The award-winning Broadway actor and Songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda took to Tiktok to express his gratitude to Tiktokers, who played a significant role in helping the “Encanto” soundtrack go viral.
He voiced his appreciation in a video posted to TikTok’s Newsroom. “From your truly surreal and incredible “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” dances, to the heartfelt stories set to Dos Oruguitas, it’s amazing what you’ve done and the way you guys have taken these songs and been inspired by them and made amazing artwork of your own.”
More than a million videos have been posted on Tiktok using parts of the audio clip of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” Users also recreated dances from the Disney movie, notably the “Mariano Walk.” There were also Encanto-inspired cosplays and cake decorations.
Stephanie Beatriz, who voiced the role of Mirabel in the movie, also joined in the fun by posting a TikTok, which channeled her inner Pepa and Felix. She also posted a clip from her “Encanto” audition.
‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ Is A Gossip Number From The Movie
The most popular soundtrack from the movie is “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” performed by most Madrigal family members.
This track amassed a lot of Tiktok remixes and mashups, some of which combined songs from Miranda’s “Hamilton.” “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” reached over 100 million streams on Spotify. It also surpassed Frozen’s “Let It Go” on Billboard 100.
“I thought we needed to have a gossip number because there are things you talk about at dinner, in the kitchen after people have left, and there are things you don’t talk about in front of Abuela because she doesn’t know these two people are dating,” Miranda said of the song during an interview with Variety.
“I pitched that tune,” he continued, “and it allowed me to create musical themes for characters who do not necessarily get their solo.”
He added, “I like the idea that everything he predicted is super predictable. Like, of course you’re going to be stressed out on your wedding day, and if your feelings control the weather, it’s going to rain. That’s just going to happen. Yes, goldfish die quickly! So I wanted it to be one of those things that feels spooky at the first pass, but then when you watch the movie the second time, you’re like, ‘Oh, that is naturally what is going to happen. And everyone is seeing these predictions in the worst light, as opposed to them actually being doom and gloom.’ “
Other Successful Songs From ‘Encanto’
Apart from the group songs, the movie also featured solo songs performed by various members of the Madrigal family.
One of the most famous was “Surface Pressure” which spun a story about Mirabel’s elder sister, Luisa. This hit has amassed over 65 million Spotify streams since its debut.
While “What Else Can I Do” was performed by Isabella, “Waiting On A Miracle” was performed by Mirabel and exposed the audience to more of Mirabel’s character. In fact, Miranda intentionally wrote the song in an entirely different note.
“The ‘I want’ song is always hard,” Miranda said about “Waiting On A Miracle.” “You have to make the whole movie to understand the journey that Mirabel’s got to go on and what the question is going to be, so you have to go at it backwards.”
Unfortunately, not everyone had a solo song in “Encanto.” For that reason, Miranda used “The Family Madrigal” to introduce viewers to the family.
Miranda Hopes To Turn “Encanto” Into A Broadway Show
In a recent interview with People, the songwriter revealed his intentions of turning the Disney movie “Encanto” into a Broadway show.
I think it weirdly lends itself well,” he told the outlet.” They don’t always, you know? Like, I can’t picture a Moana Broadway musical. I don’t know how you’d do the ocean.”
He added, “My first draft of the last song in the movie, ‘All of You,’ was like seven minutes long,” he said. “It was so late in production that they were like, ‘Lin, we won’t make the movie in time. You actually have to cut this down.’ So I’ve got the Broadway finale like in the chamber.”
He also mentioned to E! News that he’s interested in more “Encanto,” whether on stage or the big screen.
“There are so many stories in that house that it would be wonderful to expand on it,” said Miranda. Encanto bagged awards for Best Original Score, Best Animated Film, and Best Original Song with “Dos Oruguitas.”
What Was The Inspiration Behind ‘Encanto?’
While speaking to the same outlet in January, Miranda opened up about the inspiration behind the Disney movie.
“Our thesis for the film was, ‘Can we tell a story with three generations of family and give them complexity without them getting winnowed away in the story-making process?’
Often, you cut away unimportant characters in movies, but we wanted to hold on to them. My first salvo in protecting them was writing the opening number, ‘The Family Madrigal,’ where I list everyone in the clearest family tree possible,” he added. “And ‘Bruno’ was the logical next step.”