In the process of compiling a list of Disney Divas,
I was struck by the plethora of blood sucking tabloid stories—where dirty
laundry is preferential to the talent.
Though some stories are salacious, there is a bit of sadness in the
media coverage. I’m sure that a scandal
has slipped into one of my articles, but I aspire to showcase the artistry and
not the problem. These ladies all have
the wherewithal to follow their dreams and don’t limit themselves to one aspect
of the entertainment industry. Uncle
Walt (Disney) set the stage, but all of these artists have spring boarded into
other arenas and continue to make their mark on a generation. There is inspiration in their stories as
well as their music. Just because it’s
a pop song doesn’t mean it’s devoid of substance, as I’m sure you will
understand upon listening.
Playlist for Disney DivaLegacies
1. Hilary Duff – “So Yesterday”(2003)
From 2001 to 2004, Hilary Duff played the title
character on a show called, “Lizzie McGuire.” As with so many child actors, it became increasingly difficulty
to keep the situation of the comedy intact, as she was growing older in life
and on the show. Hilary was the test
case for the Disney-owned Hollywood Records and faired pretty well with a
handful of releases. This song is the
second single taken off of her second album “Metamorphosis,” and became
her own personal evolution into adulthood.
2. Lindsay Lohan – “Rumors”(2004)
Who could forget the little freckle-faced redhead in
the remake of “The Parent Trap?”
After a myriad of family friendly movies she started becoming a regular
in the tabloids for her wild and erratic behavior. This song, taken from her debut release “Speak,” has a bit
of irony mixed in with the message.
Sometimes you can get caught up in the Hollywood machine. Nevertheless, I find myself still rooting
for this feisty gal as she continues to hurdle roadblock after roadblock. There is great talent here, but her antics
behind the scenes overshadow her talent in front of the camera. Don’t count her out yet; she still has a lot
to give.
3. Demi Lovato – “La La Land”(2008)
This song is taken from her debut album, “Don’t
Forget.” I love the commentary of
the LA scene in this song and find it truer than some of the fiction written in
the tabloids. The lyric, “Well, some
may say I need to be afraid Of losing everything, because of where I Had my
start and where I made my name,” is a bittersweet epilogue of her own
trials in the music industry. Today she
is back and stronger than ever by continuing to delight movie and music
fans.
4. Ashley Tisdale – “It's Alright, It's OK”(2009)
Ashley Michelle Tisdale rose to prominence staring
in the Disney Channel's “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” and
in the “High School Musical” film series. Based on the success of the film series, she singed with Warner
Bros. Records in 2006. This song is
the lead single off of “Guilty Pleasure,” her second album to date. It has an empowering message of finding the
strength to leave a bad relationship.
She continues to build her empire by continually appearing in dozens of
television and movies and even has her own production company, “Blondie Girl
Production.” In 2011, Tisdale’s production company signed a multi-year deal
with Relativity Media to create, develop and executive produce a
series. Not bad for the daughter of a
New Jersey construction manager.
5. Miley Cyrus – “The Climb”(2009)
Miley achieved wide fame for her role as Miley
Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel’s sitcom “Hannah Montana.” This song, taken from the motion picture
based off of the series, continues to follow the development of that character
and in a way, Miley’s own evolution.
I’ve always found this song inspirational and it gives me strength to
persevere in an industry that really doesn’t need any more ingénues. Tearing down the walls of typecasting can be
a very difficult task, but she continues to strive to step into the realm of
adulthood, as well as building her own media empire.
6. Selena Gomez & The Scene – “Who Says”(2011)
In early 2007, Gomez was cast in the Disney
Channel series “Wizards of Waverly Place” as one of the three main
characters, Alex Russo. Comparisons to many other Disney Divas became the focus
of many articles about this artist, but she still maintains her own identity in
the midst of all that scrutiny. It
seems ironic that instead of just using her name as the moniker in her singing
career that she went with a group identity by incorporating The Scene. Anyone who works in this industry knows that
no one makes it on their own, but you also have to maintain your personal
identity in the process. This song, the
first single taken off of her third album “When the Sun Goes Down,” has
a great message of being in touch with your own beauty. This is a message that I wish that more
people would take to heart; don’t settle for someone else's assumptions, be who
you are, and in that you are beautiful.
7. Lemonade Mouth (Bridgit Mendler) – “Somebody”(2011)
Bridgit Claire Mendler currently stars as Teddy
Duncan on the Disney Channel Original Series “Good Luck Charlie”
and had a recurring role on “Wizards of Waverly Place.” In 2011 she stared in the musical drama “Lemonade
Mouth” based on the book by Mark Peter Huges. Out of that project, she singed with Hollywood Records and
plans to release her debut studio album in September 2012. The lyrics of this song “We're gonna just
let go of everything Holdin' Back our dreams And try to make it come alive,”
sums up the dreams of all of these Disney Diva’s. Never be afraid to follow your
dream.
Bonus Video:
Britney Spears – “...Baby One More Time”(1998)
I
gotta give credit to Britney, she has seen a lot of changes over the course of
her career, and continues to electrify fans and critics alike. This was the beginning of this generation’s
Disney Diva’s
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