While I think we all know the answer, sometimes we still have to ask the question. Did Frozen 2 warrant a completely independent musical that showcases the spirit and vocal abilities of a new artist? I think it's just like the title of track #3 and you "Say Yes".
Kimberly Collins who makes music as Lemonhead has released her album that is a musical she concocted based on the character, Anna, from the Frozen franchise. Admittedly this is a fascinating premise for a record, one that requires a dazzling vocalist to take us through the very next piece of the story that the new queen of Arendelle, might have to push herself to get through. It's an interesting feat to be sure.
What begins in calmness at the first track titled "Intro" quickly finds itself pulled up through the next one titled "More." This is Anna's way of expressing the life she wants beyond merely being a queen. We've already known her to have adventures in the first two Frozen films. Is that all over now that she's taken on a new title?
That's when we move into track #3 Say Yes in which Anna expresses the suffocation she feels when she has to deal with all of the wants and needs of the people around her. Feeling engulfed becomes deeper with every "yes" she says and there is an awful lot of that for a queen. Next is Gone where Anna begins to have this desire to possibly leave. The question of how Anna goes from the end of the second Frozen film to wishing she was gone is rather heartbreaking.
Naturally, Anna isn't the type to wish she wasn't for very long. You feel the drums kick in and you hear the passion set across Anna's voice. On Out There, at the edge of town, she knows that "her dreams can touch the sky!", But... "has she chased them off too many times?"
With Standing on the Edge we've almost lost that driving feeling we had before. Now Anna wants to do something... almost anything to fix her situation. She craves adventure, but can a queen even have such a thing? Will this end up being a series of back-and-forths for her? Will her life be sad with little glints of happiness, or should she take the jump and see what else is out there?
With time, Anna gets the ability to see that she is the cause of her own problems. Who I Really Am dives into that notion. Then it dives into track #8 titled, Enough. Can she truly understand what she's learned on the outskirts of her kingdom? Can she finally get to the place where the queen can know a measure of peace? Can she truly become enough?
The final track on Anna's Song is titled Strong Heart. You listen to it and put yourself in that queen-esque mind frame. You begin to wonder what a queen would do when she feels trapped and overwhelmed. More specifically, what does Lemonhead think they would do in this situation? I don't want to ruin it for you, but if you know Disney you likely know how this might end.
Go forth and listen to a singer with an amazing voice as they channel their feelings through the woman who would be queen from one of the highest-grossing films in history. Leave yourself open to the melodies, intense vocalizations, and love of Frozen, and see where you end up when you're finished listening and let us know.