Beyoncé Has Announced a New Album Inspired by “The Lion King”

Beyonce Knowles at
Beyonce Knowles at "The Lion King" premiere in Los Angeles. Photo by John Salangsang/BEI/Shutterstock (10330533df)

Beyoncé has announced that she will be curating a new album called The Lion King: The Gift.

The album will include songs written by a collection of African artists. It will also include a Beyoncé original titled “Spirit”, which will appear on the film’s soundtrack. The song will appear in a touching scene involving her character, Nala.

“This is sonic cinema,” Beyoncé said Beyoncé in a statement. “This is a new experience of storytelling. I wanted to do more than find a collection of songs that were inspired by the film. It is a mixture of genres and collaboration that isn’t one sound. It is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop, and Afro Beat.”

She continued: “I wanted to put everyone on their own journey to link the storyline. Each song was written to reflect the film’s storytelling that gives the listener a chance to imagine their own imagery while listening to a new contemporary interpretation. It was important that the music was not only performed by the most interesting and talented artists but also produced by the best African producers. Authenticity and heart were important to me.”

The album will drop next week on July 19.