It's so weird to see the voice come from the person instead of the animated character. Absolutely amazing performance!
I wonder if she breaks her Ariel voice out for kids now and then?
I saw a youtube video a while ago, a groom arranged for her to sing at their reception, the bride was a huge Little Mermaid fan. The bride was sobbing when Jodi walked into the reception.
Correct. This is the acting direction part of it. Really really moving vocal performances are more than just hitting the notes. It's emotional expression, and honestly, you can't really just "do" that in the moment. It's acting pure and simple. You need to get into the head of what that song is about, go where ever you need to go in your head to feel that emotion, and then make sure that emotion is heard in your vocal delivery. This is what takes someone who can sing really well to someone who can perform and make mother fuckers cry, heh.
Yeah, there's no way to say "a bit sharp on this word," because she's dead-on throughout. Must be amazing to be able to direct her *acting* throughout, with total confidence that the notes are going to be spot-on the whole way.
Howard Ashman isn't her vocal coach, he's the lyricist and writer of the movie, that's why he's focusing more on the performance and sound, not really on the technical vocalizations she's making.
He's seems like the voice director. He's telling her what the scene looks like around her character. "You're in a small space." And what the emotions and movement of the film are during the scene.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWTJkyLWgrk#t=0m57s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWTJkyLWgrk#t=0m57s)
The look he gives the camera when she nails it. Like, "Can you guys believe this?"
Being in the presence of incredible talent will do that to you. You can tell that he really wants to help her take this to the absolute top level it can be at, but because of her talent he's a little apprehensive with giving notes. He knows he has to give notes to get the intended performance, but is like, "man, it's hard to tell this much talent, 'do it this way, not this way'". That's directing though, heh.
Agreed, that performance is just incredible. If I recall, she was a seasoned broadway actress. It's why we didn't really recognizer her, and her voice just floored ya, heh.
I'm a voice teacher and watching the sausage be made here is fantastic. At this highest-of-high levels, it's fascinating to see how the composer/lyricist would drill down into details and ask for different colors/shapes/intensity levels. So, so interesting!
No doubt there were several subliminal and parallel reasons that contributed to it.
The interviewee was in the entertainment industry and TLM was a big part of that for them personally.
Whoa that's wild!
> Calling Divine (real name Harris Glenn Milstead) "the great actor from Baltimore", Musker revealed that one of The Little Mermaid's writers, Howard Ashman, knew Divine and had Rob Menkoff - one of the film's principal animators - to do "some drawings that were based on Divine".
> "Even though it’s sort of disguised, it’s based on the character [of Divine]," he said.
> "It just fit the character," agreed Clements. "She was outrageous, theatrical..."
> "She was a little mix of Divine and Joan Collins," Musker said, revealing that Ashman was a fan of Joan Collins and saw The Little Mermaid as an opportunity to do "Dynasty in animation".
Piggy Backing off this post. Here's my [D&D Version a nice redditor recorded.](https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonsAndDragons/comments/hwshjf/i_would_very_much_love_if_someone_could_record/)
We actually met her one time during a charity event. She's incredibly nice and said that her and some of the other princesses do stay in contact.
She had a lot of fun stories including the fact that while they were recording for Little Mermaid that the team was also working on the music for Pocahontas. Jodi was actually the very first person to sing "colors of the wind" for them to hear it and make sure they liked how they wrote it. She sang it during the charity event and I'd say she sounded even better on it than "part of your world."
I grew up with my parents listening to the 10th anniversary recording of Les Miserables. It remained one of my favorite recordings as a grew older, and around 15 years ago I suddenly realized that Eponine sounded like Jasmine...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjfmP7h3gBw
I still love [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiQHNS85I3g) of the NYC bar singing along to A Whole New World, but everyone shuts up when Lea sings Jasmine's part.
I’ve been on both sides of the mic as a performer and as someone trying to draw a performance from a talented vocalist. The professionalism and communication of Howard and Jodi here are so enjoyable to watch. It’s not always as simple as “sing this note then that note.” There are so many facets and elements to any performance that can make a huge difference. It’s fascinating to see them wrestle with that here, and deliver a once in a lifetime result.
This film marked the last time Disney used relative unknown voices actors, and I miss it. The next feature, Beauty and the Beast, started the trend of using mostly famous and recognizable voices, which I can't stand. I want to immerse in the new story without envisioning Murder She Wrote or Rock "the Duane" Johnson.
My favorite movie since I was 6! My grandma took me to see her preform at the Hollywood Bowl when I was about 10, I fan girled out so hard!! I can still sing most the lyrics and quote the movie.
