Disney is the arbiter and the source of everything that kids love today. And while its reign declined during the early parts of this decade, we are currently experiencing its re-emergence again, thanks to a number of original movies, shows, and films it has released the past few years. Blame it on Hannah Montana and High School Musical--Disney now holds some of the most popular and perhaps even the most breakthrough artists of recent years. The music and the lyrics of their songs are undeniably "Disney"--child-friendly fares that appeal both to the young and the young at heart.
Perhaps it is Miley Cyrus who is at the forefront of the popularity of Disney right now. Cyrus, who stars in the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana, is a best-selling singer thanks to the songs she performed on her song. However, in 2008, she released her own album titled Breakout, establishing her as an actual solo artist away from the persona she created in her television show. The lyrics of her songs are obviously targeted to teens, as they are the main audience of her songs.
Most of the lyrics of the songs included in her album were actually co-written by Cyrus. In fact, in an interview, she said that writing lyrics is something she would want to do. And this is possible, as her early achievements have already earned her the recognition from the Golden Globes.
Miley Cyrus isn't exactly first female artist from Disney who ventured as a solo singer. Hilary Duff also became a singer from being just a star of her own Disney Channel show, Lizzie Maguire. And like Cyrus, Duff also ventured in songwriting, with her lyrics gracing her albums Metamorphosis, Hilary Duff, Most Wanted, and Dignity, all of which reached the Platinum and Gold status.
For instance, Duff wrote the lyrics to her songs "Gypsy Woman" and "Stranger" based on her experience when her parents separated. While she may not have reached acclaim because of her lyrics, the attempt was certainly a welcome one, since many people think that these actors and actresses from Disney are a bunch of untalented kids riding on their popularity. Obviously, this isn't true at all.
The Jonas Brothers also became popular thanks to their exposure on Disney Channel, most notably their guest spot on Hannah Montana. They toured with Miley Cyrus during her concert tours and became household sensations soon after. The lyrics and the music of the Jonas Brothers may be considered as somewhat more mature than their Disney contemporaries, but they still have the same friendly pop hooks Cyrus and others have. Interestingly, the band also writes lyrics for their own songs.
These three are some of the prime examples of how Disney penetrated the music industry. There are other Disney celebrities who tackle singing and writing lyrics too, but their attempts were met with lukewarm receptions at best. Nonetheless, this shows that while they came from a children's network, these artist can create music, write lyrics, and perform songs like any other mainstream artist.
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