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Meet The Latest Wave Of Rising Afrobeats Stars: AMAARAE, BNXN, Oladapo & More
The pan-African pop movement has generated significant talent in recent years. Here are 10 Afrobeats artists who are bringing their unique voices and perspectives to the scene.
Burna Boy, WizKid, Tems — more and more, the GRAMMY-winning stars of Afrobeats are becoming household names.
Based in Nigeria, the genre has exploded in popularity internationally. Billboard recently started a chart for Afrobeats singles, and the Recording Academy recently added a brand new category, Best African Music Performance, to honor the continent’s best musicians.
The pan-African pop movement has generated lots of fresh and interesting talent in recent years. Red on for 10 Afrobeats artists who are bringing their unique voices and perspectives to the scene.
AMAARAE
Born in the Bronx, Ghanaian American AMAARAE was raised between Atlanta and Accra — and it shows in her unapologetically sexy music. Bridging the gap between African and American sounds is AMAARAE's M.O.; she’s collaborated with artists on both continents, from Blaqbonez and Stonebwoy to Kaytraminé and Kali Uchis.
On songs like "Wasted Eyes" off her latest album Fountain Baby, AMAARAE effortlessly blends Afrobeats with R&B and neo-soul, alongside raps that reverberate with trap braggadocio: "Fresh to death, I’m beyond heat / Activist in my Dior jeans."
Speaking of designer clothes, she’s also becoming something of a fashion icon, having been profiled in British Vogue about her style and teaming with Shygirl and Arca on a campaign for H&M’s collab line with Mugler.
AMAKA
All over the world, forward thinking musicians are introducing new innovations to pop music. Take NewJeans, for instance — the K-pop quintet introduced global club influences and Western collabs into their music, resulting in rave reviews and massive hits.
Nigerian American R&B singer AMAKA, formerly of the sister act VanJess, also wanted to do something different for her solo debut, recruiting Haitian Canadian producer/DJ KAYTRANADA, whose woozy take on house music has earned him two GRAMMY Awards. The resulting EP, Oasis, is incredibly interesting, blending suave R&B with Afrobeats influences for an irresistible, sensual combination that feels like an exciting new direction for African pop music.
Asake
You don’t have to look far to find the next major Afrobeats superstar, the next Burna Boy or Wizkid — it’s Asake. This month he sold out London’s O2 Arena. Before that he took Miami’s inaugural AfroNation festival by storm with a showstopping set that saw the audience tearing off his clothes. And even before that he had booked appearances on "The Tonight Show" and "Good Morning America."
He is incredibly talented and charismatic, as his rapid rise proves. But what makes the deep-voiced Lagotian so compelling isn’t just that — it’s also the embrace of a musical pan-Africanism that feels special. He blows open the Afrobeats formula by introducing influences from all over the continent. "Dull" from his debut Mr. Money With the Vibes interpolates the traditional Yoruba genre of fújì, but he also includes séga, a traditional genre from Mauritius and Réunion, on "Yoga," from this year’s Work of Art. Of course, there’s also his primary influence, South Africa’s massive house offshoot amapiano — he even named a song, which became a massive hit, after the genre
Aya Nakamura
Most big Afrobeats and amapiano stars tend to perform mainly in English, with many also mixing in African languages like Yoruba, Igbo, and Zulu. But with a massive portion of the continent speaking French, it makes sense that a few Francophone Afrobeats musicians have risen up.
Born in Mali and raised outside of Paris, Aya Nakamura comes from a family of griots (musical oral historians), meaning music runs in the family. She’s had a string of massive hits in France and elsewhere in Europe, including 2018’s massive "Djadja," a bold breakup anthem which topped the charts in France and the Netherlands.
This year, she’s returned with a new album, DNK, and rather than take on the trendy amapiano influences embraced by the rest of the Afrobeats world, she’s offering her own take on zouk, a French-Caribbean dance genre. In our borderless era of pop music, this is one talent that certainly deserves more attention in the states.
BNXN
Formerly known as Buju, BNXN (a stylization of his last name Benson) can count Burna Boy as a mentor, having quarantined with the King of Afrobeats during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Like his mentor, BNXN describes his sound as Afro-fusion, taking cues from R&B, dancehall, and traditional genres from Nigeria.
It’s this Naija identity that truly powers his distinctive songwriting voice, however. A song by BNXN will feature plenty of local witticisms and lyrics in pidgin and local languages, as well as standard English, and his faculty as a storyteller ranges from tales from the gritty streets to childhood recollections of Lagos.
