Imagine a song is stuck in your head, playing over and over again. With a lively melody and complex harmonies, you can’t stop hearing it. You go to search up who wrote the song, and smile, shaking your head. You aren’t surprised, because so many catchy, well-written songs were made by the same one man. Lin Manuel Miranda.
Singer, actor, rapper, filmmaker, and songwriter extraordinaire, Miranda has written some of the most popular and highly-acclaimed soundtracks of the modern age. His work is decorated with a huge amount of shiny awards, including three Tony Awards and five Grammy Awards. But why?
Miranda broke into the performance scene with the hit musical, In the Heights. He not only wrote the score, but played the main character Usnavi as well. Miranda was born in New York to Puerto Rican parents. The award-winning musical combined hip-hop, pop and Spanish effortlessly, making the audience want to shimmy and shake. The result was a fun, cheeky show, set in the Dominican neighborhood of Washington Heights, in Manhattan.
“Because he is Hispanic, his heritage feeds into a lot of his work like in Encanto and In the Heights. He definitely helps with representation there. Because his musicals and movies are such big hits. they really bring a lot of attention to that,” said junior Victoria Chang-Nunley.
In the Heights was key for Latin-American representation in musical theatre, and audiences can feel Miranda’s love for the culture pour out and into their hearts.
Ten years later, Miranda wrote a tiny little show called Hamilton. In actuality, Hamilton was the opposite of tiny. Its success was astronomical, captivating audiences with Miranda’s genius lyricism. It sold out across the country, with Miranda in the spotlight as Alexander Hamilton. It was a revolutionary story about the Revolution, topping the charts with hit song after hit song.
“Hamilton really helped people understand the American Revolution,” said early high schooler Abby Suque.
Miranda’s humanization of historical figures brought light to a key part of American history, and people who never would have before suddenly became very educated about the Revolution. He blew off the dust of Alexander Hamilton’s story, taking it from the history bookshelf and wrapping it in a modern, hip-hop infused glamor.
Sophomore Tessa Julien said, “I think the way he writes impacts what other people think they can write about. He changes their perception of theatre.”
He also wove activism into the show by casting diverse performers and writing commentary into it.
“Lin Manuel Miranda’s music covers a lot of different cultures. He can incorporate a lot of different styles and voices. His musicals are also good for minorities. In Hamilton, he really helps bring attention to women and how Eliza was a big part of Hamilton’s story,” said Chang-Nunley.
“It is good to see diversity and representation in a way that isn’t forced,” said sophomore Anika Srinivasan.
Miranda has also majorly contributed to film, writing the soundtracks to some of the best modern animated movies. Amidst the complaints that Disney was falling off, arose a unique movie that brought Polynesian culture into the realm of princesses. Moana was a smashing success, partially due to its incredible music that still lives rent free in people’s minds to this day. In fact, fans of the first movie have been disappointed that Miranda didn’t write the music to the newly released Moana 2. It is undeniable, the songwriter has a certain magic touch on everything he produces.
Years later, Encanto was released, and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” skyrocketed to the very top of the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles, shattering records along the way. The movie brought much-needed joy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a shining candle in the darkness.
Other films and productions he has contributed to (whether writing music, performing in, or even directing) include Mary Poppins Returns, Merrily We Roll Along, Bring It On, Vivo, The Little Mermaid and more. Most recently, he has composed the African-inspired, pop/hip-hop score to the new Mufasa movie. His long discography documents some of the most notable productions of the 21st century.
Every work is unique and yet marked with his distinctive style.
Miranda helped introduce rap and hip hop into the musical theatre scene.
He directs, acts, and performs, sometimes simultaneously.
From the Washington Heights to New York, 1776, from the Polynesian Islands to the African savanna, Miranda has incorporated culture into all of his music.
Diagnosis? Genius. And not just a genius, one of the best singer songwriters of the 21st century. Lin Manuel Miranda has forever changed the musical scene by creating representation and inspiring an entire generation to perform, sing and tell their stories.
