THERE were at least two wishes that were granted by the new live-action “Aladdin” movie.
As announced this Friday, Darren Espanto and Morissette Amon were able to live out their dreams of officially singing a theme song for Disney – a rare chance no doubt many of the young singers who grew up binging the company’s many animated classics, like them, wished for to the magical genie in their heads.
Both were asked to record the local version of “A Whole New World,” breathing life into the beloved tune first popularized by Lea Salonga, who sang the original that was used in the 1992 animated “Aladdin” film.
“It has always been a dream, or as we put it in the movie, been a wish. And just to see that dream coming to fruition and to actually live it – I’m very, very happy and it is an honor,” Amon said of her newest project.
Espanto added: “As a child, it’s a dream come true for me to be able to sing one of the songs I would sing as a kid. And now it’s actually an official track so it’s really cool.”
The famous duet was written by composer Alan Menken. It was originally sang by Salonga and Brad Kane, and it won a Grammy and an Oscar.
The version that’s in the new “Aladdin” movie (as glimpsed in the first trailer) is performed by its lead stars, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott. A cover by Zayn was released this Thursday.
Espanto and Amon’s version will be used to promote the movie locally. It is available for streaming on Spotify.
This is the second time in two years that Disney has tapped a local artist to promote one of their movies in the Philippines – the last one being Iñigo Pascual for “Coco.”
The live-action “Aladdin” movie will hit cinemas this May 22. (ABS-CBN News)
