"Reflection" | |
---|---|
Song by Lea Salonga | |
from the album Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | |
Released | June 2, 1998 |
Recorded | 1997 |
Length | 2:27 |
Label | Walt Disney |
Composer(s) | Matthew Wilder |
Lyricist(s) | David Zippel |
Producer(s) | Matthew Wilder |
"Reflection" is a song written and produced by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel for the soundtrack of Disney's 1998 animated film Mulan . In the film, the song is performed by Tony Award winner, Filipina singer and actress Lea Salonga as Fa Mulan. An accompanying music video for "Reflection" was included as a bonus to the Disney Gold Classic Collection DVD release of the film in February 2000. Reflection has received highly positive reviews, with critics highlighting its emotional writing and Salonga's vocals.
A single version of the song was recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera and became her debut single. She was 17 at the time it was released. The single's commercial success funded Aguilera's debut album from RCA, in addition to gaining her credibility amongst established writers and producers. Releases of the single were limited, which resulted in the track charting only on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. An accompanying music video for the song was included on the DVD release of Mulan. Aguilera has performed the track on four televised performances, including at the CBS This Morning show, which saw her gain the attention of songwriter Diane Warren. Later, the remix by Eric Kupper was released. In 2020, Aguilera re-recorded the song for the live adaptation of Mulan.
In the film Mulan , the song is recorded by Filipina singer and actress Lea Salonga as the title character Mulan. "Reflection", which lasts for 2:27 [1] was written and produced by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel, in the key of A major. Salonga's vocal range spans from the low-note of G♯3 to the high-note of D5 in a moderately slow tempo of 119 beats per minute. [2] The film version truncates the song from the original full version, which runs 3:40 and consists of one more verse and chorus. [3]
The song is performed after Mulan returns home following a humiliating and failed attempt to impress her matchmaker. The lyrical content expresses the way Mulan feels about wanting to show the world who she really is instead of pretending to be who she is not, but is afraid to disappoint her family by doing so. This scene takes place at Mulan's home in its surrounding gardens and ends in her family temple, where she removes her makeup to reveal her true appearance.
In 2015, Salonga revealed that she was asked to re-record the song back in 1996 in its shortened form as the producers saw that the first version is not moving the story along. [4]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [5] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [6] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Reflection" | ||||
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Single by Christina Aguilera | ||||
from the album Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack & Christina Aguilera | ||||
B-side | "Honor To Us All" | |||
Released | June 15, 1998 | |||
Recorded | February 1998 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:33 | |||
Label | ||||
Composer(s) | Matthew Wilder | |||
Lyricist(s) | David Zippel | |||
Producer(s) | Matthew Wilder | |||
Christina Aguilera singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Audio video | ||||
"Reflection (Pop Version)" on YouTube |
In December 1997, Disney was looking for a vocalist to sing the song "Reflection" for their movie-in-the-works, Mulan. The RCA label suggested Aguilera. [7] [8] Within forty-eight hours of the initial call from the company, Disney officials congratulated Aguilera and told her she "got the deal". [7] It took about seven days to record the song. [7] Remembering how the accompaniment for the ballad was recorded, Aguilera told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , "It's enough to bring tears to your eyes, hearing a 90-piece orchestra playing your song. It was amazing." [7] It was conducted by the Academy Award-winning composer Jerry Goldsmith. [9] "Reflection" was Aguilera's second official studio track ever recorded, after the single "All I Wanna Do", a duet with Japanese singer-songwriter Keizo Nakanishi. [7] [10] [11]
After she was asked to hit E5, the highest note required for "Reflection", she thought that the song could be the gateway into an album deal. Aguilera spent hours recording a cover of Whitney Houston's "Run to You", which included the note she was asked to hit. [8] After successfully hitting the note, which she called "the note that changed my life", she was given the opportunity to record the song and subsequently signed a record deal with RCA Records. [12] [13]
Serving as her debut solo single, Aguilera's version of "Reflection" was released to adult contemporary radio on June 15, 1998. [14] The song was released as a CD single in Japan on September 18, 1998. [15] Due to the success around the recording of "Reflection", RCA wished for Aguilera to record and release an album by September 1998 to maintain the "hype" surrounding her at that time. [12] The label laid the foundation for the album immediately and started presenting Aguilera with tracks for her debut album, which was later pushed to a January 1999 release. [12] Her self-titled debut album was eventually released on August 24, 1999, and "Reflection" was included on the album's track list. [16] It was later included on the compilation Disneymania (2002) and in remixed form on Disneymania 4 (2004). [17] [18]
