"A Change in Me" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice for the musical Beauty and the Beast, a stage adaptation of Disney's 1991 animated film of the same name. The song was written specifically for American singer Toni Braxton when she joined the production to play the role of Belle in 1998, four years into the musical's run. Menken and Rice wrote "A Change in Me" to appease Braxton after Rice promised the singer, who was hesitant to sign her contract, that he would write an entirely new song for her to perform in the musical on the condition that she finally agree to play Belle.
Appearing during the show's second act, Belle sings "A Change in Me" to her father Maurice after reuniting with him to explain how much she has matured and changed for the better while she was imprisoned at the Beast's castle. Immediately popular among critics and audiences, the pop ballad has been positively received since Braxton debuted it, remaining part of the show's set list ever since. Actress Susan Egan, who originated the role of Belle in 1994, recorded the first studio version of "A Change in Me" in 2002 for her debut studio album So Far; her cover was the song's first English-language recording.
Background
Composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice had already written six original songs for the stage adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, most of which focus on character development, including a solo for Belle entitled "Home". In July 1998, American R&B singer Toni Braxton entered final negotiations to make her Broadway debut as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, replacing actress Kim Huber in the role. Despite having initial reservations due to the singer's reputation as a sex symbol, director Robert Jess Roth eventually concluded that Braxton would offer an "interesting" interpretation of Belle after first meeting with her to discuss the role and observing similarities between Braxton's own personality and the character's. Once Roth forwarded his approval of the singer's casting to Disney, the studio began collaborating with Braxton's management on developing a contract stipulating that the singer would appear in the show for a three-month period. However, various circumstances resulted in Braxton continuously delaying to sign the contract until she met for dinner with Menken, Rice and choreographer Matt West; Roth was out of town at the time and unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.
A few days after their dinner, Braxton telephoned Ross to confirm that she had finally signed the contract; this was the first time Ross learned that Rice had apparently promised Braxton that he would write an entirely new song for her to sing in the musical if she agreed to sign the paperwork. Panicked, Ross immediately contacted Rice, who confirmed that he had in fact agreed to write a song for Braxton, blaming himself for having consumed too much alcohol during their dinner. Rice asked Ross to allow him 24 hours to review the musical and see if there was in fact a moment for which he and Menken could develop a new song, and decided to write a ballad for the second act during which Belle tells Maurice how she has changed during her stay in the Beast's castle. "A Change in Me" was written four years into Beauty and the Beasts run. In addition to being the first black performer to portray Belle on Broadway, Braxton was the first African-American woman to star in a leading role in a Disney production across any medium.