Halle Bailey joined the American Idol stage Sunday at Disneyland, where she promoted her starring role as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Bailey sang the first single from the Disney live-action film soundtrack as part of American Idol's Disney Night.
With Cinderella's castle lit theatrically behind her, Bailey sang "Part of Your World," the lead single from the film that captures mermaid Ariel's longing to be free of the water so she could live as a human.
Bailey wore a blue gown that matched the waters in the live-action version, directed by Rob Marshall. She stars as the mermaid princess Ariel with Jonah Hauer-King who plays Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as her father, King Triton, Melissa Mc McCarthy as Ursula, and Blindspotting star Daveed Diggs as Sebastian. Awkwafina plays Scuttle and Jacob Tremblay is Flounder.
Like the 1989 animated film, the story follows Ariel's longing to join the world above the sea once she rescues Prince Eric when he almost dies in a shipwreck. She's in love and so is he, although he doesn't know who she is. Although Noma Dumezweni is new to the story as Eric's mother Queen Selina, most of the narrative reflects the 1989 movie.
"Part of My World" was written by Broadway composers Allan Menken and Howard Ashman for the animated version but there is also new music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda who contributed four new songs.
"Going into the film, I was more timid and shy, but like Ariel, I ended up having to come out of my shell," Bailey told the L.A. Times earlier this month. "I gained so much confidence and courage to speak up for what I need; I came out a different, more mature human being. I really feel like Ariel taught me how to find my voice."
The Little Mermaid soundtrack is available May 19. The movie is in theaters on May 26.