When you watch Moana 2, it’s Belle Mariano’s voice you’ll hear during the end credits in a historic first.
Related: Did You Know, These Pinoy Stars Were Tapped To Record Official Disney Songs?
There’s just something so special about Filipinos being tapped to sing in Disney movies. There is, of course, Lea Salonga as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine and Mulan in Aladdin and Mulan respectively. In more recent years, we’ve had, among other examples, Darren Espanto and Morissette Amon for Aladdin, Inigo Pascual for Coco, KZ Tandingan for Raya and the Last Dragon (which made history as the first local artist to sing an original song in Filipino for a Disney film), and, for the OGs out there, Nikki Gil for High School Musical. Well, the list is about to get longer with the inclusion of Belle Mariano and her historic participation in Moana 2.
MOANA MARIANO
As if Belle Mariano couldn’t get any more Ws, it was recently announced that the 22-year-old Gen Z star will sing Anong Daratnan, the Filipino version of Beyond, which serves as the end credit single for Moana 2. The original version, which is sung by Moana’s voice actress Auli’i Cravalho, is available to stream now, while Belle’s Filipino version drops on November 22, just a few days before Moana 2 plays in cinemas nationwide.
Beyond encapsulates Moana’s fearless sense of adventure and connecting her island beyond its shores, so having Belle sing the Tagalog version makes sense when you consider that she’s also another young woman who bravely committed to her dreams. The achievement marks the second time a Filipina Gen Z actress made their mark on the Moana franchise as Janella Salvador was famously tapped to sing a cover of How Far I’ll Go from the first movie. And Belle isn’t the only Asian star to collaborate with Moana 2 as TWICE’s Nayeon will sing the Korean version of Beyond. We love to see it.
IN HER DISNEY PRINCESS ERA
Adding to the historic nature of this collab, Anong Daratnan will be the first-ever Filipino song to be played and featured on the big screen in a Disney film, meaning when you watch Moana 2 in local cinemas, it’s Belle’s voice and version you’ll hear during the end credits. Okay Hollywood actress! And if you’re wondering how Belle feels about all of this, it’s a dream-come-true moment for the Gen Z star with the honor to be chosen for the collaboration. “Sobrang grateful ko kasi dream ko maka-work ang Disney. Moana is one of my favorite Disney characters, and I’m really emulating her fearlessness in my rendition of this song,” she shared in a statement.
The feeling is mutual for Disney HQ, who shared their excitement about working with Belle. “Besides the stunning visuals and compelling narrative that explores universal themes of self-discovery and courage, a key reason for Moana’s success is its enchanting soundtrack which has captivated fans worldwide. By collaborating with local talents like Belle for Moana 2, we hope fans in the Philippines resonate deeply with the beautiful lyrics of ‘Beyond’, and experience Moana’s excitement as she embarks on a new voyage to explore the far seas of Oceania,” said Rachel Fong, Studio General Manager and Integrated Marketing Director, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia.
You can stream Anong Daratnan this November 22 while Moana 2, which finds Moana and Maui teaming up once more after three years for an adventure to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters, sails onto local cinemas on November 27.
Photos courtesy of Disney
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