The Descendants

Description

Drawing on its rich history and the gallery of colorful characters that have marked its productions, Disney released an animated TV movie in 2015 intended for exclusive broadcast on the Disney Channel. The story of The Descendants, co-written by Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott and brought to the screen by Kenny Ortega, features the children of Disney’s most iconic villains. We thus find the children of Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella de Vil, and even the Evil Queen from Snow White. For this story bringing together strong personalities, a soundtrack was needed that was both punchy and rich in contrasts, covering a wide spectrum of emotions. It begins with “Rotten to the Core,” performed collectively by Dove Cameron, Booboo Stewart, Sofia Carson and Cameron Boyce. Far from the childlike fairy tale the listener might expect, it takes us down techno-tinged paths, with an oppressively heavy beat. The contrast is striking with “Evil Like Me,” with classical arrangements, flirting with music hall on the choruses. Another sharp turn awaits the listener in “Did I Mention,” a rhythm and blues track that invites you to dance. A change of scenery with “If Only” or “Believe,” openly pop tracks designed to showcase the voices of Dove Cameron and Shawn Mendes. A touch of hip-hop appears on “Be Our Guest,” while “Set It Off” is, for its part, tainted by an unruly samba. Also found at the heart of this colorful soundtrack is a track by Anaïs Delva, “Par magie.” The young French singer with the crystalline voice had already encountered the Disney universe, as she provided the French dubbing for the character Elsa in Frozen. The R&B voices of China Anne McClain and Felicia Barton bring the discussion back to a very modern repertoire in “Night Is Young” and “Good Is the New Bad,” completing what is a rather disorienting melting pot of a soundtrack