I tied my red sash, smoothed out the folds of my robe and stepped into the role of Mulan. Come with me, not for a stage performance or a costume party, but for a chance to bring a little Disney magic into a hospital hallway.
Princess Harmonics is a student-led a capella group that dresses up as Disney princesses and princes to perform medleys of Disney songs for children in the process of healing and recovery. When I spoke with fourth-year computational and systems biology student Suzaan Mehreen, the current president of Princess Harmonics, she reflected on how it all began.
In 2022, she founded Princess Harmonics alongside her sister and a close friend “out of a shared love for music, music therapy and community service”. What started as a simple idea quickly grew into something much more meaningful. Inspired by research on, what Mehreen called, “the healing power of music”, they set out to create a space for pediatric patients in hospitals where singing could offer comfort, connection and childhood magic.
Since then, the group has continued to evolve. Mehreen shared that Princess Harmonics has expanded its outreach, now also performing for children and communities on the autism spectrum. What stands out most is the impact the group has had, not just on its audiences, but on its members as well. Mehreen expressed, “it has been incredibly rewarding to see others join us in sharing music and compassion across the Los Angeles community”.
For each performance, every member takes on a different character – some days you might see me as Cinderella, Ariel, Belle or Rapunzel. Today, I’m Mulan. Our mission is simple: bring a little bit of music, imagination and joy into places where kids are going through some of the hardest days of their lives.
Princess preparations
Becoming a princess takes some preparation – and it began at 8:45 a.m.
As everyone got ready, I started to feel the rush and the quiet excitement in the room. Costumes came out of garment bags, wigs were being brushed and tiaras were being adjusted. One of our members was humming a scale while another ran through the opening notes of our Disney medley. Soon the room was filled with many familiar melodies and snippets of songs that we were going to perform in just about an hour.
By 9:10 a.m., we split into our enchanted, luxurious and iconic carriages – three cars – and made our way over to Shriners for Children Medical Center. Who would’ve thought that Anna, Belle and Snow White were such skilled drivers!
When we finally arrived at the hospital, the energy shifted. The costumes that felt playful a few minutes ago suddenly took on a new meaning. As we walked through the entrance together, a few heads turned. A nurse smiled, the parents nudged their children and pointed. Suddenly the ordinary hospital hallway felt much lighter, almost like the beginning of a story.
Where the magic comes to life
Without instruments, our voices filled the space. The harmonies between the soprano ones, soprano twos and altos blended together as we moved through the medley. The set list included arrangements of “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes”, “How Far I’ll Go”, “Touch the Sky”, “Reflection”, “When Will My Life Begin” and “Zero to Hero”. Some children watched quietly, others waved excitedly when they recognized their favorite princess and a few even sang along.
It’s moments like these when the music starts to feel different from how it does elsewhere. It’s not about perfect notes or polished performance, but about connection. For a few minutes, the hospital room became a place where imagination took over — where Disney princesses are real, the magic is alive and the songs from beloved movies are happening in real time.
For the children watching, these characters are more than just costumes. They’re heroes from stories about courage, adventure and hope. Seeing them appear in a hospital hallway — even just for a few songs — can bring a little brightness to a dull and difficult day. That’s the magic of visits like this.
And for us, it’s just as meaningful.
Where the song ends, the story continues
When the performance ended, we said our goodbyes and quietly gathered our things. As we walked back through the hospital, the tiaras and gowns started to feel a little different. What started as a fun dress-up has become a reminder that small acts of kindness — like music, storytelling and imagination — can make a real difference.
By the time we stepped back outside, we were no longer in a hospital hallway filled with Disney songs, but the magic still lingered.
Sometimes being a princess isn’t about castles or fairytales, rather it’s about showing up, singing a song and reminding someone that a little bit of magic still exists in the world.
