How Surface Pressure Works & Why It's Catchy

[@cynthtnyc]

I love Surface Pressure, it's absurdly EFFICIENT on every level. People don't seem to talk about how CRAZY GOOD THE LYRICS ARE, linguistically and phonologically! The lyrics are filled with the alliteration of retroflex Rs and constant repetition of words with the retroflex R sound, making it sound like Luisa is constantly GROWLING and SNARLING from the pain of physical exertion. The retroflex R sound is made down the throat, it's a very INTERNAL sound and it further reinforces how much Luisa is repressing. Also, almost every verse is punctuated by a deliberately deep INHALE demonstrating how utterly exhausted and overwhelmed Luisa is, as if she's constantly trying to catch her breath while she works tirelessly everyday. It also foreshadows her sobbing breakdown she has later when her powers disappear. The only verse in which she isn't "growling" and trying to catch her breath is when she's soaring through the clouds on her cute donkeycorn... And the lyrics for those verses instead switch to feature fricative S sounds, to symbolize how letting go of the expectations helps shedding her tough exterior and relax, since S sounds can only be made by letting go of air in the lungs and EXHALING through gritted teeth! But as soon as she sings "this gRowing pRessuRe", she starts to fall off the sky. Capturing the vocalist's breathing isn't something that traditional composition usually incorporates into the musical fabric of the song... but YET AGAIN, Lin Manuel says "how about I do anyway?" and knocks it out of the park; this isn't the first or last time Lin's used breathing in the sound design to enrich a song's subtextual meaning. Anyway, wow, I got excited, hope y'all can appreciate these wonderful details like I do!

[@SomeoneInOregon]

Those are since great observations, thanks for sharing! Incidentally, it's "Luisa" without the tilde, ( which if there, would transform the by-syllabic name into three syllables, the way Louisa is pronounced in English in the Sound of Music, for example).

[@sarahwho2238]

YES THIS omg, especially on spotify the deep breaths are so pronounced! isabela has a shaky gasp at the start of her song and it's such a subtle powerful detail, lin knows best u can't change my mind 😭

[@mcnater]

Yes to all this!

[@cynthtnyc]

@@SomeoneInOregon Oop, my B. My keyboard just corrected it to the way the name is generally spelled and pronounced in Brazilian Portuguese, but thanks for the heads up.

[@timethroughhistory7885]

The more i learn about lin manuel the more i beginning to think he is someone beyond a mind cannot comprehend

[@fuzzyalba5419]

I love the visual metaphor when Casita flattens her. The only thing that can crush her is the legacy of her family & the expectations that come with it.

[@TackeMatty]

Also, by the end, she's holding up the entire village

[@jessicasnow9007]

And she still can’t stop for more than a few seconds!

[@nishajohn7847]

Also in the film, when Luisa sings "line up the dominoes, a light wind blows,", the first domino is her own door, with which she struggles and can't lift. A small but great detail.

[@yawninglion1677]

@@nishajohn7847 Plus, right before that, fixing Mirabel's glasses while asking if she can "preserve this". She's talking about preserving her family, the one thing fear that ends up crushing her.

[@EmperorDodd]

@@nishajohn7847 Not to mention, the "light wind" in question is a tornado. So, catastrophic weather phenomena are no big deal compared to the weight of her own abilities and the expectations they entail!

[@mayabairey]

I know Lin is a genius, but I never know how much of a genius he is until you use your genius to explain it.

[@kw3593]

Yes!

[@firefly5571]

The word "genius" has be thrown around loosely. If that's the case, I can call my plumber a genius for fixing my kitchen sink. I would say though that Lin-Manuel Miranda is talented.

[@tmm4195]

@@firefly5571 I agree that the word "genius" gets thrown around easily, but I definitely think Lin-Manuel is a genius as far as writing songs. It's like something he was born to do.

[@vyarabrennan7087]

he good.

[@BengaliBonita]

Lol right on point 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@therealsulaco]

The songs in Encanto are like magic tricks: knowing how the trick is done only serves to deepen the appreciation for the magic.

[@cryofpaine]

LMM puts so much depth & meaning in that appreciating it fully requires knowing all these details.

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

Which is why it’s sad magicians usually refuse to explain.

[@gabrielxavier2676]

@@sarasamaletdin4574 I guess it depends a lot, in the case of magic, there are people that react badly to explained tricks, some feel like the trick is cheap and simple, of course usually in retrospective, this might have to do with the feeling of being fooled, but I can only suppose at this point.

[@pap64]

Luisa is easily the most exploited Madrigal; not even Julieta, who has the literal power to HEAL people with her food, is as pressured as Luisa. As noted in the video, no one even says "please and thank you" to her. I recently lost my father last year, so now I am the main patriarch of my family; taking care of my mother, help balance finances, focus on work, AND my own well being. It's a lot of pressure and stress because it's like I have to balance it all and if I fail I get imposter syndrome something fierce. Luisa needed to be loved, appreciated, and to let her relax and take it easy. Never underestimate the power of a "thank you" and "you are the best".

[@alanar8046]

hug

[@lordgino2006]

I read you, and I'm seeing my mom's situation right now. I really need to give her a big hug. Stay strong my friend, and stay true to yourself. You can do this, I believe in you

[@agrofindastation]

I was fine until I read this comment. Then I realized how much your situation matches what I'm going through. You are clearly very strong, otherwise you would not understand that what you are going through is stressing you. Keep going. Though they may not say it to you, your family does appreciate it; but, I do hope that they let you know.

