In the 2010s, there was no faster rise in the public eye than the New York City-born Lin-Manuel Miranda. The actor, composer, and vocalist who created In the Heights and Hamilton for the Broadway stage became a phenomenon thanks to his creative ideas and diverse casting.
Since then, Miranda has gone on to guest on late-night shows, grace the covers of magazines, and partner with entities like Disney for some marquee productions. Here below, we wanted to explore three songs you likely didn’t know the artist has composed (that have nothing to do with Hamilton or In the Heights) for other artists.
[RELATED: The 25 Best Lin-Manuel Miranda Quotes]
“Dos Oruguitas” by Sebastián Yatra from Encanto (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2021)
The title of this song, which is written by Miranda and performed by the Colombian heartthrob Sebastián Yatra, means “two little caterpillars.” Miranda wrote eight original songs for the Encanto soundtrack and this smooth, emotive track was one of the many standouts. The track plays during a flashback showing the life and death of the main character’s grandfather. It was the first song Miranda ever wrote completely in Spanish. He says he didn’t want to write one in English and translate it—rather, he wanted to compose a song that felt like it had been around forever. Mission accomplished! On the track, Yatra sings,
Dos oruguitas enamoradas
Pasan sus noches y madrugadas
Llenas de hambre
Siguen andando y navegando un mundo
Que cambia y sigue cambiando
Navegando un mundo
Que cambia y sigue cambiando
Dos oruguitas paran el viento
Mientras se abrazan con sentimiento
Siguen creciendo, no saben cuándo
Buscar algún rincón
El tiempo sigue cambiando
Inseparables son
El tiempo sigue cambiando
“Surface Pressure” by Jessica Darrow from Encanto (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2021)
Another from the 2021 Encanto soundtrack, this song, which hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, is sung from the perspective of one of the main character’s older sisters, a bruising figure who relies on her strength and, therefore, is often relied upon by others. But it’s not an easy life and under the surface the sister is going crazy with responsibility. Sung with passion and a sense of agony, this track exemplifies the idea that even our strongest figures have more going on inside than they might always let on. Sings actor and vocalist Jessica Darrow,
I’m the strong one, I’m not nervous
I’m as tough as the crust of the Earth is
I move mountains, I move churches
And I glow, ’cause I know what my worth is
I don’t ask how hard the work is
Got a rough indestructible surface
Diamonds and platinum, I find ’em, I flatten ’em
I take what I’m handed, I break what’s demanded
“The Scuttlebutt” by Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs from The Little Mermaid Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2023)
From the recent live-action rendition of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, this song is largely performed by comedian Awkwafina. Playing the role of ocean bird Scuttle, Awkwafina sings about how she knows everything that goes on in the area, from gossip to hot tips to business ventures and everything in between. The song also includes interjections from actor and performer Daveed Diggs, who rose to fame as part of the cast of Hamilton. Sings Awkwafina,
You’ll be like “what?”
When I drop that scuttlebutt
Okay now huddle up, buttercup
From the women who wash all the clothes
To the hunter who arrows the bows
The chatter all over the palace is that your Prince Eric is gonna propose
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Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images
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