Somewhere between the chart-topping anthems of animated cinema and the songs that dominate social media, a little animated kinkajou delivered a soundtrack that deserves a much bigger place in the conversation.
Released in 2021, Vivo arrived with a collection of songs packed with infectious rhythms, emotional storytelling and memorable performances. Featuring songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the film blends Latin musical influences with contemporary pop and hip-hop to create a soundtrack with a personality all its own.
Yet, despite its musical strengths, Vivo rarely receives the same attention as the most celebrated animated movie soundtracks.
Why? Because great music doesn’t always receive the recognition it deserves, especially when it comes from outside the biggest entertainment franchises.
Songs That Tell Stories
One of Vivo’s greatest strengths is how naturally its songs fit into the narrative. They aren’t merely colourful interruptions designed to entertain audiences; they reveal personalities, express emotions and move the story forward.
At the heart of the film is a journey built around love, loss and an unfinished promise. Vivo travels from Havana to Miami to deliver a song to Marta Sandoval, the woman his late owner and friend, Andrés, never stopped loving.
Music is the reason for the journey, but it is also its emotional foundation. Every note carries the weight of memories, affection and words left unspoken.
That connection between music and storytelling gives the soundtrack a depth that extends beyond its melodies. The songs are memorable not just because of how they sound, but because of what they mean.
‘My Own Drum’ Is an Anthem for Individuality
One of the soundtrack’s most energetic highlights is ‘My Own Drum’, performed by Gabi, the unconventional young girl who refuses to let anyone dictate who she should be.
The song is playful, bold and unapologetically expressive. Its vibrant energy captures Gabi’s personality while celebrating the courage to embrace one’s individuality.
Its message is refreshingly simple: you don’t have to fit into someone else’s expectations to be worthy of acceptance.
For younger audiences navigating the pressure to conform, that message resonates. For older listeners, it is a reminder that growing up shouldn’t mean abandoning the qualities that make us unique.
With its lively delivery and colourful musical style, ‘My Own Drum’ transforms that message into an entertaining character moment rather than a lecture. It is exactly the kind of song that deserves a life beyond the film itself.
A Soundtrack With Its Own Identity
What makes Vivo particularly interesting is its willingness to embrace a distinctive musical identity.
The soundtrack draws on Latin rhythms, hip-hop influences and contemporary pop, creating a sound that reflects the film’s characters and settings. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s lyrical style adds another layer of personality, bringing rhythmic wordplay and theatrical energy to the songs.
The result is a soundtrack that feels culturally vibrant without sacrificing accessibility.
Its musical diversity deserves greater appreciation in a genre where certain sounds and storytelling conventions often receive the most attention. Animated musicals become more exciting when different creators explore different musical traditions instead of following a single formula.
Vivo demonstrates that there is plenty of room for fresh sounds, distinctive voices and stories told through music.
The Emotional Power of One Unfinished Song
Beneath its colourful animation and playful musical numbers, Vivo tells a deeply human story about grief, love and the things people leave unsaid.
Andrés never gets the chance to deliver his song to Marta. Vivo’s journey becomes an attempt to fulfil that promise, turning music into a bridge between the past and the present.
It is a simple premise with a powerful emotional core.
The film understands that some feelings are difficult to communicate through ordinary conversation. A melody can preserve a memory, express regret or convey affection long after the person who first felt those emotions is gone.
That is where Vivo truly shines. Its music isn’t just something the characters perform; it is the language through which they understand one another.
The soundtrack’s emotional moments therefore carry meaning beyond the immediate scene. They invite audiences to reflect on their own relationships, unfinished conversations and the people they wish they had told something important.
That kind of emotional connection is one of the most enduring qualities music can possess.
Why Doesn’t the Soundtrack Get More Attention?
The answer may have less to do with the music itself than with the visibility surrounding it.
Established entertainment brands benefit from years of audience familiarity, extensive promotion and the cultural momentum that turns popular songs into shared experiences. Their music is more likely to circulate through covers, social media trends, live performances and everyday conversations.
A soundtrack from a less culturally dominant franchise can be just as compelling without receiving the same exposure.
This doesn’t mean popularity is purely a marketing exercise, or that every song in Vivo is better than every hit from another animated film. It does, however, raise a fair question: how many excellent songs go undiscovered because they never receive the same sustained attention?
Perhaps Vivo is one of them.
Its soundtrack deserves more listeners willing to look beyond familiar titles, revisit the film and discover what its music has to offer.
Great Songs Deserve a Life Beyond the Credits
A memorable soundtrack should be able to stand on its own. Its songs should remain enjoyable outside the film, whether they brighten someone’s day, inspire a singalong or bring back a particularly moving scene.
Vivo has the ingredients to achieve exactly that.
Its music offers infectious energy, expressive performances, cultural richness and genuine emotional depth. From the exuberance of ‘My Own Drum’ to the story’s more tender musical moments, the soundtrack demonstrates how varied animated movie music can be.
These songs deserve to appear more frequently on playlists, in conversations about animated musical highlights and in recommendations to people searching for something new to hear.
The film may not have become a global musical phenomenon, but its songs shouldn’t be confined to the audience that happened to discover it.
Give Vivo Its Flowers
The case for Vivo is not that another studio’s music must be pushed aside to make room for it. It is that great music deserves to be recognised wherever it comes from.
With its distinctive sound, thoughtful songwriting and emotionally grounded story, Vivo offers a soundtrack that is both entertaining and meaningful. It celebrates individuality, explores the power of love and memory, and reminds us that music can carry feelings that words alone cannot express.
Perhaps its greatest achievement is that it makes all of this feel natural, wrapping its emotional depth in rhythms and melodies that invite audiences to sing along.
Vivo doesn’t need to be the most popular animated musical to deserve recognition. It simply needs more people to listen.
And perhaps it’s time we gave this little kinkajou, and the music he carries, the appreciation they deserve.
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