Handpicked by the biggest pop star on the planet as a teenager, then handed the most iconic movie role of a generation, Halle Bailey skipped the minor leagues entirely, taking her first professional at-bats in front of the Manhattan Supreme Court and Beyonce. This is a master class in how a Gen Z artist survives the extremes of modern fame.

We trace her extreme DIY roots, learning instruments from YouTube tutorials, through the viral Beyonce cover that led to Parkwood, to redefining Ariel in the face of a racially charged backlash. From The Little Mermaid to her debut solo album to a highly public custody battle, we look at the resilient woman behind the polished image.

• Learning song structure from grainy YouTube videos and bypassing traditional gatekeepers
• Signing to Parkwood through the courts as a minor and the impossi ...