In a 2024 interview for Spotify, Aguilera opined that "Reflection" has "stood the test of time", and added: "[...] People love that song so much because it's about not being seen and that's been a part of my career." [19] [20]
Beth Johnson of Entertainment Weekly noted Aguilera has a "who-am-I musings" persona in the song, [21] while Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic commented that "Matthew Wilder and David Zippel's full-fledged songs [on Mulan] are flat and unmemorable." [22] By contrast, in retrospect, Billboard's Chris Malone complimented the song as a "classic ballad". [23] Billboard later placed "Reflection" at number twenty-three on its list of the 100 Greatest Disneyverse Songs of All Time, commenting: "Largely thanks to Christina Aguilera’s breakthrough rendition of the hit, 'Reflection' has become an anthem for young people — especially women — who are working towards being unapologetically themselves." [24] Attitude ranked "Reflection" at number twelve on its list of Aguilera's seventeen best songs, calling it "finely crafted", [25] and AXS placed it at number eight on a similar, top ten list. [26] "Reflection" was nominated for Outstanding Performance of a Song for Feature Film at the 1999 ALMA Awards. [27]
"Reflection" peaked at number 19 on the Adult Contemporary chart. [28] [29] After the success of the track, Aguilera's record label RCA decided to fund her debut album (costing over one million dollars), and eventually funded more than they had predicted initially. [30]
Aguilera performed the song on television four times, first on the CBS This Morning , and then on the Donny & Marie show; neither of these performances were directed at her demographic of teen viewers. [28] Whilst watching the show on This Morning, Aguilera gained the attention of songwriter Diane Warren, who was astonished by such a young performer being as "polished" as she was. Warren later stated that she had seen the potential in Aguilera. [30] The singer also performed "Reflection" on MuchMusic's Intimate and Interactive on May 17, 2000. [31] An ABC special in 2000, featuring a performance of the song, was recorded and released in a DVD titled My Reflection. [32] The song was later included in the setlist for Aguilera's Vegas residency Christina Aguilera: The Xperience.
Aguilera's version of the song was re-dubbed into a number of languages to be featured in their respective foreign soundtracks released in 1998. In 2000, Aguilera herself recorded her Spanish-language version of "Reflection", titled “Mi Reflejo” (“My Reflection”) which was adapted by Rudy Pérez for her second studio album of the same name. [33] As both Spanish soundtracks had been released two years earlier, each featuring their end-credits version, Aguilera's version was not featured in either of them. [34] [35] For the Hispanic-American market, the song was titled “Reflejo” and performed in Spanish-language by Mexican singer Lucero. [36] In her Korean version of the song, titled "내안의 나를" ("Naeane naleul"), Korean American singer Lena Park went up to an A5. [37] Hong Kong-American singer and actress Coco Lee performed a Mandarin version of the song titled "自己" ("Zìjǐ"), after she was called to voice the character of Mulan in the Mandarin dubbing distributed in Taiwan. [38] [39] [40]
Chart (1998–2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
South Korea International (Gaon) [41] | 86 |
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [29] | 19 |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | June 15, 1998 | Adult contemporary | [14] | |
Japan | September 18, 1998 | CD | Pony Canyon | [15] |
"Reflection (2020)" | ||||
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Single by Christina Aguilera | ||||
from the album Mulan | ||||
Released | August 28, 2020 | |||
Length | 3:38 | |||
Label | Walt Disney | |||
Composer(s) | Matthew Wilder | |||
Lyricist(s) | David Zippel | |||
Producer(s) | Harry Gregson-Williams | |||
Christina Aguilera singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Reflection" (2020) on YouTube |
Although the live action remake was announced not to be a musical, on February 27, 2020, Aguilera announced that she had recorded a new version of the song for the upcoming movie, which was going to be featured in the movie soundtrack. [42] Film composer Harry Gregson-Williams provided the orchestra for Aguilera's re-recorded version, and film director Niki Caro directed the music video. [43]
In December 2020, PopSugar UK's Kelsie Gibson named the release of "Reflection" as one of the top 15 nostalgic moments of the year. [44] It was nominated for the Best Adapted Song at the 2021 Online Film & Television Association Awards. [45]
