Barbie: The Princess & the Popstar

Did You Know?

• The soundtrack album was released on iTunes on August 28, 2012 and contains nine tracks.
• "Here I Am (Keira Version)" is a song recorded by Tiffany Giardina and is the second song featured in the film's credits.

Plot

The kingdom of Meribella is marking five centuries since its founding. Popstar Keira is performing a string of concerts for the occasion, but she feels stressed behind the scenes. She is struggling to come up with new songs and has to deal with her pushy manager, Seymour Crider. Meanwhile, Princess Tori, who loves having fun, feels weighed down by her strict aunt, Duchess Amelia, and the duties of royalty.

Both young women wish they could swap lives for a while and have an easier time. At a formal reception, Keira and Tori meet and quickly become close friends. Keira has a magic microphone that can change her outfits, and Tori has a magic hairbrush that can change her hairstyles. Using these items, they disguise themselves as each other convincingly, though their necklaces remain the same.

Tori then shows Keira a hidden magic gardenia plant that belongs to the royal family; it grows flowers covered in diamonds. They take two small diamonds from the plant and attach them to their necklaces. Crider learns about the diamond gardenia and decides to steal it. The girls plan to use the microphone and hairbrush to switch places for one day, so each can learn about the other’s life and routines.

As Keira tries to handle Tori’s royal duties, she finds playing with Tori’s younger sisters sparks her creativity again, and she starts writing music. Meanwhile, Tori enjoys rehearsing as Keira, but while exploring the kingdom freely, she sees how badly the ongoing drought is hurting the people. The two decide to extend the switch for another day and make Keira’s final concert free so more people can attend. The next night, when they are supposed to switch back, Duchess Amelia locks Keira in the princess’s bedroom because Tori has been putting off a commemorative speech.

Tori, though nervous, is forced to go onstage as Keira and manages to perform. Keira escapes the bedroom through a secret passage. While the royal family is at the concert, Crider and his assistant Rupert sneak into the castle to steal the diamond gardenia. They pull the plant out of the ground, causing all other plants in the kingdom to wilt.

Tori notices the wilting and hurries back to the castle. There, she and Keira change back into their own identities and confront Crider.

Cast of characters

Kelly Sheridan (speaking) and Jennifer Waris (singing) portray Princess Victoria 'Tori' Bethany Evangeline Renee, the fun-loving princess of Meribella who dreams of becoming a popstar and often shirks her royal duties. Ashleigh Ball (speaking) and Tiffany Giardina (singing) voice Keira, a famous popstar who dreams of being a princess and is overwhelmed by her workload. Ellie King plays Duchess Amelia, Tori's strict aunt. Peter Kelamis voices Seymour Crider, a bitter former child soprano and Keira's manager. Jo Frost appears as Rupert, Crider's bumbling assistant. Other cast members include Allison Warnyca as Nora, Christopher Gaze as King Frederick, Lauren Lavoie as Princess Meredith, Ashlyn Drummond as Princess Trevi, Adrian Petriw as Prince Liam and as Riff, and Leala Selina as Vanessa Victoria Fluffypie.