Walt Disney

Walt Disney (1901-1966) is one of the world's greatest and most famous pop culture icons, but also the namesake of an iconic media empire.

Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck and Pluto are some of the iconic and famous characters in Walt Disney's collection.

Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Rapunzel and Merdia are some of the Disney princesses using European heritage.

Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Moana and Raya are some non-European Disney princesses.

Tinker Bell is the Disney fairy.

Fantasy, imagination and believing in dreams coming true are some of the optimistic philosophies that Walt Disney used, in contrast to Marilyn Monroe's glamour and Elvis Presley's wild moves.

Ub Iwerks (b. 1901) and Fred Moore (d. 1950's) are some early figures working with Walt Disney.

Milt Kahl (1909-1980's) is the most influential figure of a group that Walt Disney had forged together called the Nine Old Men.

Fred Moore's female characters are sexy, bridging the gap between innocent Disney entertainment and overt sexuality.

Beyond Western areas, Disney's company is likewise a global symbol, whose skills have left a mark on lovers, especially in Asia.

Fans beyond Western markets appreciate the influences being made by Disney.

At first, Walt Disney's own company made short films.

December 1937 was when Walt Disney's company released the first full-length animated film made in celluloid and produced in full colour/sound in America.

In 1954, Walt Disney entered the nascent television industry, becoming the first major Hollywood film producer to do so.

Before Walt Disney, many film studio heads made television a threat to the film industry.

However, Walt Disney turned television into an opportunity to directly reach audiences (and to fund his ambitious projects), proving that it may complement, not compete against, film.

For Walt Disney, he pioneered the synergy model that uses his television spots to take a look behind the scenes at upcoming movies and progress reports on theme parks.

Due to the huge success of his own Disneyland television series, Walt Disney built his own theme park located in Anaheim, which was also known as Disneyland.

Plus, due to the success of his own Disneyland series, Walt Disney created the Mickey Mouse Club.

Annette Funicello is the breakout star and the most famous cast member of the original Mickey Mouse Club version.

Tall Paul, performed by Annette Funicello, peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

For Annette Funicello, her Tall Paul tune is the first in the rock music scene by a female solo vocalist to score a top ten hit during the Hot 100 era.

Plus, Tall Paul by Annette Funicello bridged the gap between Disney and rock music.

Due to the soft-spoken voice of Annette Funicello, her producer Tutti Camarata used a double-tracking technique to create the fuller rock sound.

Annette Funicello is the blueprint for the modern career path from Disney to a pop music star.

University High School, where Marilyn Monroe briefly attended before dropping out to marry James Dougherty in June 1942, is also where Annette Funicello graduated in 1960.

In the 1990's, the revival of the Mickey Mouse Club is more modern than the original one.

Like Annette Funicello, some iconic and famous stars in the 1990's Mickey Mouse Club iteration are Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell.

..Baby One More Time serves as a breakthrough success for Britney Spears as a solo artist, but also a revival of the teen pop genre.

The chorus for Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time tune features "My loneliness is killing me."

The music video for ...Baby One More Time features Britney Spears donning a school uniform (with a midriff-baring navel).

Nigel Dick directed the music video for Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time tune, and Venice High School (used in the 1978 film Grease) is the shooting location for this video.

For the iconic music video for Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time tune, it mixes innocence (school uniform) with sexuality (exposed midriff), making her a sexy and provocative fashion icon.

Plus, the iconic and controversial music video for Britney Spears' breakthrough tune ...Baby One More Time sparks debates about young pop stars being sexualized.

Sometimes is Britney Spears' second single.

(You Drive Me) Crazy is Britney Spears' third single, noting similarities to ...Baby One More Time.

Oops!... I DId It Again also notes similarities to ...Baby One More Time.

Lucky is a Britney Spears song, which tells the story of an eponymous Hollywood actress, who, despite having beauty, wealth and celebrity, is lonely in the inside, being a tragic showgirl.

Dave Meyers directed the Lucky music video for Britney Spears.

For this Lucky music video, Britney Spears plays a dual role: the narrator who observes the eponymous actress, and Lucky herself, contrasting between public fame and private loneliness.

The inspiration for Britney Spears' Lucky portrayal comes from her idol Marilyn Monroe.

