Has Disney Lost Its Musical Edge?

What Mufasa and Moana 2 tell us about the future of your favorite animated musical franchises

Jan 07, 2025

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Picture yourself in a Disney story meeting. You've been handed what seems like an impossible task: Write new songs for a Lion King prequel. Not just any songs—they need to capture the same magic that made "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata" instant classics. They should honor African musical traditions while still topping the Billboard charts. And they need to somehow feel both familiar and fresh to audiences who can sing every word of the originals.

This was composer Lin-Manuel Miranda's challenge with 2024's Mufasa: The Lion King. Despite his proven ability to craft chart-topping Disney songs (remember 2021's "We Don't Talk About Bruno"?), critics dismissed the soundtrack as "lifeless and bland." A few months later, Moana 2 faced similar scrutiny. But before we judge these new scores too harshly, we need to understand the musical architecture that made the originals soar.

The Original Lion King's Musical DNA

Take the opening moments of the original Lion King. When Lebo M.'s resonant Zulu chant "Nants ingonyama" rings out over the savanna, something remarkable happens harmonically. As vocalist Carmen Twilley's enters, the melody begins a careful dance—always returning "home" while allowing the harmony to trace evolving patterns. The chords mirror the circle of life itself: constant motion that somehow ends where it began.

What makes a song feel both fresh and timeless? Consider Elton John's radio version of "Circle of Life." While most of us remember it as a soaring pop anthem, it's actually built on an intricate foundation of cultural fusion. Elton John's power balladry sits atop a careful architecture designed by composer Hans Zimmer, lyricist Tim Rice, and South African singer Lebo M.

This approach reaches new heights in "Hakuna Matata." At first listen, it might seem like just another comedic Disney number (complete with flatulent warthog). But pay attention to what happens in the instrumental bridge. As young Simba sings about his newfound philosophy, the orchestration begins to shift. Elton John's longtime bassist Phil Spaulding lays down a sinuous fretless bass line while strings swell in ethereal harmony. Then comes the magic - young Simba's voice transforms into adult Simba (Joseph Williams - and yes, he's the son of composer John Williams!). In mere seconds, we hear a cub become a king.

Mufasa's Musical Challenge

So how do you follow up perfection? Lin-Manuel Miranda's score for Mufasa is an intriguing detour from the original's pop-meets-world-music formula. His opening number "Melele" (Swahili for "forever") trades arena rock for intricate Broadway-style counterpoint. When Mufasa's parents Afia (Noni Rose) and Masego (Keith David) weave their voices together, we're hearing Miranda's signature style—the same layered, conversational approach that made Hamilton revolutionary.

Miranda even makes some historically informed choices his predecessor didn't. The original Lion King famously used Zulu lyrics, but since Pride Rock is meant to be in East Africa, Miranda's use of Swahili is actually more geographically accurate. Yet something curious happens—in gaining academic authenticity, some critics argue the music loses the raw emotional power that made the original transcend language barriers.

Listen to "I Always Wanted to Be a Brother," Miranda's answer to "Hakuna Matata." Instead of using timbre to show the passage of time, he employs expanding choral arrangements. We start with two British-accented cubs singing over West African highlife rhythms (an interesting colonial tension that deserves its own episode). As the song progresses, more voices join in layers of harmony, creating a sonic metaphor for growing up. It's clever musical theater craft, but would you find yourself humming it in the shower?

From "How Far I'll Go" to "Beyond"

Moana 2 might present an ever bigger challenge than The Lion King. For this sequel, composers Abigal Barlow and Emily Bear had to follow up not just any Disney soundtrack, but one written by the same Lin-Manuel Miranda who's now crafting Mufasa's songs.

Barlow and Bear faced additional pressure. They are among the few women to ever compose music for a Disney musical. The duo made their name through The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, a concept album inspired by the bodice-ripping, Netflix period drama. Barlow and Bear took the innovative tack of releasing the songs on TikTok, a strategy that eventually led to a Grammy win (and a lawsuit from the streaming giant).

Miranda's "How Far I'll Go" from the original Moana is a masterclass in musical storytelling through harmony. Musical theater expert Brett Boles makes a cunning observation - the song is written in E major, but keeps reaching for the distant chord of C, just as Moana yearns to reach the sea. That yearning comes to a head in the pre-chorus with a minor IV chord (if you're humming along, it's right on "where I long to be"). The payoff comes through a series of modulations that finally land us in C major - Moana's musical journey matching her physical one.

Barlow and Bear attempt their own harmonic storytelling in Moana 2's "Beyond." When the title word appears, they throw us a chordal curveball—an unexpected shift from F major to D major. The foreign chord creates instability, perfectly capturing the unknown that lies... well, beyond.

Why Can't Movie Musicals Just "Let It Go"?

All this musical analysis points to a bigger question: Is it even possible to recapture the magic of a groundbreaking musical moment? The original Lion King and Moana soundtracks weren't just collections of catchy tunes—they were complete musical ecosystems where every chord change and instrumental choice served both story and cultural authenticity.

Modern composers must honor beloved musical worlds while somehow making them feel fresh. They need to balance cultural authenticity with commercial appeal. And in the streaming era, they're expected to craft both "legitimate" sequel songs and potential TikTok hits.

Maybe it's time to stop asking if these new scores measure up to the originals and start asking why we expect them to. After all, what made those first soundtracks special wasn't their perfection—it was their willingness to take risks and chart new musical territory.

What do you think? Have you caught yourself comparing these new Disney scores to their predecessors? What moments stand out to you as particularly successful (or not)? Let us know.