Fireboy DML
Afrobeats is full of romantics, from Burna Boy to "Africa’s number one boyfriend" Ckay. With his own "Afro-life" take on songwriting, Fireboy DML certainly occupies that lane well, taking on a Casanova persona and weaving tales of love and heartbreak that frequently see him top the charts.
His track "Peru" resulted in remixes from Ed Sheeran and 21 Savage, topping the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart last year and making it to 53 on the Hot 100 and all the way to number two on the Global 200. Fireboy DML’s reappeared this year with the uptempo, dancefloor-ready "Someone" and amapiano-influenced "YAWA," both taking his sound in interesting new directions.
Mr Eazi
Though he’s been a star in Nigeria and Ghana for some time, it’s taken Mr Eazi until now to announce a debut album, currently due in October. Lead single "Chop Time, No Friend," with a title taken from a pidgin phrase meaning "live in the moment," is a breezy, catchy take on Afrobeats with a vibrant video paying tribute to local life in Dakar, Senegal.
It’s only one part of the artist’s ambitions. He’s also joined BBC Radio 1Xtra selector DJ Edu to create the ChopLife Soundsystem, a new project designed to highlight sounds from across the continent. Their first release Chop Life, Vol. 1: Mzansi Chronicles delves into amapiano, featuring stars of the genre such as Focalistic and Major League DJz.
Lisa Yaro
An actress, singer, and songwriter, Lisa Yaro is a triple threat. She’s acted alongside Vanessa Hudgens in movies like Asking For It, and written for the likes of will.i.am. Now she’s turning her attention to music with her debut EP My Way. It’s a pivot that may prove her most exciting move yet: Single "SAVAGE" bristles with amapiano-influenced brawn, while the title track offers a confident take on the Afrobeats sound. With the scene remaining dominated by male artists, it’s exciting to see a female singer arrive with such a clearly-defined sound.
Oladapo
With a style incorporating highlife, R&B, and pop with lyrics in English, Yoruba, and Nigerian pidgin, Oladapo is another up-and-coming musician in the Afro-fusion lane. He got an early boost when his 2019 single "Mango" was shortlisted by Mr Eazi’s Empawa Africa initiative, and since then he’s refined his style on bright and romantic hits like "Proud."
His latest single, "IF AT ALL," adds amapiano log drums and blends a wistful instrumental with contemplative lyrics.
Ruger
In pop music it sometimes helps to have a signature look. There’s Missy Elliot’s bulbous "Supa Dupa Fly" fit, or KISS’ black-and-white face paint. Pharrell had his vintage Vivienne Westwood hat, and Dame Viv herself helped defined the punk aesthetic by styling the Sex Pistols. Nigerian singer Ruger has…an eyepatch.
To be clear, he’s not visually impaired in any way, he just wears it because it’s hard. Specifically, as he once told an interviewer, it’s a tie-in with his artist name — taken from the Ruger firearms company — and his persona as a sniper, as well as a tribute to a friend in the Nigerian military who really did lose an eye. Of course it’s not all about the eyepatch, because Ruger’s bubbly blend of dancehall and Afrobeats on songs like "Bounce" is a winning pop formula.
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7 Incredible Sets From AfroNation Miami: WizKid, Uncle Waffles, Black Sherif & More
At the inaugural AfroNation Miami, stars of the Nigerian Afrobeats movement joined by Caribbean artists, South African amapiano DJs and MCs, all of whom kept the sweltering crowds grooving until late into the night.
If the inaugural AfroNation Miami could be described in one word, it’s hot — in all its meanings.
With thousands of tourists descending on Miami for Memorial Day weekend, many of them celebrating Urban Beach Week, it should be a no-brainer to have a festival focused on Black artists and music from around the world. The thing is, Florida gets pretty balmy in the summer — in the 80s and 90s every day — and the high-humidity heat during the two-day fest felt almost unbearable at times. But artists and fans alike didn’t let the climate ruin their good time.
An incredible selection of talent from across the African diaspora played to an approximately 20,000-strong crowd at LoanDepot Park, usually home of the Miami Marlins. Stars of the Nigerian Afrobeats movement including Burna Boy, Asake, and WizKid gave pulse-pounding performances, joined by Caribbean artists such as Jamaican dancehall talent Mavado and Panamanian reggaetonista Sech. Just outside on the stadium plaza, an entire stage of South African amapiano DJs and MCs kept the sweltering crowds grooving until late into the night.