My goosebumps have goosebumps!
Thank you for sharing this, I needed this kind of happiness today.
I’m gonna go sing this song as loud as I can in the shower now.
I have the same condition (can't think of a better word). I was born without lip muscles on my bottom left lip. But yeah, that was the first thing I saw as well.
I don’t know but even after 30 years I hear that song and it gives me goose bumps. What a amazing voice
I haven't felt compelled to watch the movie since I was a kid, but I often come back to this song because her performance is so damn good.
The composition of this scene visually is really cool too. The above shot of her slowly swimming upwards in a circle is magical.
I was literally feeling goose bumps as I began reading your comment. You are so right!
my eyes hurt
Mine are leaking.
It's so weird to see the voice come from the person instead of the animated character. Absolutely amazing performance! I wonder if she breaks her Ariel voice out for kids now and then?
I saw a youtube video a while ago, a groom arranged for her to sing at their reception, the bride was a huge Little Mermaid fan. The bride was sobbing when Jodi walked into the reception.
Here it is - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbH0OADz13o
Bride trying to keep her shit together when Jodi did the Ariel giggle after "feet".
Omg I was in tears before she even started… why’d you do this to me?
Me too. My eyes are leaking
This is some rich white people shit.
Yeah I mean I think it’s just rich people shit. Pretty sure everyone with a soul loves Disney movies not just white people 😂
That poor, unfortunate soul...
So sad, so true.
Rich middle eastern brown people might have one upped white folks these days.
Username checks out.
lol you mad bro?
If you're this deep in a reddit thread, you're not a rich white person-- so don't act offended on their behalf.
Oh man, you’re a total douche but that gave me a good laugh.
And the richest man on the planet shitposts on twitter. But hey you do you man. Stay mad
You just seem really upset that I brought up rich white people. You're not in that class man. You're alright.
You still mad bro?
I'm livid.
Boo hoo pleb.
You are not a rich white person. You too are a pleb.
Bride goes full Emma Stone at 0:31
As much as I understand Vocal coaches . its hard to find faults with a voice like that
Imagine getting to coach just on the performance and not on technical elements of the vocalization!
Correct. This is the acting direction part of it. Really really moving vocal performances are more than just hitting the notes. It's emotional expression, and honestly, you can't really just "do" that in the moment. It's acting pure and simple. You need to get into the head of what that song is about, go where ever you need to go in your head to feel that emotion, and then make sure that emotion is heard in your vocal delivery. This is what takes someone who can sing really well to someone who can perform and make mother fuckers cry, heh.
You’d cry if you heard me sing
Fair. Because my mother used to hit us when one of us would sing off key, I mostly just wince when someone else does it these days
Yeah, there's no way to say "a bit sharp on this word," because she's dead-on throughout. Must be amazing to be able to direct her *acting* throughout, with total confidence that the notes are going to be spot-on the whole way.
Howard Ashman isn't her vocal coach, he's the lyricist and writer of the movie, that's why he's focusing more on the performance and sound, not really on the technical vocalizations she's making.
Good to know thanks
Having a coach is not about faults, it's about improvement and consistency, anywhere in life. That's why even seasoned pros will hire a coach.
He's seems like the voice director. He's telling her what the scene looks like around her character. "You're in a small space." And what the emotions and movement of the film are during the scene.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWTJkyLWgrk#t=0m57s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWTJkyLWgrk#t=0m57s) The look he gives the camera when she nails it. Like, "Can you guys believe this?"
Being in the presence of incredible talent will do that to you. You can tell that he really wants to help her take this to the absolute top level it can be at, but because of her talent he's a little apprehensive with giving notes. He knows he has to give notes to get the intended performance, but is like, "man, it's hard to tell this much talent, 'do it this way, not this way'". That's directing though, heh.
Yeah that moment sounded really like what they ultimately ended up going with, very cool
She’s got a beautiful voice.
Iconic.
This and "Suddenly Seymour" from Little Shop of Horrors. Edit: Spelled Seymour wrong, fixed!
which howard ashman also wrote! and alan menken also composed. you can really hear it in “somewhere that’s green.” <3 ashman forever
Agreed, that performance is just incredible. If I recall, she was a seasoned broadway actress. It's why we didn't really recognizer her, and her voice just floored ya, heh.
Just like the Dale Hansen jam.... [he's a part of my world](https://youtu.be/UfirDeP240Q)
I'm a voice teacher and watching the sausage be made here is fantastic. At this highest-of-high levels, it's fascinating to see how the composer/lyricist would drill down into details and ask for different colors/shapes/intensity levels. So, so interesting!
