We Don’t Talk About Bruno from Encanto just surpassed Let It Go in plays — to honor this popular song we break down and rank the verses!
Slight spoilers for Encanto – We Don’t Talk About Bruno
Disney’s latest film Encanto is yet another hit, but so is its soundtrack, with music by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The song that’s in everyone’s head is the film’s song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which just passed 109 million views on the official YouTube video (66.9 million listens on Spotify).
The film follows Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), the only one without powers in the family Madrigal, a family famous for their powers. When the magic of their Casa Madrigal is threatened, Mirabel sets out to save the magic and show she’s special, too. This leads her to Bruno’s room, where she finds a panel of glass with her face on it, which might be the key to Bruno’s final prophecy. Bruno, by the way, was able to see the future before disappearing years ago.
She goes to her Uncle Félix (voiced by Mauro Castillo) for answers, and her Aunt Pepa (voiced by Carolina Guitan), whose emotions influence the weather, intervenes and starts the song with the now iconic, “We don’t talk about Bruno,” where they sing about him for nearly four minutes. It’s technically not talking.
Bruno’s presence is felt even when he’s not on-screen, especially here. Since the verses in “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” are so diverse and fun, I wanted to rank the verses and dive deeper into the song. Below, we have that verse ranking, with time stamps to watch each verse in the rank. (If you want the lyrics for the film, click here.
No. 7 – Mirabel: “Yeah, About That Bruno”
There’s no bad verse in this song, but Mirabel’s takes the bottom spot. Her verse about wanting the truth is mostly to push the story and song along. Everything in this song is told to Mirabel as our way in. She has better places to shine in the film, like in “The Family Madrigal” and of course, “Waiting on a Miracle.”
No. 6 – The Townspeople Sing
This verse is great for its character work; with the townspeople saying Bruno is bad luck because almost obvious occurrences came true. These things he told the villagers border on likelihood (“He told me my fish would die, the next day, dead”) or nearing self-fulfilling prophecy (“He told me I’d grow a gut, and just like he said”). This is a fun bit, but the best part is when the townsfolk make an ensemble, and sing, “Your fate is sealed when your prophecy is read.”
No. 5 – Everyone Singing
This is just a wonderful mishmash of everyone’s distinct tones and voice that blends so well together. The sound mixing of this sequence alone to end the song is impressive. The most exciting choreography is when everyone sets the table. Every voice here blends and everyone gets a moment to shine, rounding out a very impressive song.
No. 4 – Perfect Isabela
This is such a fun transition between the townsfolk singing about losing their hair, to Isabela singing about her perfect life, all before her wedding. This song is also such a strong setup for Isabela and
Mirabel’s sisterly rivalry, especially as we see the look on Mirabel’s annoyed face as Isabela comes down on a vine swing. Guerrero’s voice is great, but my favourite bit is Cousin Dolores (voiced by Adassa) hitting that note on her own prophecy, that her love is “betrothed to another.” One of the many things I missed the first time was not hearing Dolores singing “I can hear him now” about Bruno.
No. 3 – Cousin Dolores and Falling Sand (ch-ch-ch)
Honestly, these Top 3 verses could have gone either way, because they’re all great. Dolores’ verse probably has the coolest transition, going from Pepa and Félix to something this fast-paced and catchy. The way voice actress Adassa delivers “I associate him with the sound of falling sand, ch-ch-ch” is an absolute obsession. This sequence is what makes the choreography seem like everyone knows it besides Mirabel, as she tries her best to keep up. That’s what makes her character so charming even when she’s not singing.
Notice in the background of this scene, too, that a Bruno walks across the balcony behind them. It’s either the real Bruno or the shapeshifting Camilo (voiced by Rhenzy Feliz). I like the idea of it being the real Bruno, jamming to the song about him; especially as we see him bop his head to the music (visible between Mirabel and Dolores when Dolores asks, “Do you understand?”).
No. 2 – Seven-Foot Frame
This is a close second for me because of how Camilo’s shapeshifted Bruno looks, green and villainous. He’s very likely taking the shape of Bruno of how he would remember him, since Camilo was just a kid. Visually, the way the rats dance with Camilo and us seeing their shadows on the wall is so creative. Camilo’s verse is the shortest individual one, but I love it.
The way he says “seven-foot frame, rats along his back,” is so dang catchy. He also sounds so distinct from the rest of the song, which is why when they all sing together, it works so well. The casting department deserves a lot of credit for casting so many diverse voices, in singing and in talent.
No. 1 – “It Was My Wedding Day”
Unsurprisingly, the Number 1 spot must go to the opening of the song. One of my favourite aspects of the song is from a story perspective, though, is that while “The Family Madrigal” is a great intro to the family and their powers, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” really gets to the root of all the dynamics here (like the rivalry between Mirabel and Isabela).
The great part about this opening verse (besides, of course, the “but, it was my wedding day”) is the dynamic between Pepa and Félix. His hilarious “thunder” and that being her last straw and asking, “You’re telling the story, or am I?” is amazing.
My favorite visuals here are the choreography as Pepa sings “and it floods my brain,” as well as Mirabel’s awkwardly hilarious shoulder dance. She doesn’t seem sure of what to do as she listens to the story, which is very relatable.
Wrapping up, the last thing I’ll say is that the next time you listen to “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” is to try to focus on different voices each time at the end of the song as they all sing together. I keep picking up on small details with each listen.
Next: Disney’s Encanto Embraces The Complexity Of Family
About Encanto
The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift — every child except Mirabel. However, she soon may be the Madrigals last hope when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is now in danger.
Encanto is now streaming on Disney+!

Daniel Prinn is a film critic and freelance writer from Canada. He loves most genres of film and especially horror but has a soft spot for films from the 2000’s. When he isn’t writing, he can be found podcasting, as he is a host for his own interview show called The Filmcraziest Show on YouTube and at his site Filmcraziest.com.