[@cherryb3240]

🫂 Sounds like you're doing great, and I hope that you get some time for relaxation too

[@jaydeebee69]

Take care of yourself, friend. You are worthy.

[@tthaas]

The more deep dives I get to see you do into his music, the more convinced that I am that Lin Manuel Miranda is a goddamn genius and a generational talent.

[@missdancefan]

Well Andrew Garfield did say, being alive at the same time as Lin is like being alive when Beethoven was living.

[@Gledster]

100%

[@jenkinsjrjenkins]

Its honestly really upsetting how many people just throw him into the "cringe" category and ignore how genius he is. I guess geniuses tend to be a bit "cringe" bc they're usually nerds and excessive nerdiness is commonly categorized as cringe, but thats such an old school, bully way of thinking. Lin nerds out over history, music, and cultures, let him be a dork without being judgy and be thankful we're alive at the same time as him!

[@AnthonyJMurph]

@@missdancefan I think he's more like Mozart

[@sadlobster1]

For me, the reason Surface Pressure feels so memorable is not JUST for the music but the lyrics. The final verse in particular is one of, if not THE MOST, heart-wrenching in it. "Watch as she buckles and bends but never breaks; NO...CRACKS, NO...BREAKS...NO MISTAKES, NO PRESSURE!" Those final eight words, to me not only sound very sad but they also exemplify the amounts of toxic expectations everyone (or more specifically, Alma and herself) places upon Luisa. To be expected to do EVERYTHING you're asked or told without any mistake, any cracks in your resolve or without even asking for a small moment to have a breather raises so many red flags

[@davinchristino]

There is a really good contrast between Luisa's strong and weak side here.

[@youneverknow6112]

especially the words "watch as she buckles and bends but never breaks" hold a lot of truth. people watch and don't care that she's hurting. they would only notice the day she finally breaks

[@TheEndKing]

It also gives the impression that other people watch her lifting as like a circus strongman's performance. Even when they're worried, it's like the fake worry you have when watching Superman almost not lift something.

[@Leo0718]

There's also the highlighted hypocrisy of the expression “No pressure”, usually a reassurance. But also used sarcastically, especially when it's preceded by “no mistakes”, that almost feels like a mockery of the effort she puts into performing. As it is usual of people who don't know how much effort it takes to perform some difficult task. Since it looks effortless or almost magical from the outside, everyone assumes the person doing it is putting no effort or preparation into making it look so.

[@kittenmimi5326]

The visuals too I dont think this would be as impactful without the amazing visuals that perfectly sync to the theme, beat etc of the song

[@stevewood694]

The whole score is brilliant but this tune hit differently for me, striding the line so well between musical theater and an absolute banger of a pop tune.

[@Collidedatoms]

It honestly sounds like the kind of song Paramore would come up with.

[@sandradermark8463]

Under the surface: Hercules took Cerberus from the underworld, and icebergs are mostly underwater. Cerberus and icebergs are generally under the surface. Genius reference.

[@nathangamble125]

Honestly, it would be easier to point out the lyrics and imagery in this song that _don't_ have a deeper symbolic meaning. I don't think the dance that the donkeys do during the "pressure like a tick, tick, tick..." line means anything?

[@MorganEdgy]

@@nathangamble125 Congratulations, you ruined it.

[@HeadDetectiveLassie]

@@nathangamble125 Let me try that for you (even if it's a reach). The dance moves are reminiscent of trends on TikTok, the video app, which is phonetically similar to the sound clocks make which fits with the tick tick tick aspect of the lyrics, the pressure of a time crunch or countdown. Also, "tick tock" noises were in the musical accompaniment in parts of the song. Social media, like TikTok, is also often brought up in discussions of mental health due to it being a poor reflection of reality because people are more likely to present the best aspects of themselves and their lives to others, hiding insecurities and personal struggles. TikTok, personally, is a platform for producing and sharing short videos, which sounds easy, but doesn't always give credit to all the effort, planning, and time that gets put into the final product. Viewers get to enjoy the finished product, blind to the work that went into it, and expect more of the same quality, expectations the creators have to meet to stay relevant even if they don't always receive the credit they deserve. ...like Luisa. It looks effortless for her, and she doesn't complain. Mirabel is first to learn how much is going on behind the scenes and how much is being hidden to meet the demand. Even then, Luisa tries to keep her shielded and, when she notices her fear or concern, they covers it up by trying to be fun and entertaining (with her own TikTok dance video) to cheer her little sister up and distract her from the meaning of the lyrics. Well, that was my best shot to make everything deep and relevant.

[@MorganEdgy]

@@HeadDetectiveLassie now this is more like it

[@eternelleee]

@@HeadDetectiveLassie Thank you for making it better to understand

[@sarahwho2238]

off topic, but isa luisa and mirabel have spot on sibling dynamics from my pov. i've seen a lot of people upset/confused over isabela being so 'mean' to mirabel but she's the oldest of the three - she's only seen with abuela and is such a huge example of 'the oldest' held to perfection especially by the grandmother whereas we see mirabel mostly with julieta/her parents which reminds me of my younger sister always being seen as the baby. mirabel envies her siblings and feels slighted, while isa has lived with this pressure for years and honestly probably couldn't stand mirabel moping over not having a gift. plus... sisters just hate each other lol we don't need reasons because it's never real it's just part of our selfexpression. luisa, though, is right in the middle. she loves both her sisters but is largely overlooked by pretty much everyone. she's carrying the weight of the family and doesn't step out of line or argue because she knows there's tension in the family already and she's terrified of everything falling apart. someone else pointed out how luisa is always pictured with donkeys (literal work animals) and it sent me 6ft under

[@AndaraBledin]

To add to this, part of why Isa has so much pressure on her is also that she looks the most like a young Abuela Alma, and it's probably Abuela trying to have the life she envisioned when she was young vicariously through Isa that Isa nearly ends up being engaged to a man who resembles Abuelo Pedro.