Later that year, Coco Lee also announced that she was going to re-record the Mandarin end-credits version of the song, as she had already done in 1998. [46] [40] On March 8, 2020, Coco's Mandarin version was also covered by actress Liu Yifei for the soundtrack of the live-action, [47] while a brand-new Japanese and Korean versions were recorded by singers Minami Kizuki and Lee Su-hyun respectively. [48] [49] On September 4, 2020, a Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu versions were released on the Indian Vevo channel, with Indian singer Nithayashree Venkataramanan performing the song both in Tamil and Telugu, even though no such versions of the animated movie were ever released. [50] [51] [52] On November 20, 2020, another English version of the song was recorded by Indonesian singers Yura Yunita, Sivia Azizah , Agatha Pricilla , and Nadin Amizah, with the music video released on the DisneyMusicAsiaVEVO channel. The song was released to accompany the Indonesian-dubbed version of the movie on Disney+ Hotstar. [53] [54]
"Reflection" (2020 end credits version) worldwide | |||
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Language | Performer | Title | Translation |
English | Christina Aguilera | "Reflection" | |
Hindi | Sunayana Sarkar | "परछाई" ("Parchhaayi") | "Reflection" |
Japanese | 城南海 (Minami Kizuki) | "リフレクション" ("Rifurekushon") | |
Korean | 이수현 (Lee Su-hyun) | "숨겨진 내 모습" ("Sumgyeojin nae moseub") | "The hidden reflection of me" |
Mandarin Chinese | 李玟 (Coco Lee) | "自己" ("Zìjǐ") | "Myself" |
刘亦菲 (Liu Yifei) | |||
Tamil | Nithayashree Venkataramanan | "என் பிம்பம்" ("Yen bhimbham") | "My reflection" |
Telugu | "నాలో నేనే" ("Nālō nēnē") | "Self within myself" |
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Scotland (Official Charts Company) [55] | 42 |
Singapore (RIAS) [56] | 21 |
UK Download Chart (OCC) [57] | 35 |
US Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [58] | 20 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [59] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
The group Mannheim Steamroller covered the song on their 1999 album, Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse . Michael Crawford covered this song in The Disney Album. His rendition replaces the word "girl" with "man". Singer and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks performed the song on the Dedication Week of the sixth season of the show, with the performance she moved forward to the next round. [60] Jackie Evancho also covered the song on her fourth studio album, Songs from the Silver Screen . [61] In La Voz... Argentina (the Argentinian version of The Voice ), the Spanish version of the song was covered by Sofia Rangone. [62] During the Chinese competition show Singer 2018, British Singer Jessie J performed a rearranged version of the song, during episode 11, gaining her fifth first place. On 7 May 2023, Nicole Scherzinger performed the song at the Coronation Concert, held in celebration of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla the day before, [63] accompanied by Chinese pianist Lang Lang. [64]
I did a single with a Japanese singer (Keizo Nakanishi) when I was 16
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)Fa Mulan is a fictional character, inspired by a legendary figure, who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Mulan (1998). Her speaking voice is provided by actress Ming-Na Wen, while singer Lea Salonga provides the character's singing voice. Created by author Robert D. San Souci, Mulan is based on the legendary Chinese warrior Hua Mulan from the poem the Ballad of Mulan. Her name "Fa Mulan" is inspired by the Yue Chinese name for the character, which is pronounced Fa Muklan. The only child of an aging war veteran, Mulan disregards both tradition and the law by disguising herself as a man in order to enlist herself in the army in lieu of her feeble father.
Mulan is a 1998 American animated musical coming-of-age action-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. Based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, the film was directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft and produced by Pam Coats, from a screenplay by Rita Hsiao, Chris Sanders, Philip LaZebnik, and the writing team of Raymond Singer and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer, and a story by Robert D. San Souci. Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, and BD Wong star in the English version as Mulan, Mushu, Shan Yu, and Captain Li Shang, respectively, while Jackie Chan provided the voice of Li Shang for the Chinese dubs of the film. The film's plot takes place in China during an unspecified Imperial dynasty, where Fa Mulan, daughter of aged warrior Fa Zhou, impersonates a man to take her father's place during a general conscription to counter a Hun invasion.
Christina María Aguilera is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Recognized as an influential figure in music and having received widespread public interest, she is noted for her four-octave vocal range extending into the whistle register, artistic reinventions, and incorporating controversial themes into her music. Referred to as the "Voice of a Generation", she was also named a Disney Legend, in recognition for her contributions to The Walt Disney Company.
Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga, is a Filipino singer and actress. Known primarily for her work in theatre, she has starred in musicals on Broadway and in the West End. Her accolades include a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award, in addition to nominations for two Grammy Awards. She was conferred with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1990 and the Order of Lakandula in 2007, and she was honored as a Disney Legend in 2011.