There were a few snags common to festivals. Some artists, like WizKid, showed up late to their sets. Others, like Beenie Man, dropped out entirely, only to be replaced by the charismatic up-and-comer Shenseea. But more often than not, the international crowd was granted a formidable festival experience, anchored by extraordinary sets from some of the best Black artists in the world. Read on to discover seven of the most jaw-dropping sets from AfroNation Miami.
Asake Bares All-In Enrapturing Performance
Not even clothes could contain Asake’s exuberance — the Nigerian Afrobeats rookie basically undressed himself slowly during his half-hour performance. First he threw away his neon green wraparound shades. Then he ditched his Louis Vuitton jean jacket on the stage floor. His chunky silver sneakers came off at one point, and he finished the rest of the set walking around in his socks. His ear monitor fell out during one of his many twirling dance moves and had to be replaced later by a stagehand.
Eventually, that left his white tank top, which he’d been using to wipe away sweat for the whole performance. That came off at the climax of the show, when the singer stepped over the barrier to commune with the crowd. As a security guard supported him he leaned back in a crucifix pose, letting fans tug at his shirt until he finally tossed it into the throng.
Asake has come a long way in a very short time. The 28-year-old dropped his first album just last year and has been making the media rounds in the states, appearing on "Jimmy Fallon" and "Good Morning America." He’s a star on the rise, representing the new wave of Afrobeats, its embrace of continent-spanning sounds like amapiano (which he namechecks in the title of one of his biggest songs), and its potential to go even more global than it already is.
His stage presence signifies his world-conquering potential. He doesn’t interact with the crowd like Ckay or Burna Boy. He dances and sings, in a deep, sonorous voice, as if possessed by some spirit, staring into the middle distance, concentrating on nothing but leaving it all on the stage. It’s almost as if he was in a trance, and the moment he walked off after performing "Mr. Money," it felt as though everyone present had all snapped out of one as well, hypnotized by this one-of-a-kind talent.
Black Sherif Spits From The Streets
Although he played to a sparse crowd early Saturday, Ghanaian rapper Black Sherif didn’t let that stop him from giving a blistering performance. Fans holding signs thanking him for songs such as "Second Sermon" had camped out in front of the stage, and he didn’t disappoint them, delivering a passionate sermon from the streets.
As a proponent of the gritty Ghanaian offshoot of UK drill known as asakaa, Black Sherif was one of the few hip-hop-oriented acts on a bill dominated by pop and Afrobeats stars. He told stories of darkness and heartbreak with incredible focus and intensity, almost shouting his lyrics at the crowd in a raspy voice. Songs such as "45" feature lyrics in English and Sherif’s native language of Twi, and to his credit, his delivery was flawless through the entire set. He didn’t skip a single word, which is more than can be said for many American rappers.
The drama of Black Sherif’s passionate performance climaxed with his final song, the hit "Kwaku the Traveler," weaving a tragic tale of falling from and grinding his way back to success. About 30 seconds in, the DJ let the beat drop out, leaving the rapper to finish the song with a captivating a capella.
Burna Boy Withstands The Heat For Fuego Saturday Closing Set
Drenched in sweat, even Burna Boy eventually needed a break from the heat. After eight songs straight of passionate performance, he finally turned to a stagehand and declared "I’m gonna need some water."
The fiery performance was the climax of AfroNation’s Saturday lineup, and Damini Ogulu did not disappoint. Backed by a full band even larger than Asake’s, with backup singers, dancers, a brass section, and a drumline playing African percussion instruments, the global superstar dripped with charisma as well as perspiration. His million-watt smile shone brighter than any of the lights in the LoanDepot Park stands as he strutted around the stage and blazed through solo renditions of his biggest hits, including "Secret," as well as tracks from his recent album Love Damini such as the Ed Sheeran collab "For My Hand."
With pyrotechnics, smoke machines, and a stadium full of adoring fans at his disposal, the king of Afrobeats put on an incredible spectacle in Miami, with the most iconic moment coming at the end as the entire ballpark sang the chorus of "It’s Plenty" a capella. But an even more iconic moment may have been after performing his Dave collab "Location" when he recovered a Haitian flag, waved it around, and wrapped it around his neck like a bandanna. Out of all the flags being waved in the audience, this is the one that matters most in Miami with its huge Haitian diaspora population. And when Africa’s biggest star bore it proudly, the crowd erupted.
Ckay Celebrates Love And Money On The Main Stage
Before he went onstage at AfroNation Miami, Ckay’s DJ declared him "Africa’s number one boyfriend." It was easy to see why: Not only did he perform some of his most romantic songs, but the Nigerian singer spent much of the show making eyes at the crowd. And making heart symbols with his hands. And peace signs.