Stronger is an innovative song for Britney Spears in both music and lyrics, but also the best song in the Oops!... I Did It Again album.

What the lyrics for Britney Spears' Stronger mean is that they reflect on resilience after a breakup.

The chorus for Britney Spears' Stronger tune recalls a lyric from her breakout ...Baby One More Time song: "My loneliness ain't killing me no more," symbolizing independence and strength.

Joseph Kahn directed the Stronger music video for Britney Spears.

Plus, the music video for Britney Spears' Stronger song is a departure from her previous ones in that it features a darker tone, but also results in her mature image.

For the Stronger music video, it has bridged the gap between Britney Spears' teen pop persona and the more mature diva persona that she would later embrace.

I'm a Slave 4 U is the tune that turned Britney Spears from a teen pop symbol into a more mature and sexualized one.

Britney Spears' I'm a Slave 4 U tune also marks a change in sound from teen pop to rhythm & blues.

The music video for I'm a Slave 4 U features Britney Spears in an exotic and sweaty Asian bathhouse, filled with global travellers, establishing a sexier image than in the past.

Me Against the Music is a duet between Madonna and Britney Spears.

What makes Me Against the Music a fitting duet is that Madonna symbolizes the old generation, while Britney Spears, who often calls Madonna her idol and a major influence, symbolizes the new.

For her Toxic music video, Britney Spears plays four roles.

One of the four major roles being played by Britney Spears in her Toxic music video is a blonde flight attendant donning a sleek blue uniform.

Another role that Britney Spears played in this Toxic music video is a red-haired secret agent, riding a motorcycle and donning a black catsuit in a futuristic city, similar to Jennifer Garner in Alias.

The third role being played by Britney Spears in her Toxic music video is a nude figure, as covered in diamonds, which is intercut throughout the action narrative.

Besides, a black-haired assassin is also played by Britney Spears in her Toxic music video.

Plus, the scene in which a woman's white dress is lifted by the wind when Britney Spears passes on a motorcycle in her Toxic video is based on Marilyn Monroe's dress in The Seven Year Itch.

For the Circus music video, Britney Spears plays a Marilyn Monroe-like ringleader.

Incidentally, both Madonna and Britney Spears are influential and world-famous pop culture and sex figures.

Plus, Marilyn Monroe is a key idol for both Madonna and Britney Spears.

Similarly, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears have the name structure, with 7 letters in their first names and 6 in their last (13 overall), though the earlier is a stage name and the latter is real.

Both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears are also pop culture icons who won fame and popularity at a young age and became sex icons, captivating both the public and media.

Charisma, charm, beauty and sex appeal are some noted qualities of both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears.

Furthermore, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears are also blonde girls/women whose natural hair colour is brown,

Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Britney Spears endure their careers as actresses and singers in varying degrees, the earlier of whose main fame is film, the latter two of whose main fame is music.

Both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears also have casual looks with midriff-baring tops and jeans.

In addition, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears also have pigtails, but with a difference.

Plus, both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears use flirty poses, like sticking out a tongue, licking/biting lips, doing a sexy and sultry gaze/stare and using a slightly open-mouth pose.

Elizabeth "Betty" Hall is a woman being active in the 17th century, who is a common ancestor for both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears.

Richard Scott is also a common ancestor for both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears.

Furthermore, Britney Spears is a template for a successful celebrity doll.

Like Madonna, whose key inspiration, in turn, is Marilyn Monroe, Britney Spears is deeply loved and admired by younger generations (teens and young adults).

Both Marilyn Monroe and Britney Spears also have struggles in their lives.

In her music videos, Britney Spears has frequently incorporated references to Marilyn Monroe, who is known as her key idol, as is Madonna.

Genie in a Bottle serves as a breakthrough success for Christina Aguilera as a solo artist.

What A Girl Wants, I Turn to You and Come On Over Baby (All I Want is You) are Christina Aguilera's other early hits.

Dirrty is the tune that turned Christina Aguilera from a bubblegum pop symbol into a more mature and sexualized one.

Madonna kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 20th MTV Video Music Awards.

Like I Love You is a breakthrough success for Justin Timberlake as a solo artist, combining whispery spoken parts in a sexy sound with soulful singing vocals.

