I totally forgot this part.
Best Song: Just Around the Riverbend.
This is the song where I really think Judy Kuhn sounds phenomenal. When I think of Pocahontas as a character, I don't think of "Colors of the Wind", I think of the much more inspired vocal performance that is "Just Around the Riverbend". I don't particularly like Colors of the Wind, but on Just Around the Riverbend she really kills it. I just re-listened to that song, and it's possible that I ranked Pocahontas one or two spots too low. I'll stand by it, though, if only because I just love the ones in front of it that much more.
I definitely agree that her songs are really powerful, though. As I said, I'm not usually a big fan of Judy Kuhn (hated her as Cosette, her live Broadway performances on YouTube are only so-so...really the only other thing than this I'm really a fan of is her playing Florence in Chess, and that was in the Broadway cast which was yuck apart from her anyway). But I love her here. Really I think Bedard just drags the character down a bit.
I've also never seen/listened to the stage version of Lion King. I should really get on that.