It seems the fans loved him back. The phones all came out upon hearing the opening strains of closer "Love Nwatiti" (a massive international hit and the first No. 1 on Billboard’s Afrobeats chart) and the crowd roared with approval upon hearing the sweet guitar melody on "Emiliana." "This is my first time doing this song in Miami, I want you to make some noise!" he declared.
The show wasn’t all about romance, however. Penultimate song "Hallelujah" is an ode to cash money, and Ckay displayed his clout by bringing out featured rapper Blaqbonez to perform his verse. "If you wanna make some money this year say ‘Ohhhhh,’" the singer said to the crowd before jumping into the amapiano-influenced track. Money and talent — maybe he would make a good boyfriend.
Major League DJz Offer A Scorching Set Of South African Sounds
More than anyone else at AfroNation, Major League DJz showed the world-conquering potential of amapiano.
Closing the stage on Sunday night, the duo ran through a scorching set of amapiano favorites, even slipping in an immaculate remix of Beyoncé’s "CUFF IT" while a succession of MCs pumped up the crowd. Shifting the vibe at will — from intense, futuristic rave and trance-indebted synth tracks to lighter tunes with soulful piano and organ chords, and always with eruptions of log drum bass and skillfully-deployed delays, filters, and other effects — they kept the crowd enraptured and in thrall to the power of ‘piano. So deeply in command of the audience were they that a guest appearance midway through the set threatened to derail it entirely. Atlanta rapper Kali took the stage to perform her song "Area Codes," and the trap-influenced track felt like a wrench thrown into the Majors’ finely-tuned amapiano machine.
Kali wasn’t the only guest appearance, as by the end of the set, it felt as though the entire Piano People collective had come on stage. Over a dozen people stood behind, in front of, and even on top of the decks, celebrating their success and lending their collective energy to give the performance a feeling of unstoppability. The MCs hyped up the crowd, the dancers (including the previous night’s headliner Uncle Waffles) danced, and the rest basked in the vibes of the by-then-bursting crowd. This is how Africa raves, and the rest of the world would be smart to follow along.
DJ Uncle Waffles Brings Impeccable Femme Energy To Piano People Stage
While the stars of Afrobeats took the stage inside on the LoanDepot Park field, outside the stadium the Piano People stage had the feel of a block party. Focusing on the ascendant South African dance genre of amapiano, the stage brought some of the scene’s biggest talents to Miami.
It was Saturday night headliner Uncle Waffles, also the only female artist to headline either stage, that offered the purest take on what makes the genre exciting. Looking like a Matrix character in a black jumpsuit and neon-green hair, the South Africa-via-eSwatini DJ put up a powerful mix of amapiano tracks, including her own massive hit "Tanzania." The pulse of the log drum bass and the steamy rhythms felt right at home in the swampy humidity.
While many of the loudest, most energetic voices at the stage were MCs such as Focalistic and Musa Keys, Waffles, despite primarily DJing, quietly behind the decks. She would often start a track and jump to the front of the stage to join her dance troupe, themselves dressed in cheerleader-style outfits, in thrilling, coordinated dance routines. The energy and enthusiasm onstage and in the crowd manifested itself the most in these moments.
WizKid Shows He's The Star Of The Show
WizKid knows he’s a star (he was calling himself "Starboy" long before The Weeknd) and at his festival-closing set on Sunday night, he delivered a star experience, taking the stage from atop a massive stair-shaped backdrop designed to let him descend from high above the rest of us.
Wearing sequined black pants, a leather fedora, and shades that never left his eyes, Wizzy strutted back and forth on the stage like a proud lion, performing the biggest hits from his massive catalog. Some guests came out, such as Buju for "Mood," while the artist let the crowd sing-along to Drake’s verse on "Come Closer." The instrumentals seemed to switch between a DJ and a live band, both of them obscured by the stage setup.
At other sets such as Burna Boy and Asake, the band was a major feature; here there was nothing to distract the crowd from Big Wiz. He absorbed their love like a sponge, and may have caught some thrown underwear from the crowd too.
Much was made by the artist of the global nature of the crowd. Wizzy started out his set by shouting out all the Caribbeans, from Jamaica to Trinidad and certainly Haiti, present in the audience, before moving on to Africa. "I see your flags, I see you repping for your country right now," he said. "This is a sexy ass crowd tonight, baby!"