Candy is Mandy Moore's debut single, notable for its catchy bubblegum pop sound and its memorable music video.

I Wanna Love You Forever is Jessica Simpson's debut single, a Celine Dion-like power ballad.

Of all the Big Four female teen pop stars in the late-1990's period, Mandy Moore, born in 1984, is the youngest.

Whereas other singers in the Vietnamese diaspora stick with traditions, both Lynda Trang Dai and Minh Tuyet bridge the gap between traditional Vietnamese music and modern global pop.

Known as the Vietnamese Madonna, Lynda Trang Dai is one of the first singers among the Vietnamese diaspora to embrace a provocative attitude, like crop tops.

Incidentally, Marilyn Monroe is a key idol for Madonna, who, in turn, inspires Lynda Trang Dai.

For Lynda Trang Dai, she uses dance-pop, rock, rap and ballads.

Dance-pop songs, which come from parts of the Western world, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, make up Lynda Trang Dai's song collection.

Whilst less globally recognized than both Marilyn Monroe and Madonna, Lynda Trang Dai is still an influential figure in the Vietnamese dance-pop scene.

The stage name for Lynda Trang Dai is derived from an actress who stars as Wonder Woman.

Earlier in her career, Lynda Trang Dai used her provocative stage presence, her racy costumes and her persona, breaking traditions for Vietnamese women.

Moving to Hong Kong and San Diego in 1978, and finally Orange County, Lynda Trang Dai had first encountered American culture, to which she was exposed.

In addition to her singing work, Lynda Trang Dai is a businesswoman.

Being a businesswoman, Lynda Trang Dai runs a sandwich shop, opened on New Year's Eve 2010.

Britney Spears popularized the Y2K trend in general; Minh Tuyet is one of the first singers among the Vietnamese diaspora to embrace the Y2K trend.

From 1993 to 1997, in Vietnam, Minh Tuyet used a traditional image and music style.

By relocating to the United States in 1997 (and by signing a deal with Thuy Nga in 2002), Minh Tuyet underwent a shift in her image and music approach.

Having been exposed to American and world culture when she came to the United States in 1997, Minh Tuyet worked with Tinh, during which she adopted honey highlights and a modern wardrobe.

When Thuy Nga signed her in 2002, Minh Tuyet became sexier.

The controversy for Minh Tuyet is less about public scandals and more about her shift from domestic Vietnamese music to overseas diaspora, in contrast to Lynda Trang Dai.

Aside from slow ballads, Minh Tuyet also embraces more upbeat and modern music genres, including rhythm & blues, dance-pop, hip-hop and rap.

For her upbeat tunes, Minh Tuyet incorporates the the Y2K trend, like crop tops, into her style and her music, drawing some comparisons to pop icons like Britney Spears.

Plus, for her ballads, Minh Tuyet uses traditional clothes, even with the Y2K trend, like crop tops.

While less globally recognized than Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Britney Spears, Minh Tuyet is still influenced by Britney Spears in both music and performance.

Since her move to the US, Minh Tuyet has adopted a Barbie doll-like aesthetic.

Bao Han (b. 1973), Tu Quyen (b. 1977) and Nhu Loan (b. 1981) are likewise singers in the Vietnamese diaspora.

For Bao Han, her hometown is Vienna, Austria, rather than the United States or France.

Tu Quyen was born in 1977 in Philadelphia, where, fittingly, due to its status and reputation as the first capital of the United States, it was aligned with the nation's presidential inauguration year.

As for Nhu Loan, she is known for her charming looks and her sweet voice.

Like both Lynda Trang Dai and Minh Tuyet, Bao Han, Tu Quyen and Nhu Loan embrace a sexual and provocative attitude, including crop tops.

Both Lynda Trang Dai and Minh Tuyet are influenced by Madonna and Britney Spears, the two female singers whose influence comes from Marilyn Monroe.

Annette Funicello (who, in 1960, graduated from University High School, where Marilyn Monroe also briefly attended) influenced Britney Spears, in turn, inspired by Madonna.

Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz are Disney songwriters, creating songs for its television series and direct-to-video films.

Besides Disney, the Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz trio make songs for Thuy Nga.

While at Thuy Nga, the trio comprising Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz usually provide modern Western-style music arrangements and original compositions for Vietnamese artists.