[@sarahwho2238]

@AndaraBledin i'd heard about mariano looking very similar to pedro, i hadn't even thought about how much isa & alma favor 😵 a bunch of her og designs were edgy and dark too and whether her tastes are different in the final movie or not i think she's the epitome of that angsty older sibling "no one understands!" except literally no one understands lol no one sees her for Her, just the image of who they think she should be

[@PrismOpal64]

It still doesn't sit right with me that Isa blames Mirabel for her problems, but I can see your point too.

[@tmm4195]

@@PrismOpal64 I don't think Isa really does blame Mirabel for her problems. I think she was just saying that out of anger of being called selfish. Or maybe her abuela kind of brainwashed her into thinking that Mirabel was the source of all their problems.

[@sarahwho2238]

@PrismOpal yeeahh that's the root of their issue I think. both of them have an attitude so while you can tell what they're going through is real & their feelings are justified, at the end of the day they're just teens/young adults and especially as siblings theyre gonna tease each other and fly off the handle saying something more hurtful than they really meant. that's why i love when isa pulls mirabel in for a hug 🥺 they finally see each other's struggles & lift each other up 💖

[@ianesgrecia8568]

Let's take our bingo cards to the mention of Dies Irae

[@HowardHoMusic]

LOL...as long as people keep using it, I'll keep mentioning it!

[@TehTeh911]

Came to the comments to find this lol

[@monoverantus]

I used to think "Aaron Burr, sir" was novel for managing to find so many rhymes on "er", now I'm starting to think Lin-Manuel Miranda is on a mission

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

That was novel but rather irratating song to lisen to.

[@eminahalimovic9841]

I was NOT ready for that eminem mashup lmao I need the whole thing

[@HowardHoMusic]

I'm sure someone is making it!

[@fawncarter5912]

@@HowardHoMusic seriously, we need Louisa's spaghetti. I'm ready for that!

[@ccheyenne]

There's vomit on the donkeys already

[@sarahcoleman5269]

I don't think I've ever had an analytical breakdown of the technical elements of a song make me tear up before. Good thing we have Howard Ho to explain to us just how much of a genius Lin Manuel Miranda is to us. We're all like, "Yeah, that's some really good music." Howard's like, "Wait, no, you don't even know, let me explain."

[@1SpicyMeataball]

"Genius" Guy makes the founding fathers rap and everyone is sucking his dick.

[@fmj_79]

i know it's an old comment, but that's excatly how i feel. I come here so that I can appreciate the songs I already love in ways never before imagined

[@SamanthaVimes]

I thought it was cool that in the beginning a lot of Luisa's stress was because she thought that saving the family from whatever was wrong was going to be her job to fix. "Give it to your sister" was her encouraging Mirabel to go ahead and have her take care of things... even as she's confessing her stress, she still sees it as her job to take the burden off Mirabel. But as the movie continues, she realizes Mirabel wants to and is ready to try to fix things herself. She doesn't offer to go to0 Bruno's tower for Mirabel, she tells her she will probably find what she needs there. Her belief in Mirabel keeps growing and when others were scrambling for the candle, Luisa didn't make the effort-- she believed if anyone would succeed it was Mirabel. It's subtle because you have to notice what Luisa is not doing-- not trying to do that job herself. But when you realize that's out of her normal behavior, you realize that she's got faith in her little sis and that's heartwarming.

[@mariaferodigue]

That's awesome!

[@doctorwholover1012]

My take on luisa not running into the house to grab the candle was that she was focused more on protecting the family member vs the family house - when you see everyone get thrown out onto the grass, luisa is holding Abuela + cushioning her fall 👀 I love your take that she had faith in Mirabel tho, luisa + mirabel defo had that kind of relationship vibe

[@hcxpl1]

I think this is an interesting reading but I don't think it is quite right... Yes, she puts her faith in Mirabel and seriously hopes she'll be able to fix things but I feel that the reason she doesn't do it herself is that she sees it as "a waste of time" of sorts, in the sense that it doesn't have immediate, or even guaranteed, results and she basically doesn't have time to try to actually solve the problems that she has to take care of (like how in the end they finally build a fence for the donkeys so she doesn't have to collect them all the time). So, in many ways, she continues to shoulder the burden of keeping things afloat SO that Mirabel may have the time to actually solve things - much like parents give their children the best conditions they can, try to shield them from their actual situation so that they can grow healthy and maybe even out of the situationthey find themselves to be in.

[@erinidum]

Also, during the bridge, we hear a lot of softer sounds like the "sh" in "shake" and "crushing", the opposite of the plosives used during the more tense parts of the song. And, quite literally, evoking a feeling of quiet or gentle shushing, "shh..."

[@HowardHoMusic]

Yes, 100%!

[@AMoniqueOcampo]

What gets me about this particular song is the instrumentals. It sounds the most similar to Hamilton, down to the drums. It's an anxiety anthem AND a frickin good workout track!

