Noveliss’s track ‘Fear of a Black Mermaid’ was released on his Vagabond EP in November 2022, responding to a social media furore about the casting of Black performer Halle Bailey as the lead in Disney’s live action remake of its 1989 film The Little Mermaid. A self-produced music video for the song was also released in January 2023. The lyrics, music track and music video are reproduced in Shima as significant contributions to debates around racism, racial stereotypes and popular culture triggered by the film.

The Little Mermaidracial stereotypespopular cultureblack mermaidDisney