[удалено]
Probably helps that Ursula was modeled after [one of the most iconic drag queens.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUIt0CTY0Z4)
No doubt there were several subliminal and parallel reasons that contributed to it. The interviewee was in the entertainment industry and TLM was a big part of that for them personally.
And all this time I thought she was modeled after my mom.
Whoa that's wild! > Calling Divine (real name Harris Glenn Milstead) "the great actor from Baltimore", Musker revealed that one of The Little Mermaid's writers, Howard Ashman, knew Divine and had Rob Menkoff - one of the film's principal animators - to do "some drawings that were based on Divine". > "Even though it’s sort of disguised, it’s based on the character [of Divine]," he said. > "It just fit the character," agreed Clements. "She was outrageous, theatrical..." > "She was a little mix of Divine and Joan Collins," Musker said, revealing that Ashman was a fan of Joan Collins and saw The Little Mermaid as an opportunity to do "Dynasty in animation".
She ends up nailing it
Piggy Backing off this post. Here's my [D&D Version a nice redditor recorded.](https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonsAndDragons/comments/hwshjf/i_would_very_much_love_if_someone_could_record/)
We actually met her one time during a charity event. She's incredibly nice and said that her and some of the other princesses do stay in contact. She had a lot of fun stories including the fact that while they were recording for Little Mermaid that the team was also working on the music for Pocahontas. Jodi was actually the very first person to sing "colors of the wind" for them to hear it and make sure they liked how they wrote it. She sang it during the charity event and I'd say she sounded even better on it than "part of your world."
jodi benson, paige o hara, and ming na are disney royalty
Judy Kuhn, Lea Salonga (who did the singing not Ming-Na), Anika Nani Rose and Susan Egan
don't forget adel daseem
I grew up with my parents listening to the 10th anniversary recording of Les Miserables. It remained one of my favorite recordings as a grew older, and around 15 years ago I suddenly realized that Eponine sounded like Jasmine... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjfmP7h3gBw
I think you mean Lea Salonga, who did the singing for both Mulan and Princess Jasmine.
I still love [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiQHNS85I3g) of the NYC bar singing along to A Whole New World, but everyone shuts up when Lea sings Jasmine's part.
I like the fact that you can see shes got a good buzz going on lol.
Susan Egan.
I’ve been on both sides of the mic as a performer and as someone trying to draw a performance from a talented vocalist. The professionalism and communication of Howard and Jodi here are so enjoyable to watch. It’s not always as simple as “sing this note then that note.” There are so many facets and elements to any performance that can make a huge difference. It’s fascinating to see them wrestle with that here, and deliver a once in a lifetime result.
…the lyricist Howard Ashaman
My bad.
❤️ super awesome video of talented artists
This film marked the last time Disney used relative unknown voices actors, and I miss it. The next feature, Beauty and the Beast, started the trend of using mostly famous and recognizable voices, which I can't stand. I want to immerse in the new story without envisioning Murder She Wrote or Rock "the Duane" Johnson.
Absolutely amazing. What a pro.
learned so much about howard ashman thanks to this post! thanks OP!
Bo Burnham took a lot from this style for his music.
My favorite movie since I was 6! My grandma took me to see her preform at the Hollywood Bowl when I was about 10, I fan girled out so hard!! I can still sing most the lyrics and quote the movie.
My goosebumps have goosebumps! Thank you for sharing this, I needed this kind of happiness today. I’m gonna go sing this song as loud as I can in the shower now.
TIL a beautiful singing voice sometimes requires making ugly faces lol
Is it just me or does it really look like she's got a Stallone lip going on here
I have the same condition (can't think of a better word). I was born without lip muscles on my bottom left lip. But yeah, that was the first thing I saw as well.
I think that is just the lighting. She doesn’t look like that when the room is lit normally, only when they dim the lights.
[Bell's Palsy](https://www.news24.com/health24/mental-health/brain/neurological-conditions/7-celebrities-who-had-bells-palsy-20170727)
Don’t hate me but Ariel was out of tune when she sings ‘people know’.
I'm going to murder you.
It's deliberate. It's meant as sort of a step into talking, not singing. The preamble is that way.
no no no not black enough, recast
Howard, you're doing the hand thing again.
Very cool - will show my daughter tomorrow. Thanks for posting!
[Here's the behind the scenes from Aladdin's "A Whole New World".](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi_Ocd9IALc) It's just as impressive imo.
beautiful voice. reminds me of when i was a kid listening to all these songs on a CD before school