Encanto 2 has the opportunity to follow up on one of the most glaring missed opportunities in Encanto, specifically regarding the character of Bruno Madrigal. Taking place in Colombia, the story of Encanto begins when Alma Madrigal flees with her husband and children from an armed conflict, which ultimately claims the life of her spouse. Thanks to a magic candle she carries, a miracle whisks Alma and her children away into a protected magical realm that betows fantastic gifts upon the Madrigal children in the form of various magical powers.

One of the most memorable and tragic characters in the bustling Madrigal family tree of Encanto is Uncle Bruno, one of the original three Madrigal children to be given a power by the powerful Miracle of the Casita. Bruno’s power allows him to see into the future, which causes him no end of ostracization. The song explaining his backstory, We Don’t Talk About Bruno, was easily the biggest smash-hit of Encanto‘s soundtrack, topping both the US Billboard H๏τ 100 and UK Singles Chart for multiple consecutive weeks.

It Was Criminal That Bruno Didn’t Get A Solo Song In Encanto

Even If The Other Song About Him Was The Biggest Hit Of The Film

As great a job esteemed songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame was able to do in capturing Bruno’s mysterious legend as the black sheep of the Madrigal family, Bruno himself doesn’t get to sing a note throughout Encanto. While We Don’t Talk About Bruno is certainly about him, it’s from the perspective of the many villagers and family members that Bruno perturbed with his visions of the future, driving them to madness as the maladies he predicted ultimately came to pᴀss.

Critically, Bruno himself doesn’t get much of a chance to defend himself or explain his own point of view, even when he does appear later on in the story. While the depth of his true tragedy is certainly hinted at, and protagonist Mirabel is able to relate to Bruno’s struggles due to her own ostracization concerning her lack of powers, Bruno himself doesn’t get to take center stage in a song. He does join the family in the number All of You, but this song includes the majority of the Madrigal family.

It’s quite disappointing that Encanto doesn’t allow Bruno to offer his own point of view via song, especially considering how epic the build up of his almost cryptid-like status is in We Don’t Talk About Bruno. The voice actor for Bruno, John Leguizamo, is also quite the talented vocalist, belting out iconic anthems in Moulin Rouge!, holding his own in All of You, and even managing to carry a tune while doing a ridiculous voice like Sid the Sloth’s in Sid’s Sing-A-Long in Ice Age: The Meltdown.

What Encanto 2’s Solo Bruno Song Could Sound Like

Bruno Is A Multifaceted Character That Provides Some Great Musical Inspiration

There are many different directions Encanto 2 could possibly take a Bruno solo song should they choose to rectify this glaring missed opportunity in the sequel. Although he’s been accepted by the rest of the Madrigal family by the end of Encanto, it would be difficult to say that Bruno’s transition to living among people again after spending literal years trapped in the backrooms of the Casita with only rats for company. The heavy psychological weight of his power is as much of a curse as it is a blessing, something Dolores even mentions in We Don’t Talk About Bruno.

A Bruno song could reflect this internal turmoil by reflecting the ominous, anxious nature of Bruno’s gift. The tone could be a good deal bleaker or more stressful than the average Disney anthem, perhaps utilizing repeтιтion or more epic-sounding elements like heavy choirs or blaring brᴀss centerpieces to sell the futility of trying to change the future once it’s carved into one of Bruno’s green slates. Disney could really use a big hit after the lukewarm reception of the soundtracks of Wish and Moana 2, and a Bruno song could be the perfect place to mine one in Encanto 2.