When Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage? (yay!) hit Disney+ (nay!), I theorized that no one has indoctrinated more generations to the Church of Show-Tunes than the titular Adele Dazeem.

Who can match her big three of Rent’s “Seasons of Love”, Wicked’s “Defying Gravity”, and Frozen’s “Let It Go”?

Well, further evidence to support my argument can be found in an unlikely place right now: the Academy Award-nominated documentary short How Do You Measure a Year?

If you just answered with, “in daylights / in sunsets / in midnights / in cups of coffee…” — then:

A) you’re my people.

And B) look at Idina’s influence!

The nominated short boasts a Boyhood / Up Series conceit: a father interviews his daughter on every one of her birthdays from ages 2-18.

Early on, she confesses dreams of becoming a singer. Her papa prompts her to croon a little for the camera. What are the very first fucking lyrics we hear her belt?  

“Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…”

A few years later, she lets her vocals fly again, and what is it this time?

“I think I’ll try…defying…gravity!”

The Disciples of Show-Tunes got:

---

P.S. The dangers of illegible notes: there is a chance the second song the kid sings is actually “Let It Go” and not “Defying Gravity”…

…

…Either way, my general point still stands!