- "Little Mermaid" songwriter Alan Menken says he's resistant to being known as a "Disney composer."
- Menken is known for his work on Disney films including "Hercules," "Aladdin," and "Pocahontas."
Alan Menken may be practically synonymous with Disney musicals, but even he admits he's resistant to being known only as a "Disney composer."
In addition to his work on the original "Little Mermaid," for which he won the Oscar for best original score in 1990, Menken is known for iconic Disney songs like "A Whole New World" from "Aladdin," "Go the Distance" from "Hercules," and "Colors of the Wind" from "Pocahontas."
Menken collaborated with fellow Disney songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda on new songs for "The Little Mermaid" live-action remake, released Friday.
However, Menken told the New York Times he's had complicated feelings about being known as "Disney composer Alan Menken" when he has a number of non-Disney projects under his belt.
"I sometimes would have a little resistance to simply being characterized as 'Disney composer Alan Menken' because I already had a huge hit with 'Little Shop of Horrors' before I went to Disney," Menken told the Times' Sarah Bahr. "And while I was at Disney, I wrote so many other outside projects."
Menken's non-Disney musical credits include composing for "Christmas Carol," "Sister Act," and "A Bronx Tale."
However, Menken did admit that while he's worked on other films, shows, and series over the years, "there is no musical opportunity that is at the level of writing a musical for Disney."
"If you do your work right, you will have an experience that nothing else can match," he told the Times.
For the 2023 reimagining of "The Little Mermaid," Menken collaborated with Miranda on three new songs: "Wild Uncharted Waters," a ballad performed by Jonah Hauer-King; "For the First Time," sung by Halle Bailey; and "The Scuttlebutt," a comedy number sung by Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs.
"Part of Your World," "Kiss the Girl," and "Under the Sea," which Menken composed for the original 1989 "Little Mermaid" movie, were also included in the remake.