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KQED's Forum

How the Movie ‘Encanto’ Became a Pop Song Powerhouse

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2726 Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2022

⏱️ 22 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

You may not know who Bruno is, but you do probably know that we don’t talk about him thanks to a song from the animated film “Encanto.” The movie, about a magical Colombian family struggling to maintain their special powers, hit movie theaters in late November and has since infiltrated households across the country with its catchy songs – six of which have landed on the Billboard Hot 100 list this week. Disney, the studio behind the film, is known for pumping out hit songs such as “Let it Go” from “Frozen” or “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin”, but the multi-track success of Encanto is unprecedented. We talk about why songs like, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” “Surface Pressure,” and “What Else Can I Do,” are stuck in so many heads of kids and adults alike. Guests: Pamela Avila, Los Angeles-based entertainment editor, USA Today, and author of the article, “What Disney’s 'Encanto' teaches us about self-worth and overcoming intergenerational family trauma.” Bethonie Butler, reporter covering television and pop culture, The Washington Post, and author of the recent article, “How ‘Encanto’ and its vibrant soundtrack became a viral phenomenon” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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From KQED.

0:45.6

Welcome back to Forum.

0:47.0

I'm Mina Kim.

0:59.6

We're going to close out the hour talking about the movie Encanto, about a magical Colombian family.

1:04.2

The animated film has blown up, especially after it began streaming on Disney Plus,

1:09.1

and a lot of people attribute its success not just to its themes, but also its soundtrack. This is our home. We've got every generation.

1:12.8

So full of music, a rhythm of its own design.

1:16.3

This is my family of perfect consolation.

1:19.6

So many stars and everybody gets to shine.

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