Walt Disney Records’ has released countless compilation albums with a Disney Princess theme, but the franchise has taken on a new spirit in the past few years. Shifting away from hoop skirts and tea parties and towards individuality and an adventurous spirit, 2016’s view of a Disney Princess is very different from what the franchise used to represent. In that vein, Dream Big, Princess sets itself apart from all Disney Princess albums that came before it.
Focusing on the latest ad campaign, the album opens with “Hall of Fame,” the power anthem by The Script that features Will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas fame. The song recently received heavy rotation during the Rio Olympic Games, but can also be heard in Disney Princess’ new ad campaign. As you can see in the video, these heroins are featured inspiring girls to accomplish big goals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYcGSeXiUI8
Track two features Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World, Adventures in Babysitting) covering two songs from Cinderella. This mash-up combines “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and “So This is Love.” With an acoustic guitar and her heartfelt vocals, it’s a solid cover and stands out as the highlight of the album.
The next eight tracks on this ten track album are all the soundtrack versions of songs from classic Disney Princess films. Most Disney fans should already own most, if not all, of these songs:
- “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid
- “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas
- “Reflection” from Mulan
- “Belle” from Beauty and the Beast
- “I See the Light” from Tangled
- “Touch the Sky” from Brave
- “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog
The tenth track may seem new to anyone who didn’t buy Everybody Loves Disney. YouTube star Alex G gives her take on “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. It’s a nice cover and was one of the highlights of that mostly forgettable compilation album.
Dream Big, Princess offers a nice collection of iconic Princess songs. The main problem is the dichotomy of show tunes and pop songs, never truly understanding what it wants to be. However, for fans who don’t already own these songs or for parents looking for a musical way to inspire their young dreamers, this is a great collection of inspiring songs, many of them being true Disney classics.