Christina Aguilera is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Christina Aguilera. It was released on August 24, 1999, by RCA Records. After recording "Reflection", the theme song for the 1998 Disney film Mulan, RCA laid the foundation for the album immediately and started presenting Aguilera with tracks for her debut album, which they originally decided would have a January 1999 release. Primarily a dance-pop and teen pop album, its music incorporates bubblegum pop, R&B, soul, hip hop, as well as ballads. Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including Johan Åberg, David Frank, Ron Fair, Guy Roche, Robin Thicke, Matthew Wilder and Aaron Zigman.
Disneymania is the first album in the Disneymania series featuring various musical artists performing classic Disney songs. The original album, released on September 17, 2002, featured contemporary Disney classics. It peaked at number 52 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA in February 2003. Singles released from the album were "I Wanna Be Like You" by Smash Mouth and "Beauty and the Beast" by Jump5. The album also includes "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera, which was released as a single years prior in 1998.
"Genie in a Bottle" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut studio album (1999). It was written by Pam Sheyne, Steve Kipner and David Frank, and produced by Kipner and Frank. The song was released on 22 June 1999, by RCA Records as the album's lead single. It is a soul-pop, teen pop and dance-pop song with elements of R&B. "Genie in a Bottle" uses sexual references to address the themes of self-respect and abstinence.
American singer Christina Aguilera has released nine studio albums, four extended plays (EPs), four compilation albums, one soundtrack album, 54 singles, and 17 promotional singles. After releasing the duet "All I Wanna Do" with Keizo Nakanishi in 1997 and later gaining recognition for her solo musical debut with "Reflection", the theme song for the Disney animated film Mulan (1998), Aguilera signed a multi-album contract with RCA Records in 1998.
Filipino singer and actress Lea Salonga has released twelve studio albums, six live albums, two compilation albums and is involved in at least ten cast recordings. According to Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Salonga has sold 3.5 million certified singles in the United States. At age 10, Salonga recorded her debut album, Small Voice, which was certified Gold in the Philippines. Salonga's 1993 self-titled album made her the first Filipino singer to sign with an international record label.
Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is the soundtrack for the 1998 Disney animated feature film Mulan. Released by Walt Disney Records on June 2, 1998, the album featured songs by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel, conducted by Paul Bogaev, and score composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith. Vocalists included Lea Salonga, Donny Osmond, 98 Degrees, Jaz Coleman, Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera.
Ultimate Disney Princess is a three-disc compilation album set consisting of a wide range of popular Disney songs, mainly those sung by or related to the Disney Princesses.
Princess Disneymania is Disney's first compilation album in the Disneymania series. It was released on September 30, 2008. The album features various artists renditions of classic songs originally from the Disney Princess films. Emily Osment's cover of "Once Upon a Dream", is the only previously unreleased song on the compilation, the song was also used to promote Sleeping Beauty's Platinum Edition home video release, which was released the following month. Kari Kimmel, Amy Adams, and Sierra Boggess' contributions on the compilation were all taken from their respective soundtrack albums Ella Enchanted, Enchanted, and The Little Mermaid: Original Broadway Cast Recording, all the other songs on the compilation were previously released on a Disneymania album and are mainly sung by female artists. The album became the lowest-peaking of the series, peaking at #191 on the Billboard 200.
American singer Christina Aguilera has released five video albums and been featured in fifty-eight music videos, five films, thirteen television programs, and seven commercials. Aguilera achieved early fame in 1993 and 1994 when she appeared in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, which co-starred her contemporaries Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Ryan Gosling. In 1999, she rose to prominence with her eponymous debut album, whose singles "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants", "I Turn to You" and "Come On Over Baby " all received their music videos. The videos for the Spanish versions of the four singles were subsequently released in conjunction with the promotion of Aguilera's 2000 Spanish album Mi Reflejo. In 2001, Aguilera appeared in the music video for "Lady Marmalade", a collaboration with Mýa, Lil' Kim, and Pink, which earned two MTV Video Music Awards for Video of the Year and Best Video from a Film at the 2001 ceremony.
Mulan is an American Disney media franchise that began in 1998 with the theatrical release of Mulan.
"Before I Fall in Love" is a song by Hong Kong-born American singer-songwriter Coco Lee. It was released as her debut single from her English debut album, Just No Other Way on July 12, 1999. The song was originally recorded by Canadian singer Joanne Pennock in her album Joanne released in 1995. Lee's rendition of the song which she executively produced herself was originally included as an album track in the soundtrack of the Julia Roberts movie Runaway Bride released in the same year, before having a commercial release of the song worldwide in 2000.
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