Who could be angry about Disney Studios, the world’s largest producer of children’s films? We found one artist, and through this music, we may have given birth to a whole family of Disney-crossed folks. But it’s all in good fun; there’s no actual hatred here! Let’s have a listen to Salem Ilese’s ‘Mad at Disney.’
The song “Mad at Disney” was released on July 24, 2020, however it gained popularity after being featured on Spotify’s “Fresh Finds” playlist. The lyric video on YouTube has over 750,000 views as of this report. Salem Ilese can be found on Instagram.
The song “Mad at Disney” recalls the tale of Salem’s own experience with having high aspirations of love as shown in Disney films, particularly those centered on princesses. Why blame Disney for instilling excessive expectations when life does not always go as planned?
The song emphasizes how Disney films have unnecessarily high expectations for love and ‘happily ever afters.’ We all like a nice love story with a happy conclusion as children. We sometimes assume things to be true and imagine ourselves in such pre-written circumstances.
However, as we grow older, we learn the hard way that life does not always shower us with roses and white horses. Who are we to blame for this? Ourselves? We, on the other hand, did nothing. Why don’t we place the blame on our inflated expectations? Sure, why not? It’s simple enough.
Salem tells us in the first stanza of the song that she is twenty-something years old and has yet to meet her prince charming who will ride upon a white horse and whisk her away into the sunset to live happily ever after! This is quite unusual in this day and age. On his way to becoming a pop star, the singer’s Disney goal may be a long way off!
Salem Ilese, on the other hand, makes a significant point: “I still don’t know who I am or what I’m not.” Set aside your fantasy of riding off into the sunset with your prince charming; she has yet to discover who she is and what she desires.
The song’s second verse takes a surprising turn. The song takes the listener on a journey from the Disney era to present life. The second half of the stanza appears to tell a rape story. The phrase “snow-white horse” appears to be a reference to the substance cocaine in these lyrics.
The ‘prince’ allegedly ‘taken’ his sleeping beauty’ to a motel and ‘took’ her there, according to the singer. This brings to mind how different modern society is from the age of Disney princes and princesses. There is no parallel between the two eras! So expecting Disney legends to come true in the present world is beyond the power of a shooting star!
