaid original soundtrack alone.
Yet, there’s another surprising twist in the soundtrack that comes from our Prince Eric, Jonah Hauer-King, and an original song titled “Wilded Uncharted Waters.” In the same way that the Beauty and The Beast original soundtrack gives us a brand new track with “Evermore,” this new song is about to go down in Disney history. We’re already obsessing over it and have yet to see the scene where Hauer-King brings it to life. But what’s so vital here is that “Wild Uncharted Waters” gives an incredible voice to Eric’s point of view—a perspective we get very little of in the original animated film. This way, we get to know our hero a little more, and it comes in the form of a catchy, emotionally charged song full of heartfelt lyrics.
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Daveed Diggs brings the most lively rendition to Sebastian’s voice, and Alan Menken’s astounding compositions bring centerfold the emotions that stir the narrative along. “Kiss The Girl” and “Under The Sea” are better than imagined, and Melissa McCarthy’s “Poor Unfortunate Souls” is ridiculously fun. Familiar sounds make the album a stunning hit and one to combine with our never-ending Disney playlists. Everything that Bailey and Menken bring to the table defines Disney magic with a gorgeous sound that people will talk about for years to come.
Listen to The Little Mermaid original soundtrack below, and let us know which tracks are your favorites.