Babies, Music Boxes & Disney's Dove Cameron: Ranking The Best 'Frozen' "Let It Go" Covers
Which album finally drove Beyoncé's self-titled album out of the top Billboard spot a few weeks ago? It wasn't Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP 2 or Lorde's Pure Heroine. It was the soundtrack to Disney's surprise smash hit Frozen. The film has amassed over $3.3 million since its release in November and a sing-along version is on its way. The soundtrack seems to be catching on due to the overwhelming popularity of the song, "Let It Go." The song, which is sung by living Broadway legend Idina Menzel in the film and by Demi Lovato on the pop charts, has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. So, naturally, it's been covered by thousands of teenaged aspiring Broadway belters, hoards of enthusiastic four year olds and even by a music box. So we're breaking down the 7 best covers of "Let It Go" online that are worth taking a gander at. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfMBcIVU6Rw
Idina Menzel, whose original version can be found here, has mentioned that she gets sent tons of YouTube clips of kids covering her ballad. This particular version, however, not only has the blended vocals of two four year old sisters letting it go on "Let It Go," but it also has the visuals. You can apparently thank (or blame) their father for recording them and sharing it online.
[Photo Credit: Disney, YouTube & Getty Images] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOcQJ9q6I2E
6) Music Box Version Joshua Saunders produces music box versions of many popular songs including Imagine Dragon's "Radioactive." While the music box music scene might not be for everyone, this arrangement makes the song sound beautifully fragile. It's definitely worth a listen.
Noodlerella is a vlogger who broadcasts from the most adorably pink bedroom in the entire world. She also does pretty gosh darn good impressions of Disney princesses, video game characters and the characters on My Little Pony. Unlike a lot of her peers who prefer to try to stage a "perfect" Elsa cover, she really goes for it with full jazz hands and funny faces, which makes it stand out. She's much more of an Anna than an Elsa, which is probably why her "Do You Want To Build A Snowman" is shockingly good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km-gf_mndpM
Speaking of Disney princesses... Sure, this girl looks like your standard teen wannabe Broadway belter, complete with her perfect curls, Wicked coffee mug and false modesty in her video's description. However, Dove Cameron is Disney's new teen queen. She stars on the show, Liv and Maddie, and is headlining her own Disney Channel movie, Cloud 9. Based on this sample, looks like Dove's also got the vocal chops to crossover into real pop stardom like Demi Lovato or Miley Cyrus.
Look, Frozen covers aren't just for girls. Korean violinist Jun Sung Ahn, who also does violin covers of pop songs like VH1 You Oughta Know artists Lorde's "Royals" and A Great Big World's "Say Something." The violinist adds a healthy dose of brooding male drama to his cover by filming it outside in a frozen landscape. Take that, people singing from their bedrooms! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jUG1PfmmTA
Ella's "Official Baby Version" of "Let It Go," or "Ledda Dough!", might be one of the most viral versions online. It features a four-year-old child's exuberant and hilarious slaughtering of the original song's lyrics. Entertainment Weekly not only featured the song, but attempted to transcribe it. It may not be especially accomplished, but it's absolutely adorable.
YouTube is littered with talented young vocalists hoping that their cover of a popular song will be noticed by people for the right reasons. A lot of these covers are good, some are even great, but Grace Lee seems to have won YouTube's "Frozen Idol." Her cover currently has close to one million views and is the highest viewed version apart from Menzel's or Demi Lovato's. Why? It's just good. Her cover combines slick video production with perfect vocal control.