Noted Thuy Nga artists in collaboration with Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn and Tim Heintz are Lynda Trang Dai, Minh Tuyet, Bao Han, Tu Quyen, Nhu Loan and others.

Incidentally, Minh Tuyet's longtime idol Britney Spears was involved with the Disney stable, especially through the 1990's version of the Mickey Mouse Club.

For Halloween 2020, Minh Tuyet paid tribute to Britney Spears by using a blue flight attendant uniform being used in the music video for Toxic.

1981 is a year that is associated with the Rooster, which is the Chinese zodiac having the most letters in English, in contrast to the Ox, the one having the fewest, with which 1973 is associated.

Conversely, in the Vietnamese system, 1973 is a year that is associated with the Buffalo, which uses the most letters in English (7), tied with the Rooster, with which 1981 is associated.

If the Water Buffalo is used with a space, it uses 12 letters, the most in any Vietnamese zodiac.

Plus, 1984 is a leap year; each leap year has 366 days, the most in a year.

Like the Rooster zodiac, Rat has the letter R, featuring the letter T.

Since the 1990's, some songs have instrumental intros featuring soulful vocal riffs, runs and melisma before the main melody, inspired by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.

For the last chorus of some pop songs since the 1990's, the backup singers have harmonized with the primary singer doing soul, inspired by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.

Between the first chorus and the second verse, soulful riffs, runs and melisma are used as breaks.

Plus, the trend for layered vocals is also used by female singers with soulful voices.

Riffs, runs and melisma, frequently used by female singers with soulful voices, are some vocal styles accompanied sporadically by vocal cracks, vocal fry and aspirate gradual/abrupt offsets.

The aspirate gradual/abrupt offsets are used with a sexy delivery from female artists.

Plus, modern pop tunes use spoken portions with a sexy delivery from artists, like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

Ad-libs, frequently featured in pop, rhythm & blues, soul and hip-hop, are improvised and spontaneous vocal additions that enhance the emotional delivery and energy of a music performance.

Some of the common ad-libs in the rhythm & blues and soul lyrics are "Yeah," "Oh," "Whoa," "Mmm," "Uh," "Baby," "Oh, baby," "Baby, baby," "Oh, baby, baby" and "Baby, baby, baby." 

The other usual ad-libs are "Come On!," "Listen," "Tell me," "Oww!"/"Ow!," "Hey!" and "Feel good."

Variant ad-libs are "Hey, yeah," "Oh, whoa-oh, baby," "Oh, whoa-oh, hey, yeah," "Yeah, yeah", "Uh, yeah," "Yeah, baby," "Whoa-oouh, yeah" and "Oh, whoa-ooh, hey, yeah."

Plus, in soul music, melismatic styles, specifically vocal riffs and runs, are common ad-libs.

Incidentally, female (and male) singers having rhythm & blues and soul utilize riffs, runs, melisma and aspirate gradual/abrupt offsets with ad-libs, all with a sexy delivery.

The Idol franchise serves as a platform for young and upcoming singers, male and female alike, many doing pop, but also others like rhythm & blues, soul, rock, etc.

American Idol, one of the best and most successful Idol versions, features a vocal school.

Besides Elvis Presley on acoustic rhythm guitar, his session musicians during his regional era included Scotty Moore on electric lead guitar, Bill Black on string bass and D.J. Fontana on drums.

The name for Elvis Presley's band is the Blue Moon Boys.

Popstars is the precursor of the Idol franchise, both created in the nations of the former British Empire.

Some of the elements from Popstars, including a panel of judges in auditions and audience voting, are being adopted by the Idol franchise.

Mariah Carey's Vision of Love inspires the American Idol vocal school, which features many students being girls/women with soulful rhythm & blues/gospel vocals.

Girls/women have wet hair ether in music videos seen on/made à la MTV or live performances through actual water (rain/splashing, sweat from intense performances or styling gel/products.

Wet hair for girls/women creates sexiness, raw emotion and intense energy.

Beyond Western markets, both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are also global symbols/legendary figures whose music/vocals have left a mark on music lovers, especially in Asia.

Fans in the music scene beyond Western markets appreciate the music/vocal influences being made by both Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.