[@michelleanderson5244]

I actually said "That was Hamilton AF" while watching this part in the movie.

[@quopi7183]

hard agree, i realized lin wrote the songs the moment i heard surface pressure AND waiting on a miracle. Same vibes from 'wait for it' ykwim?

[@yyoveltube]

It felt a tad messy dynamic wise

[@anaionescu8913]

This song has me thinking about life and how painfully relatable the "I'm pretty sure I'm worthless if I can't be of service" line is, and I would've NEVER thought a Disney song could make me this emotional

[@christinajackson2662]

The tears I was holding in finally burst through when I heard that line for the first time. This song came right when I needed it most.

[@nikk-named]

That line broke me in so many ways...

[@joannabanana3372]

Same. I just finally watched the entire film a few weeks ago. It wrecked me. This cartoon has so much adult psychological themes. When I first heard this song I was in a 2nd grade classroom during their snack break. The kids requested this song. I didn’t know anything about Encanto. I almost cried in the classroom after listening to this song. I am now obsessed with this animated film because I can relate so much to the family dynamics.

[@georgiagalaxy]

Same, no matter how little you actually DO the work, fear for the future, and expectations as is the central theme :’)

[@georgiagalaxy]

@@joannabanana3372 aww wow, I’m so glad you could have that experience :) Even me as a young person who just left school, I can fully feel the pressure that this song SCREAMS about and try to lessen it as much as possible, also having faith or just daydreaming about the idea that things will get better. :) 💖💖

[@turnerfaughn338]

I love the way that Luisa's mental health is portrayed. Her problems exist and she tells Mirabel about them, but at the same time, they aren't overly gushy and emotional. It's something in between that everyone can relate to.

[@Me4is2awsum]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 he's done it again folks! Also because I'm a Greek mythology nerd I'd like to also point out another Greek mythology reference from when Luisa is asked to reroute a river. Heracles (Hercules) did the same thing as part of one of his 12 Labors when he had to clean some stables

[@yunamchill9169]

That's so genius. The only thing I'm uncertain about, I think Heracles never fought against Cerberus. He simply asked Hades if he could borrow him to show him to the king. Right?

[@HeadDetectiveLassie]

@@yunamchill9169 Hades told him he could if he could retrieve Cerberus without seriously harming him, so it was a barehanded wrestling match.

[@yunamchill9169]

@@HeadDetectiveLassie Ah, ok. Thanks

[@Tirannie]

@@yunamchill9169 If my memory serves, that segment is basically a re-creation of the scene in the Disney Hercules movie when he's trying to prove he's a hero by fighting all those monsters in the stadium.

[@lostbeyondwordz]

I really like the interlinking between songs too. Watching through the film the first time, and needing a break to cry after Luisa's song, when going through it again you start to hear more. I now can't unhear, in The Family Madrigal, the townspeople just chanting Luisa's name when Mirabel is introducing her sisters. There's just so much pressure in the way that they're calling her versus the flowing, almost infatuated, way they sing Isabella's name. They have enough time to flow Isabella's name, their attention is so focused on her, they have so much time to admire her but Luisa's name is a chant, spoken twice as much, because they use her for so much without so much as a second glance. Ugh. Just once I start listening to this OST I have to keep going. It starts on loop and never ends.

[@sarahwho2238]

something else i noticed in surface pressure is when they're starting to fall back down from the clouds, in the movie you can hear voices behind hers going "pressure, pressure, pressure..!" getting more and more intense until she falls. if you listen to the track outside of the movie, though, those voices aren't there (or maybe theyre just super quiet) which makes me feel like it's an intentional detail for the scene - it's her family and her entire community constantly demanding labor and stability of her, ultimately crushing her with responsibility

[@lostbeyondwordz]

@@sarahwho2238 It's in the first chorus too. If you listen the first time when the beat first drops for the chorus you can hear Luisa whispering 'pressure' throughout the entire first chorus. It sounds like steam or a wooshing of air. But you can tell that even when Luisa is singing all this and venting her frustrations there's still a looming back though of all the pressure on her. It's like no matter what she's thinking about or doing there's always that under the surface.

[@gilangsetyawibawa185]

If Surface Pressure were on Broadway, I can imagine Luisa playing the ringleader/strongwoman in the middle of a Cirque du Soleil show complete with acrobats as her backup dancers illustrating her burdens and insecurities. The acrobats will wear gray unitards as a nod to the donkeys from the original film, think the zebras from Cirque's "O" show in Vegas. Plus, there will be an extended instrumental section to give the acrobats a chance to showcase their respective skills. Cerberus and the Titanic ship with the iceberg will be depicted in the form of shadowplay ala Cirque's "KA". The turntables will also be utilized during the verse where she sings about her desire to take a break, as aerialists clad in donkey-unicorn costumes revolve around her. As for the rearrangement of the music for the stage, combine reggaeton with Cirque's typical saxophones and accordions. In a nutshell, turn Casita into a circus ring and turn the donkeys into Cirque acrobats.

[@HowardHoMusic]

OMG...this needs to happen!

[@leiaflash5055]

@@HowardHoMusic Agreed!

[@EtamirTheDemiDeer]

Yes yes yes

[@sandradermark8463]

Yasssss this needs to occur!!!

[@gilangsetyawibawa185]

@@HowardHoMusic Have you seen Cirque du Soleil? What is your favorite show? What is your favorite part of the show? Any good memory of seeing it?

