'It is a love letter to Africa' Beyonce on her song for Lion King
Beyonce was seen in a sneak peek for her interview with Robin Roberts for the Tuesday evening special The Lion King: Can You Feel The Love Tonight which airs on ABC.
The singer was in the same yellow gown she wore to the London Lion King premiere as she talked about how the soundtrack to the film is a 'love letter to Africa' in the teaser shared on Good Morning America. And a first look at the album cover - which featured two gold lions - was also seen.
It was also revealed that the music video for her song Spirit will debut during the Roberts special.
Spirit is the original song created by Beyonce for The Lion King and the title track from her highly anticipated new Lion King inspired album.
The special will also include an interview with Beyonce, who discusses the enduring appeal of The Lion King and why she feels so strongly about the story and the music in the new film, according to a press release.
This soundtrack is a love letter to Africa and I wanted to make sure we found the best talent from Africa, and not just use some of the sounds and did my interpretation of it
She told ABC News.
'I wanted it to be authentic to what is beautiful about the music in Africa,' she said.
She added they used 'a lot' of drums and 'incredible new sounds mixed with some of the producers from America.'
She added,
We've kind of created our own genre and I feel like the soundtrack is the first soundtrack where it becomes visual in your mind. The soundscape is more than just the music because each song tells the story of the film.
The Beyoncé-produced-and-curated compilation album, The Lion King: The Gift, is due out July 19, the same day the film hits theaters.
The wife of rapper Jay Z voices the character of Nala in the film.
Nala is introduced as the childhood best friend of Simba, and ultimately becomes his wife by the end of The Lion King.
Disney’s The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau, journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born.
Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny.
But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival.
Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own.
The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile.
With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
The cast includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa and Billy Eichner as Timon