Disney snaps up Grande, Legend
ARIANA Grande and John Legend are to perform Beauty and the
Beast for Disney’s upcoming liveaction film.
The 23-year-old pop star and John, 38, are poised to collaborate on a new version of the Grammyand Oscar-winning song which will serve as the title track from the movie’s soundtrack.
The song – first recorded by actress Angela Lansbury in 1991 – is being produced by industry veteran Ron Fair, whose work has led to six Grammy Awards and 18 nominations.
He said: “Stepping into the shoes of an Oscar and Grammy Award-winning classic is not small potatoes. But with today’s two greatest plutonium singers – John Legend and Ariana Grande – we are bringing the song back with a new school-old school fresh treatment that shows the soulfulness and power of what a great melody and lyric can inspire.”
It has been confirmed, too, that the single will be accompanied by a music video produced by Dave Meyers. The hotly-anticipated Beauty
and the Beast live-action movie features a star-studded cast, with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens set to play the central roles.
In the film, Emma plays the part of Belle and a video clip of the 26-year-old actress singing was leaked online earlier this week.
Emma previously admitted to being nervous about singing in
Beauty and the Beast, having not done so for so long. “It was nervewracking for me because I’ve sung as a child in plays and I loved it, but I just hadn’t done it in such a long time, it was like learning to ride a bike again.”