[@meganchambers8108]

this song is such a bop but the lyrics are also so great. "give it to your sister and never wonder if the same pressure would've pulled you under" made me cry bc I was finishing phd at the time and feeeelt it

[@HowardHoMusic]

OH yes, the lyrics are fantastic too! I never meant to suggest otherwise.

[@Nolroa]

There are many references with Luisa and the song itself. The magic door symbol of her room where she is lifting weights, Its a nod to the Colombian athlete Maria Isabel Urrutia who was the first Colombian athlete to win a gold medal for Colombia in an Olympic Games. She won a gold medal at Sydney 2000 in the 75kg category. Each song refers to Colombian music and Surface Pressure in the music refers to Colombian urban artists like JBalvin, Maluma, Karol G, Sebastian Yatra, ChocQuibTown, Reykon, Kevin Roldán, Farina, Golpe a Golpe and many more.

[@nereidofdoom]

This song, for me, is my hands-down favorite in “Encanto.” To me, this should have been the breakout song.

[@meganm4877]

I love all of this but especially appreciate the details of Luisa's facial expressions when you say you're going to "need to explain some concepts in prosody first"

[@hoper1294]

I wonder if he explained his techniques to the VA's. I mean, some people may just explain the basics to get the VA's to understand easily and perform well but this is so well thought out and intricate. I'm not a singer, musician, etc but I find things like this fascinating.

[@robynp5917]

I don't think he did--at least not beforehand. Stephanie Beatriz explained in an interview that she was talking to Lin after she'd already recorded Waiting on a Miracle and he was telling her about all the little things he put in there and I guess she instinctively got it because her performance is incredible

[@biazacha]

The VAs perform well cause they have a demo showcasing exactly how it supposed to go, but during the process they get to know more about both song and character.

[@Jupiter-T]

I mean, you can hear the way that Darrow over-pronounces her "er" sounds in all the rhymes, like "The ship doesn't swERve as it hEARd how big the icebERg is." Either he told her or she caught on to the emphasis.

[@FutureCommentary1]

What's VA?

[@hoper1294]

@@FutureCommentary1 voice actor

[@paigelego4027]

I'm losing my mind at this analysis! Like 'Surface Pressure' is my favorite song from Encanto but its not the one I just sing around the house, that's usually 'What else can I do?'. And I've literally found myself thinking "Surface Pressure takes more effort to sing, it doesn't feel as good to sing casually." *The song itself is an act of stress!*

[@redluis369]

I swear to God if they don't give Lin that Oscar this year

[@monicahoger]

Right?! Like, come ON! This man DESERVES it!

[@1SpicyMeataball]

Yay, rewarding mediocrity.

[@Jack_Saint_Archive]

@@1SpicyMeataball Can you do better ? It looks like your only achievement is insulting people for having pronouns... 🙄

[@Londubh]

12:00 not only are {P,T,K} plosives, they're voiceless plosives, which makes them even more abrupt than their voiced analogs {B,D,G}

[@HowardHoMusic]

Oh...yes thanks!

[@losfp]

Another great analysis, Howard! My favourite part of this song is the whisper track of "pressure" that sits behind the chorus. To my ears it sounds a lot like steam escaping pressure, or venting to relieve pressure. But then towards the end of the song, they drop right back - I think once every 4 bars instead of 2 - to symbolise the pressure now building up. Love it.

[@fawncarter5912]

YES!!! Thank you for saying this! My husband's hearing isn't great (too many loud concerts when he was younger) and he told me I was crazy and hearing things and it was just a hiss sound. I can hear the word "pressure" clearly and think it works perfectly like you said but I haven't found anyone else who's referenced it yet.

[@ashleyley2715]

this video made me so excited because i literally just had a creative writing class on prosody, trochee, and iambic pentameter!! great work as always, howard ho!

[@joshuazhong2520]

Also, the happy bridge is when the characters are WEIGHTless. Wow

[@emilyelizabethbuchanan998]

The bridge is "Dos Oroguitas" . At least, the chord progression is, though the melody atop it is different.

[@para97]

I also love how the Singer sounds so breathy and strong in the "i'm the strong one, I'm not nervous" and so feathery and light in "wait, if I could shake"verse

[@Benholio1]

Waiting for Howard Ho to break down the genius of Howard Ho’s ability to convey complex topics so clearly with these visualizations

[@1SpicyMeataball]

I wouldn't exactly call a guy who has his pronouns in his Twitter bio a genius..

[@Jack_Saint_Archive]

@@1SpicyMeataball *And that's why nobody asked you*

[@wahidali681]

@@1SpicyMeataball what's wrong with that?

[@scottekim]

Wow, that's analysis that deepens my enjoyment of a song I love, goes beyond what anyone else has said, and is clearly what Lin Manuel was thinking when he wrote the song. Chess, not checkers. I wondered why the chorus is so catchy, and you nailed it with the way it's anticipated.

[@madtufguy]

There is something amazing about stumbling upon a song that hits hard, and I imagine that song writers are elated when they "stumble upon" the combination that works... but this breakdown... is... mind blowing, to say the least. It tells me that everything I felt (and still feel) when I hear this song, is exactly intentional. Not only does this give me an entirely new and elevated appreciation for this song specifically, but also for the craft of song writing in general. I've always assumed writers were more "creative" than "scientific," but you'd shown me they can be both.

[@mikeysrose]

That brief "Lose Yourself" mashup was a little mind-bending. Who wants to create a full-length version?!

