When I Grow Up (from Matilda The Musical): Ukulele

This song sits at the emotional center of the show, and reducing it to ukulele exposes every vulnerability in the writing. Your students will connect immediately with the character's yearning and determination, and the stripped-down arrangement forces genuine musicality rather than theatrical spectacle. It's a perfect choice for recitals, assemblies, or one-student-one-part ensemble classes where earnestness matters more than complexity.

The song captures a child's quiet determination mixed with everyday uncertainty. There's hope underneath, but it's tentative, honest. Playing it feels less like performing a showstopper and more like sharing a secret about who you want to become.

Young performers (ages 8 and up) who are developing ukulele skills and looking for meaningful solo material beyond simple strummers. This arrangement also works well for classroom teachers introducing Matilda The Musical or Broadway repertoire to students.

• Shape the phrasing around the lyrical content rather than strict metric divisions; let the character's voice breathe between phrases
• Balance singing and playing so neither overwhelms the other. The ukulele should accompany, not compete
• Experiment with dynamics to show the character's emotional journey from doubt to resolve

Pair this with other Matilda songs in a musical theater unit, or feature it as a solo recital piece that showcases both technical and emotional maturity. It also works beautifully in assemblies or classroom settings where the story of the show is already known to the audience.

• Singing while playing with independent hand coordination
• Phrasing and breath management in a narrative context
• Dynamic control to shape emotional arc within a song
• Connecting lyrical meaning to musical interpretation