This week, I’ve had Lana Del Rey’s “Once Upon a Dream” #OnRepeat. I just recently came across this recording and can’t get enough of Lana’s haunting interpretation of this Disney classic.

Lana Del Rey (born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant)is a model, singer, and songwriter from New York state who got her start performing in underground night clubs in New York City. Her music blends Pop, Psychedelic Rock, Hip-Hop, Indie Rock, Country, and Electronic music. Some of her most well-known songs are “Video Games,” “Ride,” “Young and Beautiful,” and “I Can Fly.”

“Once Upon a Dream” is a song written in 1959 for the animated Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty, used during the scene in the film where Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip dance together for the first time. Lana Del Rey’s version of this song was released for the 2014 Disney film, Maleficent, a re-telling of the Sleeping Beauty story from a different perspective. Del Rey’s use of the lower part of her range, her full, raspy timbre, and the use of piano and radio effects definitely give this version of “Once Upon a Dream” a darker feel. The waltz-like feel is still apparent in this arrangement, adding to the song’s eccentric, yet lullaby-like quality.

Take a listen below:

Do you have any cover songs you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

This week, I’ve had “Lava (From the Pixar short, Lava)”, sung by Kuana Torres Kahele and Napua Greig. I came across this song randomly on Pandora and is the perfect soundtrack right now with the weather gradually heating up.

The song, “Lava,” is from the animated musical short film of the same name: Lava. It was produced by Pixar and released at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival in 2014, later being released with the Pixar movie, Inside Out, in 2015. The short film is a love story that spans millions of years, focusing on a lonely volcano named Uku who wishes for a mate of his own. He sings this song to the ocean each day, unaware of an underwater volcano named Lele who has fallen in love with him and his song.

The lyrics, which were written by the director, James Ford Murphy, are simple yet full of meaning. I’ve always been a fan of Polynesian music (both traditional and non-traditional), and while “Lava” wasn’t written by someone of Polynesian descent, the influence and intent is still there. The choice to use only guitar for the instrumentation is not only an indicator of Polynesian musical influence, but it also creates an intimacy with the viewers and listeners who are hearing the story, making it more personal. I truly appreciated how Murphy brought the full storyline into the song, letting you see how the love story progresses over (literally) thousands of years. It is also endearing to hear the volcanoes sing to each other, giving the impression that volcanoes are like humans, searching their entire lives for a companion and someone to love.

Take a listen below:

Do you have a song or singer you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

This week, I’ve had Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick’s version of “True Colors” #OnRepeat. I’ve actually been listening to this song for several weeks, so I decided to write about it since I just can’t get enough of it.

Justin Timberlake is a singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer from Tennessee who got his start on the television show, The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, later becoming a lead vocalist for the boy band N’Sync. After starting a solo career in the early 2000s, Timberlake won multiple Grammy and Billboard Music Awards. Some of his most well-known songs are “My Love,” “Rocky Your Body,” “Suit & Tie,” and, most recently, “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”

Anna Kendrick is an actress and singer from Portland, Maine who began acting in theater productions as a child. She became well-known for her role in the Twilight film saga and gained attention as a singer when she took on lead roles in the musicals, Pitch Perfect and Into the Woods.

The song, “True Colors,” which was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, was originally performed by Cindy Lauper. The themes and messages of love, acceptance, compassion, and empathy make the song poignant and powerful; a timeless song that can even be applied now to current situations, both foreign and domestic. Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick’s version of this song adds intimacy and reflection through the use of vocal harmony and acoustic guitar, and Anna and Justin’s unique vocal timbres blend well together, almost musically mirroring the message of togetherness in the song. This has definitely been added to my list of favorite songs.

Take a listen below:

What do you think? What are some other singers or songs that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

This week, I’ve had the song, “How Does a Moment Last Forever,” from the live-action version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. To be honest, I’ve been listening to the songs from the soundtrack for weeks now in preparation for the release of this movie (since this was one of my favorites growing up), and when I came across this song, the melody has been stuck in my head ever since.

Beauty and the Beast is the tale of a young woman who is imprisoned by a beast in an enchanted castle after trading places with her father who was punished for taking a rose from the castle garden. The beast was once a prince who was cursed by an enchantress for his arrogant behavior; and his curse can only be broken by learning to love another and receive love in return. There are obvious themes of love and redemption, but also the need for the sense of belonging.

Several of the characters in the story are mourning the loss of loved ones who have passed and frequently revisit memories of their loved ones. This concept of trying to cling to memories of loved ones–and possibly even trying to relive those memories–are especially apparent in the song, “How Does a Moment Last Forever.” Although the song is performed by Emma Watson (who plays Belle) and Celine Dion (who I grew up listening to and consider a powerhouse in terms of Pop and Ballad music), it is actually Kevin Kline’s performance that impressed me and stood out the most of the three. Kevin Kline plays Maurice, Belle’s father, and during the brief moment where he actually sings, it doesn’t feel like a performance. It is a musical that he is a part of, and he’s technically performing to some degree because he’s singing a song, but it doesn’t feel elaborate or grandiose like the other numbers (“Be Our Guest” or “Belle”). It feels intimate, simplistic, and vulnerable in nature, and Kline’s pleasant tone exemplifies these sentiments as he softly sings to his tiny music box. I think we forget sometimes, as performers, that something as simple as someone singing to themselves or to another person can be so real just in that one private moment. It is truly one of the most profound moments in the movie just based on the context of the moment and Kline’s delivery alone.

Take a listen below:

Is there a song or artist that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!