✱SPOILERS AHEAD!✱
As Frozen II drops in theaters, the search for the new blockbuster song begins. Fans rushed into theaters to see the sequel of Anna and Elsa’s adventure to save Arendelle with amazing songs along their journey. One big question circulating the fandom is which song is the new “Let It Go.” Idina Menzel really took Frozen II to a different level by releasing not one, but two powerful songs in the movie that will battle to earn the spot of the famous “Let It Go.” Will it be “Show Yourself” or “Into the Unknown”?
Personally, I believe “Show Yourself” is the new “Let It Go” for two main reasons, its similar message and connection of its melody to that of “Let It Go.”
“Let It Go” was a song about self-discovery and growth. Elsa learns to embrace the new side of herself instead of holding back and hiding her true self. She learns to hone her magic much like when she was a kid. Elsa overcomes a hurdle in her journey to battle her fear of public opinion about her powers.
“Show Yourself” portrays a similar message, only this time, she’s embracing her history instead of her powers. The song starts with Elsa heading towards her powers’ origin and telling the mystical voice along the way to show itself, but the song culminates with a grand reveal of the voice being Elsa’s mother. After learning the truth, Elsa realizes she is the fifth of the elements that she uses to help her in her quest to find the voice and that her origin started with her mom. Here, Elsa discovers her roots and learns to grow into her role in life.
Not only are the messages similar, but the melodies are similar as well. Just as the song begins, there is one line that has the same melody as “Let it Go.” In “Let it Go,” Elsa sings “the wind is howling like this swirling storm inside,” and in “Show Yourself,” Elsa sings in a similar tune “I have always been a fortress. Cold secrets deep inside.” Both of these lines have a message, as well, talking about Elsa’s frequent inner turmoils and her secrets that create a conflict between her heart and her mind. Even the repeated lines “let it go” and “show yourself” are sung at a mid-level pitch throughout most of the song except the end where they spike to high notes.
The songs, specifically, have similar structures. There are a few added choruses and bridges in “Show Yourself,” but it follows the same structure and picturization as “Let it Go.” In the latter song, the first verse Menzel sings shows a hesitant and unsure Elsa arriving at the north mountain and revealing her inner conflict that she’s had until that scene in the movie.
Similarly, the first verse Menzel sings in “Show Yourself,” shows an unsure yet curious Elsa arriving at the river, Ahtohallan, revealing more internal conflict about which she uses to persuade the “siren” to show itself. In both songs, after these scenes, Menzel dives into the main chorus with the repeated words “let it go” or “show yourself” and later another verse depicting a much more sure Elsa embracing her powers to the fullest extent (and making beautiful dresses in the process).
Though many Frozen fanatics say that “Into the Unknown” is definitely the new “Let it Go,” it just does not display Elsa in the same light as “Let it Go” and does not have the same message behind it. “Into the Unknown” is agreeably the most powerful song melody-wise (Menzel really outdid herself with the high note), but it shows Elsa blocking out her true calling much like the scenes in Frozen when she’s being taught how to conceal her powers. The message behind “Let it Go” is the entire opposite, revealing how important it is one stops hiding from public opinion and becomes one’s true self, which “Show Yourself” emulates perfectly.
To me, it’s pretty clear that “Show Yourself” is the new “Let it Go,” but whatever you decide, the lessons from Elsa are ones all of us can learn from. You can decide to go “Into the Unknown” with a mystical voice or “Show Yourself” a new path.