[@shouayeevue5920]

Eminem and Luisa was the mashup I never knew I needed

[@bridgetcooney5085]

I love the vocalization in this. When it goes back to the pressure chorus after the bridge, the music drops and you can hear the fear and defeat in her. The animators did such a good job on her expression there, but the slight warble in her voice, and the quiteness, compared to the first time she sings the chorus just kills me. And of course she rallies for the big finale, but that makes the moment even more sad. She's resigned to being the strong one. The inner strength she finds in the end doesn't come from a positive place, it's because she has to do it. Also, it was a perfect creative choice to make her background dancers literal beasts of burden. And she's the one carrying THEM in the lead up to the song, and throughout. The only time she rides a donkey is in her fantasy during the bridge.

[@dominomasked]

Do you get the feeling that Lin would have been happier if it had been Perseus that fought Cerberus?

[@sumgirl720]

I don't think it would have worked because he shortened Cerberus to 2 syllables, so unless he also shorted Perseus to 2 syllables, the rhyme would have sounded out of place. And Pers'us sounds like purses. Maybe shortening Perseus would also have messed up the beat of the line, but I'm not sure about that. Sorry to rain on the rhyming parade. (oooo, my apology is in iambic pentameter.)

[@hweidigiv]

Too many references to Heracles's Twelve Labors for that to be satisfying. (5 redirect the river) (8 capture the roaming equines) (12 Cerb'rus) Luisa is the "strong one", not expected to be clever or indirect like Pers'us is.

[@StandingRoom]

@@hweidigiv- Also, there's arguably a reference to Hercules taking over for Atlas, carrying the celestial sphere while Atlas went to fetch the apples of the Hesperides for him.

[@Amanda-C.]

@@sumgirl720 No, per.si.jʌs > per.ʃʌs works very well. "Pershus". Harder to write that, though, without making the name unrecognizable.

[@bellewether4534]

As someone who has spent a LOT of their life studying prosody and versification this was just *chef's kiss*. Seriously, I have read so many long winded academic texts that had nowhere near as good an explanation of the elements of verse. And it was all told in such a clear and fun way. Bravo!

[@CearaIvory]

Question: Assuming the magic was never in danger, would Luisa’s body have eventually broke down simply by being overused? We know that weight lifting strengthens us by ripping the muscle and it repairs and become stronger. But if you work out too much, your body eventually breaks down and won’t go any further until you’ve taken a much needed rest. Rest days between weight lifting work outs are a necessity. Or is it because her body was nearing that breaking point that the weakening magic affected her first and so badly?

[@11th-lemon]

I honestly think she was just self-sabotaging, unconsciously, of course. I don't think there was a magical reason behind her loss of powers, that's why she was the only one.

[@pantslesswrock]

All the other powers can be activated with will. Luisa has the second strongest magical connection to her family, after Mirabelle. Luisa's strength is an inherent part of her, and is so integral to keeping the family and the whole town going from moment-to-moment, whether it's setting the table, providing music, or terraforming. This song is about her knowing that she must always be strong at every moment, always ready for her next task - hyperaware of her gift and how her family relies upon it. So it makes sense that she feels the flicker, because unlike the others, she is never not using her gifts. I do like the idea that her already extant stress before the flicker was due to plateauing her growth and starting to reach that age where your body is no longer a miracle of constant growth, and you begin to settle into the long slow glide towards death Woah did not expect this comment to end there sorry

[@CearaIvory]

@@pantslesswrock it makes sense. Her body has just reached that point where it won’t get any stronger unless she has a chance to rest. If you push your body too hard, your muscle won’t keep building. Your muscles need time to heal. This is true for both men and women. I don’t think she was sabotaging herself even self-consciously. I think she was resisting her body’s natural requirement for rest. And while the other powers could be used at will super strength isn’t the same thing. Isabella is ripping her muscles to grow her plants. Dolores isn’t running miles on a treadmill to hear miles away. Luisa’s gift isn’t just super strength. She is super strong but even the magic candle couldn’t make her as strong as she is without her own work behind it.

[@rmcmariusable]

Both you and Lin are brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing these.

[@hauntedshadowslegacy2826]

16:05 "Thankfully, Mirabel is there to give her a hug." Awwwwwww

[@TeaOli]

Wow! My admiration for this song has just increased exponentially. I already enjoyed it immensely already, but now I also know it took incredibly hard work.

[@august1837]

Great analysis. Honestly the best song analysis you’re just so good at this

[@stephanierempel4360]

Another one! YES! Doing Luisa’s little dance, but from excitement!

[@ayanoaishi8489]

Lin is literally a genius when it comes to writing music.

[@spider1g5]

When this song played, I started crying; Luisa pouring her heart out to her little sister is something that just crushed me. She's wanting so much more than what's expected of her, and everything about this song is magical!

[@M0USEP0TAT0]

All of this is going so far over my head and I'm loving it.

[@phucanhell]

When this song first started I had chills, literal chills. I knew it was gonna be good and it exceeded all expectations! Your videos are so satisfying; learning about the nuances of the music I love. I'm not musically inclined and I can't believe artists utilise these factors intuitively.

