Into the Unknown

* Soundtrack
* Deluxe
* AURORA single

## Singles Chronology

"**Into the Unknown**" is a song by Idina Menzel & AURORA. The song is part of the animated musical fantasy film *Frozen II* (sometimes spelled *Frozen 2*) and its original soundtrack album. The soundtrack was released on November 15, 2019, while the film was released on November 22.

The original song has 48 different versions sung in various languages, with the lead vocals sung by different singers. Aurora's vocals can be heard in all versions. The title for these versions is also translated to its respective language.

On March 4, 2020, AURORA released her own version of the song as a single.

## Background

Tom MacDougall, then executive vice president of music at Disney and on the lookout for talent, saw Aurora perform during an artist showcase. He thought there was something about this intriguing performer with an impressive range that could be a good fit for *Disney*. He eventually had her record a cover of Baby Mine, used in the 2019 *Dumbo* trailer. And then the perfect project came along — the Scandinavia-inspired *Frozen II*.

> "Knowing that was she Norwegian, I thought, *Well, who knows?* At that point the character didn't exist, but she was an interesting artist. [...] When this character came up — this voice — I pitched Aurora. It was a no-brainer. She had to be our voice."
>
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Aurora thought so too. Besides the movie's strong message, the singer loved the ties to her culture, and the spectacular depictions of nature, which she says look just like Norway.

The songwriters commented that they worked with Aurora for two days.

### AURORA version

Aurora releasing her own version of the song was first mentioned on February 8, 2020. A day before the version's release, it was teased on social media with a clip of Aurora singing the song's intro a cappella, noting "It's finally happening".

## About the song

Aurora told *Billboard Japan* about her involvement in the original song:

> "What I particularly liked about my role was its spirituality. Idina Menzel's vocal part (as Elsa) had already been recorded, so my task was to sing with her, not over the song. Because some of the parts are like duets. It was a lot of fun. The recording took place over two nights in a beautiful church with stained glass windows, so the spotlights that spilled out of them were very beautiful."
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>

In an interview with *Bergensavisen*, Aurora said about recording her own version: "It becomes more fragile. Since it has become such a big part of my life, I wanted to go into the studio and *feel it*. It is only when you make it your own that you understand what a piece of music is about." (translated from Norwegian)

## Lyrics

* Original version
* AURORA version

Ah ah oh oh oh

Ah ah oh oh oh oh oh oh

I can hear you but I won't

Some look for trouble while others don't

There's a thousand reasons I should go about my day

And ignore your whispers, which I wish would go away, oh oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

You're not a voice

You're just a ringing in my ear

And if I heard you, which I don't

I'm spoken for I fear

Everyone I've ever loved is here within these walls

I'm sorry, secret siren, but I'm blocking out your calls

I've had my adventure, I don't need something new

I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh oh oh

What do you want? 'Cause you've been keeping me awake

Are you here to distract me so I make a big mistake?

Or are you someone out there who's a little bit like me?

Who knows deep down I'm not where I'm meant to be?

Every day's a little harder as I feel my power grow

Don't you know there's part of me that longs to go

Into the unknown?

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Oh oh oh

Are you out there?

Do you know me?

Can you feel me?

Can you show me?

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Where are you going?

Don't leave me alone

How do I follow you

Into the unknown?

Oh oh oh

Oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh oh

I can hear you but I won't

Some look for trouble while others don't

There's a thousand reasons I should go about my day

And ignore your whispers which I wish would go away

Ah ah, oh oh

Ah ah, oh oh

You're not a voice

You're just a ringing in my ear

And if I heard you, which I don't

I'm spoken for I fear

Everyone I've ever loved is here within these walls

I'm sorry, secret siren, but I'm blocking out your calls

I've had my adventure, I don't need something new

I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

What do you want? 'Cause you've been keeping me awake

Are you here to distract me so I make a big mistake?

Or are you someone out there who's a little bit like me?

Who knows deep down I'm not where I'm really meant to be?

Every day's a little harder as I feel my power grow

Don't you know there's part of me that longs to go...

Into the unknown?

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Are you out there?

Do you know me?

Can you feel me?

Can you show me?

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Ah ah oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

Into the unknown

## Nominations

The song received Academy Award, Critics' Choice Movie Award, Golden Globe Award and Satellite Award nominations for Best Original Song, but lost to "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again", from Elton John's biopic film, *Rocketman*. It was also nominated for a Grammy for "Best Song Written for Visual Media", but lost to "No Time to Die" by Billie Eilish.

## Live at the Oscars

Idina Menzel (also cast as "Elsa" in the film), AURORA ("The Voice") and voice actresses for Elsa from nine other versions of the film performed "Into the Unknown" at the 92nd Academy Awards. The 'Elsas' performing live besides Idina Menzel (English) were Takako Matsu (Japanese), Kasia Łaska (Polish), Gam Wichayanee (Thai), Gisela (European Spanish), Willemijn Verkaik (German), Lisa Stokke (Norwegian) Anna Buturlina (Russian), Carmen Sarahí (Latin American Spanish) and Maria Lucia Rosenberg (Danish).

The awards show was televised live by USA TV network *ABC*. A video of the performance was published on Twitter.

## Trivia

* Aurora is the voice actress for "The Voice" in *Frozen II*, whose singing calls the central character Elsa to the enchanted forest.
* This is Aurora's second song with Disney, her first being "Baby Mine".
* Aurora also recorded a version of "Vuelie" (originally from the first *Frozen* movie) but it was never released. A part of it can be heard in the first trailer for *Frozen II*, and other promotional videos for the film.
* The melodic calls in "Into the Unknown", "Vuelie" and those by "The Voice" were inspired by a type of herding call and music form used in Scandinavia called joiking, kulning or laling.
* An instrumental version of the song is included on the *Frozen II* soundtrack album.
* A different cover design by Robin Larsen with a photo by Robin Bøe was scrapped:

## References

1. ↑ https://music.apple.com/us/album/frozen-2-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1481414042
2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221126235536/https://disneymusic.co/Frozen2
3. ↑ https://disneyinternationalvoices.weebly.com/elsa.html
4. ↑ https://aurora.lnk.to/IntoTheUnknown
5. ↑ https://nypost.com/2019/11/21/meet-singer-aurora-the-secret-weapon-of-frozen-2/#
6. ↑ https://deadline.com/2019/12/frozen-2-songwriters-kristen-anderson-lopez-robert-lopez-disney-animation-interview-1202807193/
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://www.ba.no/aurora-fra-os-til-oscar-en-magisk-tulleting/s/5-8-1229622
8. ↑ https://twitter.com/AURORAmusic/status/1234834238505177089
9. ↑ https://www.billboard-japan.com/d\_news/detail/83125/2 (translated from Japanese)
10. ↑ https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2020
11. ↑ https://twitter.com/TheAcademy/status/1226684827526545408
12. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4520988/fullcredits/
13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSLe4HuKuK0
14. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S14k8w72urQ&t=600s
15. ↑ https://www.bt.no/kultur/i/OpBLak/jeg-sang-paa-en-lunsj-for-disney-jeg-tror-sjefene-var-ganske-begeistret
16. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CBs7XhtA6wd/
17. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CYpKhvRNiRI/ (robinjpglarsen on Instagram, post now defunct)