--- description: From Ariana Grande and John Legend's "Beauty and the Beast" remake to Christina Aguilera's life-changing "Reflection" cover. title: 11 Classic Disney Songs Performed by Famous Pop Stars image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 11 Classic Disney Songs Performed Flawlessly by Famous Pop Stars  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 17, 2017 4:18 PM CUT  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 17, 2017 4:18 PM CUT Disney tunes have a special place in the hearts of many [millennials](http://time.com/247/millennials-the-me-me-me-generation/ "undefined") (and millennial parents) who spent formative years glued to their televisions, watching and re-watching the animated fairy tales. As it turns out, the [classic](http://time.com/4674071/beauty-and-the-beast-what-to-know/ "undefined") films of Disney’s ’90s renaissance have also provided a great showcase for the famous pop stars who lent their voices to their powerful, uplifting theme songs—often serenading viewers as the end credits rolled. Here, we’ve rounded up the best radio-ready versions of Disney’s finest melodies, from names as big as Elton John, Ariana Grande and Christina Aguilera. ### “A Whole New World,” Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle Disney favorite Peabo Bryson returned one year after lending his voice to _Beauty and the Beast_ for 1992’s _Aladdin_, joining powerhouse vocalist Regina Belle. The R&B-influenced take was included as the end credits version, a more radio-friendly rendition of the song performed in the movie by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga. It took home the Academy Award for [Best Original Song](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1993 "undefined") and ultimately [topped radio charts.](http://www.billboard.com/artist/328452/peabo-bryson/chart "undefined") ### “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” Elton John Elton John took home the 1995 [Academy Award](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1995/? "undefined") for Best Original Song—as well as a Grammy and Golden Globe—for composing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” with lyricist Tim Rice for _The_ _Lion King_. While the film version features a different cast of voices, the end credits have John’s own vocal. The song could get another remake to accompany Disney’s live-action version of the film, set to star Donald Glover as Simba and James Earl Jones as Mufasa. ### “Colors of the Wind,” Vanessa Williams The powerful _Pocahontas_ song finds the crystal-clear voice of Vanessa Williams painting a vision of 17th-century Native American life—and the importance of the environment—that still resonates with audiences today. ### “Go the Distance,” Michael Bolton Singer Michael Bolton (and his flowing locks) stepped up to the plate to perform “Go the Distance,” composed by Disney mainstay Alan Menken, for the 1997 _Hercules_ movie. Sung in the film [by Roger Bart,](http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Roger%5FBart "undefined") Bolton’s take appeared in the end credits (and got its own music video). ### “You’ll Be In My Heart,” Phil Collins Phil Collins both composed and performed the famous _Tarzan_ tune. It was another [Academy Award winner](http://ew.com/article/2016/11/22/lily-collins-dad-phil-wrote-youll-be-my-heart-lullaby/ "undefined") for Best Original Song, in 2000, in addition to nabbing a slew of other honors. Collins’ daughter, actress Lilly Collins, recently revealed that it had originally [been used a lullaby](http://ew.com/article/2016/11/22/lily-collins-dad-phil-wrote-youll-be-my-heart-lullaby/ "undefined") for her. ### “Reflection,” Christina Aguilera Aguilera swept into the spotlight in 1998 with this cover of the song performed in _Mulan_ by Lea Salonga. It was Aguilera’s debut single—[she was 17](http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2044752,00.html?iid=sr-link2 "undefined")—and quickly won her national attention for her powerhouse vocals, helping launch her career as a singer. ### “Someday,” All-4-One Early-’90s R&B group [All-4-One](http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/where-are-they-now-1994s-biggest-pop-acts-20130808/all-4-one-0323223 "undefined") took on this _Hunchback of Notre Dame_ tune composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz_._ Although the song is not a part of the movie’s narrative, it played over the end credits and [was included](http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/hunchback.html "undefined") on the soundtrack. ### “Never Knew I Needed,” Ne-Yo [Ne-Yo](http://time.com/4022041/empire-season-2-music/ "undefined") joined the Disney family for the soundtrack of 2009’s _The Princess and the Frog_. The singer-songwriter wrote and performed this modern R&B song, the first off of the [movie’s official soundtrack](https://www.amazon.com/Princess-Frog-Soundtrack/dp/B002O4J4F2 "undefined"). It appears in the movie’s end credits, while the accompanying music video, filmed in New Orleans, [was directed](https://imvdb.com/n/melina-matsoukas "undefined") by Beyoncé’s preferred director [Melina Matsoukas](http://time.com/4687680/beyonce-melina-matsoukas-emails/ "undefined"). ### “Bare Necessities,” Bill Murray The 2016 live-action remake of _The Jungle Book_ starred [folk hero Bill Murray](http://time.com/4594137/bill-murray-sings-grandma/ "undefined") as sloth bear Baloo, giving the actor a chance to shine in this update on the beloved tune first performed in the 1967 animated version. ### “How Far I’ll Go,” Alessia Cara Last fall’s _Moana_ is Disney’s latest smash-hit animated adventure, and although the original tune stars rising talent Auli’i Cravalho—who [performed the Oscar-nominated song at this year’s Academy Awards](http://time.com/4683395/oscars-2017-aulii-cravalho-moana-wave/ "undefined")—this Alessia Cara version packs the same heartfelt punch with a pop-forward orchestration. ### “Beauty and the Beast,” John Legend and Ariana Grande The newest addition to the canon comes courtesy of [John Legend and Ariana Grande](http://time.com/4659730/beauty-and-the-beast-song-2017/?iid=sr-link1 "undefined"). Their rendition of the classic _Beauty and the Beast_ theme song unites the pair for a contemporary orchestration of the Grammy-winning original, first sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, for the [brand new movie](http://time.com/4696792/beauty-beast-history-feminism/ "undefined") starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4700367/11-classic-disney-songs-performed-flawlessly-by-famous-pop-stars/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4700367/11-classic-disney-songs-performed-flawlessly-by-famous-pop-stars/"},"headline":"11 Classic Disney Songs Performed Flawlessly by Famous Pop Stars","datePublished":"2017-03-17T16:18:40.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:41:51.900Z","description":"From Elton John to Christina Aguilera","url":"https://time.com/4700367/11-classic-disney-songs-performed-flawlessly-by-famous-pop-stars/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Entertainment","movies","Music"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4700367/11-classic-disney-songs-performed-flawlessly-by-famous-pop-stars/","name":"11 Classic Disney Songs Performed Flawlessly by Famous Pop Stars"}}]}] ```