[@camrynsingsandreads8614]

There’s a huge difference in skill set between being able to write songs like that and being able to dissect them and understand why they’re so good. I don’t think LMM can communicate his process in such a succinct way as you. Thank you good sir for the fantastic video

[@jaydena6297]

It's like the difference between being able to understand literature and being able to write literature

[@eminahalimovic9841]

i could go on and on AND ON about this amazing song, i was literally monologuing yesterday XD i can't thank you enough for taking the time to share your professional knowledge with us so we can enjoy it even more. Heck, I still really wanna write my own essay on this haha

[@SomniiLinn]

I honestly thought this was the most touching part of the whole movie. Lin Manuel is clearly a musical genius, and this video is an extraordinary video essay on the subject, so well done!!

[@ceven07]

Howard, I'm no Medici, but you are definitely the Michelangelo of musical theory analysis. Happy to support your Patreon channel. Thanks for sharing your amazing insights with us. Makes me rediscover these songs with new eyes and understanding.

[@Pixis1]

Surface Pressure was my favorite song in the movie but I had no idea just how brilliantly it was constructed or the techniques that were used. This is amazing!

[@AskanHelstroem]

the lyrical stress with the relief bridge before the last chorus, is what got me to choose this song as my favourite bike work-out song.

[@kbomb234]

This is super late but I'll post it anyway.There's another thing too. Surface Pressure is actually one of my least favorite songs in Encanto because the voice actress is so clearly stressed having to sing so low. Her natural range is clearly the chorus and relaxed bridge that we hear. But that *makes sense*. Luisa is constantly stressed which shows itself not only in her breathing, the words on her lyrics, the speed, but even in the very key that she's singing. Not to mention jumping from a low register to a higher register in the same song and so quickly is *hard as hell*. This song is brilliant damn it.

[@fandomonium3789]

I had no idea music was so powerful and clever before I found your channel, and I am fascinated by the secret genius of musical theater I never knew existed before. I wonder if, after you're finished with Encanto, you could start tackling some of the other most famous Disney songs or songs from musical theater because your breakdowns are so fascinating.

[@666graves]

Can’t wait for Waiting On A Miracle!! It’s my favourite song from Encanto

[@CBenGood]

I'm so glad they gave her muscles and bigger frame. It's refreshing. I hate that basically all animated characters have the same build.

[@METHATONEGUY1]

These breakdowns/explanations are great! The first time I watched one of his videos I thought he was reading to much into things but now I've learned that Lin Manuel is simply naturally brilliant!

[@Tacticslion]

Man, that brief mashup was so hype, and now I’m hungry for more.

[@ThrabenValiant]

I've never wanted to learn more about music. It tickles my engineering brain to see it explained this way, thank you!

[@purplexninjamom]

We NEED a longer Mashup

[@Rikamiza]

I love this Song and Luisa so much. Had a Talk with my chef at work and i needed to cry, because i have a higher stress level since 10 years and i explained her my feelings and that i am so much stressed, in my life. Not really physically, but emotional. She sayed that i need to defeat the pressure and i instantly was thinkin about this song.

[@Hanmacx]

The best thing about Luisa She isn't the strong independent female who needs no (men) one She still is feminine She still wears female clothing She still is very emotional

[@Twat_Dirt]

But she is strong

[@Hanmacx]

@@Twat_Dirt Luisa is strong But the story isn't about her being "strong independent female" like current Hollywood flops

[@klutzkoady4996]

My biggest disappointment with Luisa was that she didn't get more screentime. Honestly she was one of the characters i was most interested in, and I felt like the movie really didn't give us enough time to get to know her. I get that they have a limited time tho

[@raewarren159]

True, it's her, Isabella and Mirabel

[@israelchavarri6562]

That's what I loved about her. She was strong in the physical sense, but was feminine, nurturing, loving, and cared for her family.

[@pocketvins]

this went so much deeper than i thought it would, holy crap

[@omnilawrence5792]

I love this song😭 definitely hit me in the feels when first watching. I couldn’t help but notice how she mentions all this stress throughout the song and literally no sense of relief for herself and their hug at the end almost brought me to tears😩❤️❤️

[@sepiasmith5065]

at first I was like, ah. easy metaphor, I see. but then I was like.... god this is so good. the visuals aren't my favorite but the music is phenomenal "if I fal...ter" was such a great line. I'm in awe of people who know enough about the technical aspect of music to be able to put so much work in "no-cracks, no.... BREAKS... no mistakes no pressure" is so goooood also learning about dies irae after loving frozen 2's soundtrack so much is so fun

[@FaalKoriim]

I never realized exactly how... complicated? complex? music actually is. It's absolutely fascinating.

[@anitacastle6720]

Brilliant, as always. Thank you so much for all you do. As an aside, I've been saying for years that if Lin & Eminem ever collaborated... holy cannoli. I don't know if anything could ever top that.

[@Toastyisbetter]

Congrats on the 100k Howard

[@giansabbadini1626]

Oh. My. GOD. My man, you just gained a new subscriber. That was amazing, such detail. I never knew a song could have SO MANY layers not only on the lyrics but also on, well, literally everything else. I'm sold, incredible video

[@kernyboydraws85]

Someone PLEASE do an eminem Lose yourself mashup to this! THAT sounded dope as hell!

[@Gabriel-bh3st]

bro now i know what my piano teacher has been learning music is actually much more of a language than i thought, this is insane

[@diarya5573]

The dies irae references are getting out of hand, and I love it

[@anamilena3257]

Wow! Great analysis! This is the reason why many of these soundtracks are lost on translation, because of the rationale of the original composition. Impressive! Thank you for this video. 😀You rock!

