Thoughts & Things

Disney Princess Singing Voices, Ranked

As a follow up to my previous blog entry, "Top Five Disney Villain Songs" , I have decided to present my personal ranking of the singing voices of the Disney princesses. Disney music can be absolutely irresistible, and the voices of the princesses is part of what makes that music so irresistible. The most memorable princess songs tend to be sung by the most memorable voices. This list is as much about my personal favourites as the previous list was. Please note: I have included Anna, Elsa, and Moana, even though they are not officially "Disney Princesses," and I have not included Merida, even though she is a Disney Princess.

12. Adriana Caselotti (Snow White)
I don't have much of a soft spot for Snow White. I enjoyed it well enough as a child, and I fully understand its significance to history and to film. It's just not one of those ones that has really stayed with me into adulthood. I do wonder if it has something to do with Adriana Caselotti's voice. She isn't a bad singer, and I would never try to say as much. Her vocal stylings don't really stand the test of time, and they just aren't something I have any particular fondness for. Something about it rubs me the wrong way, and I couldn't say what.

11. Ilene Woods (Cinderella)
Honestly, this one is almost the same as with Snow White. I have no real fondness for Ilene Woods' voice, or for Cinderella as a whole. I don't find her voice grating, but it's simply forgettable to me. While the original Disney princesses helped to set the mould for what Disney princesses should be and sound like, I genuinely don't think that they offered up any sort of perfection in that until further into the Disney films.

10. Mandy Moore (Rapunzel)
I really enjoy Tangled, and I have nothing against Mandy Moore's voice. She sings all of the songs in Tangled just right, and I don't really have any complaints. We've reached the part of the list where the singers are "just there." I don't love them, but I have zero complaints, and they sound exactly as they should.

9. Kristen Bell (Anna)
Kristen Bell falls into the same category as Mandy Moore. She sings her songs just right, but nothing stands out completely to me, at least in regards to her singing. I think she might have ranked slightly higher if I had any real fondness for her songs. Do You Want To Build a Snowman is great, but it's the only one of her songs from Frozen that I particularly adore.

8. Jodi Benson (Ariel)
Jodi Benson has a lovely voice, and it fits the role of Ariel really well. Unfortunately, I would necessarily say Ariel is one of my favourite princesses. I think it's a sign of adulthood setting in, but her whole "but daddy, I love him" argument just sits as a whiny teenager thing for me. I want to send her to her room and tell her she's grounded or something. Some of her songs are indeed beautiful, although my favourite tune from The Little Mermaid is the villain song.

7. Mary Costa (Aurora)
Mary Costa has an enchanting voice that brings a touch of opera to Disney, which is quite lovely to hear. "Once Upon a Dream" is one of those songs that has stuck with me into adulthood. I always have to sing along, and then it gets stuck in my head. Costa's rendition of it will likely always be how I hear the song in my head. It's also worth noting that out of the early Disney princess films, Sleeping Beauty is my favourite by a long shot.

6. Idina Menzel (Elsa)
Idina Menzel is one of those singers that you can't quite imagine in Disney, despite her lovely voice, but once it happens it works anyway. Her voice is incredibly unique, which works well with the role of Elsa, as she is a unique character. It was fantastic to hear a Disney princess type character belt it out like she's on a Broadway stage. Honestly, one of my biggest complaints is a result of having heard Menzel sing the song live, and not quite live up to expectations.

5. Paige O'Hara (Belle)
Belle's introductory song in Beauty and the Beast is probably my favourite example of Paige O'Hara's angelic voice. She has one of those voices that is simply made for Disney. Her high notes fill my heart with joy and wonder. (And yes we have reach joy and wonder by the middle of the list, I love Disney princess movies, what of it). Beauty and the Beast will always have a special place in my heart because I relate to Belle the most, and Paige O'Hara filled this role perfectly. In fact, I loved the live action remake, and thought Emma Watson was the perfect Belle, but I did miss O'Hara's voice.

4. Auli'i Cravalho (Moana)
While Moana is still quite new to already be among my favourites for villain songs AND princess songs, the fantastic soundtrack absolutely justifies this opinion. Auli'i Cravalho does the soundtrack complete justice. I never would have expected such a beautiful voice to come out of someone so young, but she beyond exceeded my expectations. Cravalho deserves a career on Broadway if she wants one.

3. Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas)
We have reached the point of the list that displays some of my biases. Judy Kuhn was amazing as the singing voice of Pocahontas. Colours of the Wind is a beautiful song, and Just Around the River Bend is one of the most underrated Disney princess songs out there. That said, I adore Kuhn's voice outside of her singing in Pocahontas. She is probably my favourite of the actresses who have played Cosette in Les Miserables. That said, I think her skill in general, and the way she performed this particular soundtrack, justify her position so high on the list. It's also worth noting that she gets a lot more singing time than some of the other princesses on the list.

2. Anika Noni Rose (Tiana)
The Princess and the Frog doesn't really rank among my favourite Disney movies. Anika Noni Rose is the absolute best thing about the entire film. Her voice is flawless and effortless, and she sings the bluesy style to perfection. She has the kind of voice that we don't really hear in Disney princesses, but that we definitely should be hearing. I haven't heard her sing anything else, but I want to.

1. Lea Salonga (Mulan and Jasmine)
Lea Salonga takes the number one spot for me with ease, and for several reasons. I am completely biased in her favour. I don't think I've heard her do anything I didn't love (Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables, Kim in Miss Saigon, Kei Kimura in Allegiance), and I enjoy hearing her renditions of any pop or show tune. Even with my adoration of her work aside, Salonga manages to sound fantastic as the singing voice of two Disney princesses, rather than only one. If angels are real, they sing like Lea Salonga. She has the perfect tone and technique to sing just about anything. Her voice has aged like a fine wine, and she sounds flawless singing Reflection or A Whole New World, even decades after their original releases. She still performs them live to perfection, and even gives live performances of other Disney princess songs.


(I have committed to blogging daily with Give It 100. This is Day Three.)