who wrote the songs for frozen 2: the songwriters

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the songs for Frozen II, creating its original music and lyrics. Christophe Beck composed the film’s orchestral score, which is separate from the songs.

That distinction helps explain why the soundtrack credits include several major names. The songwriters created the numbers sung by the characters, while Beck shaped the instrumental music heard throughout the story.

Here’s who wrote each main song, who performs it, and how the songs fit into Elsa and Anna’s journey. You’ll also find a clear explanation of the end-credit versions and the difference between a song and a film score.

who wrote the songs for frozen 2?

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the songs for Frozen II. The husband-and-wife songwriting team returned after writing the songs for the first Frozen film. They wrote both the music and lyrics for the sequel’s original songs.

Christophe Beck composed the film’s instrumental score. A score is the background music written to accompany scenes, rather than songs performed by characters. Beck also composed the score for the first Frozen movie, so the sequel keeps a musical connection to the original while introducing new songs.

The distinction matters because “who wrote the music?” can refer to two different jobs. Anderson-Lopez and Lopez are the songwriters; Beck is the score composer. The film’s music was developed to support its story, characters, and emotional shifts.

Who wrote each Frozen II song?

The main songs in the film were written by Anderson-Lopez and Lopez. The performers are different from the writers: cast members sing the characters’ songs, while some end-credit recordings feature other artists.

Song	Songwriters	Performer in the film	What it does in the story
“All Is Found”	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez	Evan Rachel Wood as Queen Iduna	Introduces a lullaby and a clue tied to the past.
“Some Things Never Change”	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez	Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad	Shows the group enjoying familiar routines before change arrives.
“Into the Unknown”	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez	Idina Menzel as Elsa, with a vocal part by Aurora	Expresses Elsa’s pull toward a mysterious voice.
“When I Am Older”	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez	Josh Gad as Olaf	Turns Olaf’s attempt to make sense of events into a comic number.
“Lost in the Woods”	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez	Jonathan Groff as Kristoff	Gives Kristoff a full song about uncertainty and love.
“Show Yourself”	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez	Idina Menzel and Evan Rachel Wood	Brings Elsa’s search for answers to a major revelation.
“The Next Right Thing”	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez	Kristen Bell as Anna	Follows Anna as she faces grief and chooses what to do next.

The soundtrack also includes “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People (Cont.),” a brief continuation of Kristoff’s song from the first film. It is credited to Anderson-Lopez and Lopez, who wrote the original song as well.

How the songs fit the story

“All Is Found” introduces the past

Queen Iduna sings “All Is Found” as a lullaby. Its words describe a river that holds memories and knowledge, setting up ideas the story returns to later. Evan Rachel Wood performs it as Iduna, giving the song a gentle, intimate sound rather than a large ensemble style.

The number works as more than background information. It gives the audience a storybook-like image to remember, then lets that image take on greater meaning as Elsa searches for the truth about her family and the enchanted forest.

“Some Things Never Change” gives the group a starting point

In “Some Things Never Change,” Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven share a cheerful moment in Arendelle. The song highlights how much the characters value their home and one another. Its title also carries a little dramatic irony: the group hopes life can stay familiar, but events soon force them to change.

Several cast members sing in the number, so it functions as an ensemble song rather than a solo showcase. That shared performance helps establish what each character wants before the journey begins.

“Into the Unknown” gives Elsa a choice to make

Elsa hears a mysterious voice and tries to resist responding. In “Into the Unknown,” she moves from uncertainty toward curiosity, while the voice keeps calling her forward. The song develops the central question of whether she should remain where she feels secure or seek answers beyond the kingdom.

Idina Menzel sings Elsa’s part. Norwegian singer Aurora provides the ethereal vocal presence associated with the mysterious call. The two sounds serve different functions: Elsa’s performance carries the character’s thoughts, while Aurora’s voice represents the call she cannot ignore.

“Into the Unknown” is also the title of a separate end-credit recording by Panic! at the Disco. That version is not the performance Elsa sings in the story, and the group is not the song’s writer. It is an alternate recording of the song for the film’s credits.

“When I Am Older” lets Olaf process uncertainty

Olaf sings “When I Am Older” while exploring the enchanted forest. He imagines that confusing events will make sense once he is more grown-up. The joke comes from his confidence that age will solve everything, even as the audience can see that the situation is more complicated.

Josh Gad’s performance keeps the song playful, but it also fits the film’s larger theme: the characters are trying to understand a world that is changing faster than they expected. The comic tone makes the song a pause in the tension without removing it.

“Lost in the Woods” reveals Kristoff’s insecurity

Kristoff has trouble finding the right way to speak to Anna. “Lost in the Woods” turns that insecurity into an emotional power ballad, with a deliberately grand, retro pop style. The contrast between the dramatic musical treatment and Kristoff’s awkward situation is part of the humor.