[@ninaj6307]

This is one of the best channels on KZbin. If anyone deserves patreon contributors, it's you

[@HowardHoMusic]

Wow, thank you!

[@AcePlaysTCGs]

These videos for Encanto are beautiful works of educational art (or art education?) in their own right. Thank you so much for putting all of this together. I will forever stay fascinated by Encanto as a piece of film along with the music behind it, and I will stay in awe of Lin Manuel Miranda. The dude is a genius. So glad to see so much of his inspiration come from Sondheim. I love Sondheim too. Thank you so much for all this interesting background behind these songs.

[@NotMeButAnother]

Great analysis. I actually perceived the "Pressure like a drip drip drip that'll never stop" in an opposite way to how you did. While the text itself naturally stresses as you explain, the performance to me felt sung like a whole phrase that holds its arc of tension by only stressing the first and last syllable. The "withholding" of natural beats/stresses creates an effect of wanting to get faster or "falling over" by drawing out the tension until the end of the phrase. This "falling" effect accentuates the feeling of lacking support, insecurity and hectnicness. (This way of phrasing is actually typical in classical music, but it creates such an interesting effect when used in conjunction with pop percussion. Adn yes, I'm sure there's proper music vocabulary for all of this, but I only know it in my native language. I just still felt like I had to mention it.)

[@Boundwithflame23]

I put this song on the playlist I made for one of my D&D characters because listening to it…it just fit. Frontline tank- she’s protecting her allies by putting herself in between them and the enemies. (Paladin/Barbarian multi class) Pressure to prove herself- the higher ups in her guild are looking for any reason to kick her out and she’s trying to break free of the stigma from her past history The pressure of meeting her own personal expectations and goals - she has a desire for vengeance against those who hurt her and essentially stole her life from her

[@lauramcastro4897]

Sending this IMMEDIATELY to the music and Encanto fant bestie!! I'm really looking forward to Waiting on a Miracle

[@ActuatedGear]

HOLY CRAP DUDE. Ah. YES! God, you did an amazing job. You're making me cry about this dang song all over again. AH!

[@BriBlazing]

Surface Pressure is my favorite song from the movie! The first time I heard it, I cried 🥹 thank you for sharing how much work went into making this amazing song!

[@nabilahazhar3206]

I love language. And the breakdown of stresses per beat blew my mind. Amazing

[@dannerzme]

This is really amazing. Both the composition and your analysis.

[@himignicest1571]

as someone who has no knowledge on music (or not even knowing that there's this much knowledge and skill needed in music), dANG, you explain stuff really well. yOU DESERVE SO MUCH MORE, AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO.

[@mirandamarshall7079]

Freaking ART x1000000...and I literally can't watch the whole thing without crying. And it's my favorite song of the whole show!

[@eved]

Wow! I never knew there was this much complicatedly complex tecnicality to such a really enjoyable song!😍😍😍

[@myowncomputerstuff]

They do a few things with the chorus. The first chorus gets that audio dolly-zoom effect where the musical backing dissipates, but the final chorus has the opposite, where the music in the background almost overpowers her (not to mention Louisa's dance movements can hardly keep up with the aggressive jump-cuts at that point).

[@HowardHoMusic]

Yes, that's true too. It would definitely be weird if the chorus never got fuller. But for me, the catchiest instance of the chorus is still the first time we hear it, and so that's why I tried to explain why that first time stands out so much.

[@GoodWithHands27]

this is crazy i knew i really liked this song but couldnt explain why. but, but you did! this is just another reason how crazy smart some people have to be when they write songs! would have never thought this way in a million years!!!

[@funkyjuntastic]

Woah the genius behind this song. I’m mind-blown

[@lamarnash2439]

Just found your videos and wow 🤩 this is great!!!

[@imaniscott8535]

oh, wow, that thing in the chorus of Surface Pressure is in the background when Louisa sets the table at 3.21. Anyway, I just learned something amazing! Thank you for this! This if my favorite song in the movie. I love that I learned something so crazy about it.

[@silverarrow7577]

bro... so much thought goes into something like this and so many works, rhymes, beats, everything to tickle our ear and make us play this song on repeat! Amazing

[@skyhideaway]

I relate to Luisa a lot that when i was watching the movie and Mirabel goes to confront Luisa, i immediately knew why she was anxious. I'm not someone who is financially or physically supporting anyone but I'm the "therapist friend", the person everyone comes to when they have a problem or when they're feeling down. And of course, I'm grateful that they trust me enough to confide in me and ask for comfort, but it can be too much pressure sometimes, to hear everyone out, comfort them and offer solutions. And if any of those solutions or comforting didn't work, i often felt like it was my fault, and i needed to try harder to be useful to them.

[@VarianAlastair]

This was great. Do you have any plans to break down the musical structure of the song too? I've noticed that the driving beat of the song echoes both the pressure and the expectations of the family. And in the dream-like bridge, the beat is removed, and the rhythm and stresses defy the listener's expectations. I've also noticed the more erratic rhythm in the lyrics describing what's "under the surface," as opposed to the steady and collected beat seen in the verses. Hoping to hear your take on this!

[@HowardHoMusic]

Yes, I may go back and talk about the accompaniment. So much richness!

[@anastasiasabrinazuraimi6279]

@@HowardHoMusic Please do!!! I find that the accompaniment is very distinct, mostly because of the drum downbeats in the opening.

[@jnbond]

I love learning about how music and words work! Fascinating! And what a true GIFT!!