When 2013's
Frozen released in theaters, nobody expected it to become the hit that it did, nevermind the fact that millions were captivated by its music. The song "
Let It Go," sung by star Idina Menzel (Elsa) in the film, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and won both the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2014 and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media in 2015.
Replicating that kind of success is no easy task, but it doesn't sound like songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez sought to do that with the sequel. The music of Frozen 2 was described more like the "second half of a musical" during D23, with Anderson-Lopez explaining the music is more about pushing the story forward.
"You can't just take similar versions of the old song and put them back in. It all comes from the story," explained Lopez.
"We're not hit-makers; we're storytellers. It was all about telling that story and having the song emerge from it. Every song takes the story forward."
One of the songs that debuted during the panel was sung by Elsa. It sees her grappling with whether or not to pursue a mysterious singing voice that is calling out to her, and it has drawn the biggest comparisons to "
Let It Go" thus far. Idina Menzel briefly spoke about the music to IGN, but didn't really seek to compare the two films.
"The music is exquisite. I'm really proud of it. I really think that it tells beautiful stories and develops the story in an extraordinary way," she told IGN.
"It's not about the comparison. It's really apples and oranges. I love the music in the movie, that I sing and that I don't sing, and I think it will really resonate with people."
Why was Elsa born with magical powers? The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom. Together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, she'll set out on a dangerous but remarkable journey. In “Frozen,” Elsa feared her powers were too much for the world. In “Frozen 2,” she must hope they are enough. From the Academy Award®-winning team—directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, producer Peter Del Vecho and songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez—and featuring the voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad
Frozen 2 hits theaters on November 22, 2019.