The standout song from Frozen 2 is not actually the one everyone expected. After the first film became a cultural phenomenon in 2013, audiences have eagerly anticipated Elsa and Anna’s next adventure. There were many questions surrounding Frozen 2’s release, but one of the biggest was if there would be a song that could possibly match the popularity of “Let It Go”. Going into it, there was one likely contender for the film’s big showstopper, and while it’s still quite good, it isn’t the standout.
Frozen 2 reunites the whole crew from the first installment (Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf) as they venture north to uncover a long-lost mystery. Elsa has been hearing a mysterious voice, and, while pondering it accidentally reawakens the elemental spirits that reside in an enchanted forest. When those spirits threaten Arendelle, the team heads to the forest to uncover what happened there years before and why it has been sealed off for so long. The film is a huge hit, setting a new Disney Animation box office record in its first weekend.
It was inevitable that Elsa would get a big solo song in Frozen 2, but in actuality she gets two. The first, “Into the Unknown”, was positioned to be Frozen 2’s “Let It Go”. Disney released it as a single weeks before the film hit theaters, and Panic! at the Disco even did a cover of the song that is featured in the credits. This is similar to how Demi Lovato covered “Let It Go” for the first movie. “Into the Unknown” comes when Elsa is contemplating the voice she keeps hearing. It represents her desire to understand what it is and where it is coming from, but also her reluctance to actively pursue it because of the danger it may pose. It’s a good starting out point for the story and shows where Elsa’s mind is at before the real adventure begins. However, it’s her second song that really steals the show.
Elsa’s “Show Yourself” is Frozen 2’s Standout Song
Elsa’s second song, “Show Yourself”, comes at a pivotal moment in the plot. Elsa’s obsession with the voice leads her across the Dark Sea to Ahtohallan, which is known as the “river of memory”. There, she finally uncovers the mystery of the what happened in the Enchanted Forest, as well as the source of her powers. “Show Yourself” is really a plea; as Elsa goes deeper into Ahtohallan, her need for answers grows. She wants to find the truth behind both the past and her magic. This is a huge moment for her character because she isn’t showing any fear. Frozen was about Elsa overcoming her fears about her powers, but Frozen 2 is about her owning them and using them for good.
As one of the lines from “Show Yourself” says, Elsa is “no longer trembling.” She has grown into her abilities and become a new person. Because of that, “Show Yourself” is the real standout song in Frozen 2. “Into the Unknown” is certainly a showstopper in its own right, thanks to Idina Menzel’s incredible voice, but “Show Yourself” has more emotion behind it. It’s a song that really digs into Elsa’s character development and even features a cameo from her mother Iduna. Plus, the animation throughout the whole sequence adds to its goose-bump-inducing vibe. Does it beat “Let It Go”? That is less certain, but it’s still a powerful song that can easily be defined as one of Frozen 2’s best.
More: Our Biggest Unanswered Questions After Frozen 2 (There’s A Lot)
