Donny Osmond’s Biggest Song Advances Yet Again

After finding fame with his family, Donny Osmond enjoyed a hugely successful solo career in the music world beginning in the early 1970s and continuing for well over a decade. During those years, he scored more than a dozen hits on the Hot 100 and transitioned from a teen superstar into a respected singer and performer.

Osmond isn’t racking up smashes like he used to, but people are still listening to his catalog. Amazingly, his biggest commercial success in the United States when looking at certified units moved is a tune that some might not even realize he sang, as it wasn’t his face that delivered the track to the public.

“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” by Donny Osmond

Osmond lent his vocals to the Disney film Mulan, where he voiced the character of Captain Li Shang — but only when singing. Actor BD Wong provided the character’s speaking voice, while Osmond performed his tracks, most notably “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.” That cut has long stood as Osmond’s highest-certified song by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), and it has added to its already impressive total yet again.

Donny Osmond’s Biggest Hit Song

The RIAA has certified “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” triple platinum. The tune has now shifted three million equivalent units in the United States between sales and streaming activity. The song earns its first new certification in more than two years, as it was named double platinum in March 2023.

Donny Osmond’s Six Other Gold Records

Under his solo name, Osmond has seen half a dozen other tracks earn certifications from the RIAA, but so far, all of them — “The Twelfth of Never,” “Hey Girl,” “Puppy Love,” “Go Away Little Girl,” “Sweet and Innocent,” and “I’m Leaving It (All Up to You)” with his sister Marie — have only been certified gold, which means they each moved 500,000 equivalent units. None of those tunes have snagged a certification from the music industry organization since the 1970s, which means they all sold half a million copies during their heyday.

One Song Stands Out as Donny Osmond’s Most Successful

“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” has now moved as many equivalent units in the U.S. as all of Osmond’s other hits combined. It is Osmond’s only track that has added to its total this millennium, and the tune remains a standout from the Mulan soundtrack more than a quarter century after it was first released.