Under the Surface...

Who here’s seen Encanto? While I admire it tackling unhealthy familial expectations, its premise was done better in Coco. However, its songs were solid, utilizing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s American/Latin-American Hip-Hop flair effectively. I’m not alone there, as there’s talk of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” missing in 2022’s Oscar buzz. I don’t want to detract from the brilliance of that piece, but there’s one song that’s as good, if not better, yet isn’t discussed as much. Let’s talk about “Surface Pressure”.

FYI, mild spoilers for Encanto.

To give context, Encanto follows a Columbian family and their magical house. While Abuela Madrigal maintains its integrity, the remaining family has gifts that are used to help the surrounding townsfolk. Everyone has one…except for Mirabel. For the most part it doesn’t bother her, but when her youngest cousin’s given his gift, she sees premonitions of the house crumbling. From here, she causes undue strain on her family. And nowhere is this more-apparent than with her sister Luisa:

This is quite the bop, isn’t it? (Courtesy of DisneyMusicVEVO.)

Before I discuss why I love this song, I have a disclaimer: I won’t discuss how Luisa “doesn’t conform to the stereotypes of strong Latina women”. I’m neither Latina nor female, so that wouldn’t be honest coming from me. Besides, there’s more to this song than bucking stereotypes. Luisa’s also a middle child, and that’s definitely in my wheelhouse. Anyway…

The song begins with Mirabel confronting Luisa while she’s rounding up donkeys. According to their cousin, Dolores, Luisa was bothered heavily by Mirabel’s premonitions, yet she’s refusing to show it outside an eye twitch. Luisa even denies that her nerves are getting to her, but when Mirabel points out that her eye’s still twitching, she begins to crack and sing about her woes.

The opening verse is probably the most jarring intro to a Disney song ever. Most songs in their catalogue usually have some buildup, but “Surface Pressure” starts out of nowhere and actually trails off for a few seconds after the first verse. Even Mirabel’s surprised by this, something she mentions immediately. Yet it continues, and we see more of Luisa’s shell crack. She states that she’s as tough as the Earth’s crust, which is ironic because that’s the thinnest and most fragile layer of the Earth.

The song really gets going, however, when Luisa discusses how she feels “under the surface”. Her analogies to describe her insecurities are excellently realized: for her reference to tightrope walking, we have her and Mirabel on a literal tightrope. For her reference to fighting Cerberus, we have Hercules running off screaming while Luisa battles the three-headed dog. Even later on, when Luisa references the Titanic’s collision with an iceberg, we have her and Mirabel driving head-on toward it.

The song itself is also pretty catchy! Mixing Latin-American style rumba and underground Hip-Hop, complete with snapping and clapping, it’s on-par with Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for most-hummable bop in decades. This is complimented by Luisa speed-singing her woes to Mirabel. Woes that-like I said-are brilliantly visualized.

I should make note of Luisa’s singing voice. Jessica Darrow has an unusual register for a Disney heroine-a deep Alto. Yet her gruffness isn’t overplayed, leaving plenty of room for vulnerability. This is most-apparent when she sings about what she’d rather do while in the clouds (literally), as that’s when “Surface Pressure” switches to a more somber, melancholic ballad. It’s brilliant.

Even outside that, the stresses of expectation are conveyed beautifully. I’m not sure if Darrow’s a middle child, but you’d think it based on how well she conveys what it’s like to be one. Personally, I find there’s an expectation, if unspoken, in my family to model after my older brother while simultaneously setting an example for my younger brother. I’m indirectly singled out for trailing behind both siblings financially and academically, constantly told to “monetize my skills”. As someone who hates being chained to someone else’s leash, this is daunting. I’ve even experienced burnout because of it.

That’s something “Surface Pressure” addresses. Ignoring the middle child component of Luisa’s personality, which can’t be overstated, Luisa’s the “ox” in her family. She’s big, she’s buff and she does a lot of the heavy lifting. And yet, the demands of her role often make her feel inadequate; after all, what if she collapses like the straw that breaks the camel’s back? That’s something that even people who aren’t middle children confront.

“Surface Pressure”, essentially, is a rebuke of unhealthy, societal expectations on talented people. We’re told to keep up the façade for everyone else, even if it harms us. Speaking as a writer, there was a reason I cut back on my content for The Whitly-Verse last year, as 2020’s excess had tired me out. Sure, my Views dropped, which I wasn’t thrilled with, but it was necessary for my mental wellbeing. (We’re also still in a global pandemic, by the way.)

If I have to nitpick anything, it’s when the donkeys start dancing on their hind legs. I know that it’s Disney, so I’ve seen weirder, but the donkeys were never capable of anthropomorphism prior to this. As a result, it’s jarring to watch. Then again, Disney numbers stretch reality anyway: if Luisa’s fears include fighting a mythological monster and steering a ship that doesn’t exist in this movie’s universe, then maybe donkeys dancing like pop stars isn’t so farfetched? I dunno.

It’s a shame “Surface Pressure” isn’t being discussed like “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”. Again, this isn’t to disparage anyone, but the former tackles a more universal problem. Not every family has a weird, estranged member, but every family conforms to unrealistic expectations. It’s like my aunt once said: “It takes an expensive portrait to make a family look this good.” We all have our moments of doubt, and “Surface Pressure” acknowledges them.

You know what the real testament to “Surface Pressure” is? Jessica Darrow rerecorded the song in a Jazz rendition last Christmas, and it was equally as excellent:

That ending… (Courtesy of Jess305.)

Here’s to you, “Surface Pressure”. May you be the anthem of stressed-out artists everywhere! And remember, “No cracks, no breaks, no mistakes, no pressure!”