Jonathan Groff sings the number as Kristoff. The song also gives the character a perspective the film’s larger Elsa-and-Anna story might otherwise leave in the background. He is not simply following the group; he is trying to understand where he belongs in his relationship with Anna.

“Show Yourself” brings Elsa’s search to a turning point

“Show Yourself” begins as Elsa seeks the source of the voice and the answers behind her powers. As the scene develops, the song becomes a moment of recognition. Its structure builds toward a revelation, so the music and visuals work together to make the discovery feel earned.

Idina Menzel sings as Elsa, and Evan Rachel Wood joins as Iduna. Their voices connect Elsa’s present search with her mother’s past. Because the song contains important story information, it is best understood in context rather than treated only as a standalone vocal performance.

“The Next Right Thing” follows Anna through grief

Anna sings “The Next Right Thing” after a devastating loss. Rather than promising that everything will quickly improve, the song focuses on a smaller and more believable step: choosing one action, then another, even when the future feels impossible.

Kristen Bell’s performance gives the number a different emotional shape from Elsa’s soaring songs. Anna’s strength here is not certainty. It is her decision to keep moving without knowing how everything will turn out.

Who performs the songs, and who wrote them?

Songwriting and singing are separate credits. Anderson-Lopez and Lopez created the songs, while the cast performed the character versions. A singer can interpret a song without having written it, and a songwriter does not have to sing the finished track.

• Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez: wrote the original songs’ music and lyrics.
• Christophe Beck: composed the instrumental score, not the character songs.
• Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, and Evan Rachel Wood: perform songs as the film’s characters.
• Aurora: contributes the mysterious vocal element in “Into the Unknown.”
• Panic! at the Disco: recorded an end-credit version of “Into the Unknown.”

Some soundtrack releases include both the performances heard in the movie and additional recordings for the credits. That is why an artist can appear on a Frozen II soundtrack without being one of the film’s songwriters or singing a character’s part.

What is the difference between the songs and the score?

Songs have lyrics and are performed as musical numbers. They may be sung by a character, shared by an ensemble, or recorded separately for the end credits. The film’s seven main original songs tell us what characters feel, want, or discover.

The score is instrumental music that accompanies the action. It can build suspense, signal a change in mood, or connect one scene to another without stopping the story for a full song. Christophe Beck composed this part of the film’s music.

The two forms can also share musical ideas. A score may echo a melody or mood associated with a song, helping the soundtrack feel connected. That does not mean the score composer wrote the song; song and score credits identify different contributions.

Why did Frozen II bring back its original songwriters?

Anderson-Lopez and Lopez already knew the musical language of Anna, Elsa, and their world from the first film. Their return helped the sequel build on familiar character traits while giving the sisters new challenges to sing about. The songs are not just repeated celebrations of the original story; they reflect a more complicated stage in the characters’ lives.

For example, Elsa’s “Into the Unknown” grows from her need to understand a call she cannot explain. Anna’s “The Next Right Thing” responds to a painful moment with a practical choice. Those songs have very different emotional aims, but both connect personal decisions to the larger plot.

The soundtrack also varies its styles. “Lost in the Woods” plays with the sound of an earnest pop power ballad, while “All Is Found” feels like a quiet lullaby. Those differences help each number fit the character singing it instead of making every song sound alike.

Common mix-ups about Frozen II music credits

“The singer wrote the song” is not always true

A cast member’s name may be prominent on a soundtrack because that person performs the song. The writing credit still belongs to Anderson-Lopez and Lopez. Check the songwriting credit separately from the performer listing if you need to know who created the music and lyrics.

The end-credit recording is not the same as the movie scene

“Into the Unknown” appears in the story as Elsa’s song, with Menzel and Aurora’s vocal contribution. Panic! at the Disco recorded a distinct version for the credits. They did not replace Elsa’s performance in the scene, and the two recordings serve different purposes.

The score composer did not write every piece of music

Beck’s score credit refers to the orchestral and instrumental music for the film. It does not make him the writer of the songs. Conversely, the songwriters’ credits do not mean they composed all the background music heard between songs.

Practical listening tip: look at the track credits, not just the album cover or performer name. Credits can separate writers, vocalists, and score composers, which clears up most soundtrack attribution questions.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the original Frozen II songs, while Christophe Beck composed the instrumental score. The cast performs the character songs, and some end-credit recordings feature different artists.

For a useful next step, compare the film version of “Into the Unknown” with the Panic! at the Disco end-credit version. Listening for who sings and how each recording is used makes the credits easier to understand—and answers who wrote the songs for frozen 2.