Halle Bailey is ready to make a splash as she takes on the iconic role of Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
Before the highly-anticipated movie hits theaters next month, the singer-actress has debuted her rendition of “Part of Your World” from the 1989 animated film. Halle lets her vocals soar as she breathes new life into the classic, which was first performed by Jodi Benson.
In an interview with Apple Music, she explained why the song holds a special place in her heart.
“The song ‘Part of Your World’ means so so much to me,” she told Zane Lowe. “I mean ever since I was a little girl, this movie in general has meant so much to a lot of us, but this song has really stuck with me since I was small. I mean every time I hear Jodi Benson sing it, the nostalgia that I get is just amazing and it fills me up with so much joy.”
Halle was excited to reimagine the iconic song. “I took inspiration from the original, really based off of the amazing base that we had of the original already,” she said. “I mean, Jodi Benson is an iconic singer and she’s just such a lovely person inside and out as well. So when you are redoing a song that’s already great, you just have to really try your best to honor the original, as well as not be afraid to make it your own. So that’s truly what I tried to do.”
The Little Mermaid, which also stars Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, and Awkwafina, hits theaters May 26. The soundtrack arrives May 19 featuring music from Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda, including three new songs: “For the First Time,” “Wild Uncharted Waters,” and “Scuttlebutt.”
The moment has been a long time coming for Halle, who auditioned for the role five years ago.
“I’m a little bit nervous just because this has been so long in the making,” said the British Vogue cover star. “I auditioned for this film when I was 18 and I turned 23 this year. So it’s been a long wait and the suspense has been killing me. But now that it’s finally here, I’m like, whoa, I can’t believe it. And it’s a very, very big pinch me moment. I’m so excited. And I just can’t wait for people to see what we did to this film.”