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Spinall
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Premiere: Spinall, 6LACK & Fireboy DML Deliver Tropical Vacation Vibes With "Sere Remix"
Nigerian powerhouse DJ/producer Spinall taps in 6LACK for the fire "Sere Remix"—listen now
If you haven't listened to Nigerian DJ/producer Spinall yet, time to cue up his beats. He's been spreading the good vibes globally with his sunny, uplifting brand of Afrobeats ever since releasing his debut album, My Story, and launching his label and management company TheCAPMusic in 2014.
In November 2020, he dropped his vibey fifth studio album, Grace, on his label in partnership with Apple's Platoon. The collab-rich project features both new and known talent from Nigeria and beyond, including Tiwa Savage, WizKid, Crayon, R2Bees, and many more.
Now, Spinall's first release of 2021 brings Atlanta to Lagos, as moody R&B heavy-hitter 6LACK hops on the "Sere Remix." Both the original, as featured on Grace, and the brand-new remix feature fellow Nigerians Fireboy DML (on vocals) and Kel-P (on production).
Listen to an exclusive first listen of "Sere Remix" below before it officially drops tomorrow, May 7, and read below to learn more from the powerhouse producer Spinall about the collab, representing Nigeria, his influences, and more.
"Sere Remix" feels like being on vacation. What was the vibe you were trying to create for the track?
The song itself has done all the talking. It's literally the exact mirror to my vibe at the time. I have always made records that connect with the soul. Big love to my brother Fireboy DML & 6LACK and my ever-relentless team.
I have a personal connection with the music I make. From my discography, you can tell I can show you better than I can explain.
Watch: Behind The Board: Catch Up With Afrobeats Hitmaker Kel P In Nigera To Talk Music Production
What was it like collaborating with Fireboy DML and Kel-P on in?
Amazing. Those are brothers and I'm not just saying that because we made a record. We all have history together, so creating magic was meant to be. I'm grateful to them and my team.
To you, what is the quintessential Nigerian sound and vibe?
You are going to need all the grammar in the world to describe Nigerian sound. It is a constantly evolving powerful sound. Our sound has all the elements of great music you can possibly think of. We are actually just getting started.
"You are going to need all the grammar in the world to describe Nigerian sound."
What does it mean to you to represent Nigeria on the global stage?
I'm extremely grateful. I have dreamt of days like this and now I'm particularly even more excited about the bigger picture for all of Afrobeats culture as a whole.
Who are some of your biggest influences in music and life?
Music itself. Music is the winner here. We are all just messengers. I'm also inspired by the legends and the amount of unnoticed efforts behind the scene. Additionally, I'm inspired by anyone who is fighting for a better life but, more importantly, a genuine soul always inspires me.
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Screenshot from Beyoncé's Black Is King
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Beyoncé Announces New Visual Album 'Black Is King,' Out July 2020 On Disney+
The visual album, which is based on the singer's 2019 soundtrack album for 'The Lion King: The Gift,' "reimagines the lessons of 'The Lion King' for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns"
Beyhive, rejoice! Beyoncé returns to the screens next month with Black Is King, a brand-new visual album written, directed and executive-produced by the 24-time GRAMMY winner. Set to globally premier July 31 on Disney+, the visual album is based on the music from Queen Bey's The Lion King: The Gift, the soundtrack album she curated for the 2019 The Lion King remake; Black Is King will be released nearly two weeks after the film's one-year anniversary.
The visual album "reimagines the lessons of The Lion King for today's young kings and queens in search of their own crowns" and offers "a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience," according to a press release from Disney announcing the project.
Black Is King, which was "in production for one year with a cast and crew that represent diversity and connectivity," according to the press release, stars featured artists from The Lion King: The Gift and includes special guest appearances. The visual album will include videos for The Gift tracks like "My Power," "Mood 4 Eva" and "Brown Skin Girl."
"The voyages of Black families, throughout time, are honored in a tale about a young king's transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity," the press release states. "His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father's teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne.
These timeless lessons are revealed and reflected through Black voices of today, now sitting in their own power. Black Is King is an affirmation of a grand purpose, with lush visuals that celebrate Black resilience and culture. The film highlights the beauty of tradition and Black excellence."
Released last July, The Lion King: The Gift featured an epic artist roster comprising African and Afrobeats artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi and many others. At the 2020 GRAMMYs, the album received a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album, while album track "Spirit," performed by Beyoncé, received nominations for Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Song Written For Visual Media. (Beyoncé's 2019 concert film, Homecoming, based on her historic performance at Coachella 2018, won the GRAMMY for Best Music Film, her only win that night.)
Black Is King follows Beyoncé's new track "BLACK PARADE," which she released last week on Juneteenth (June 19); proceeds from the track will benefit her BeyGOOD Black Business Impact Fund, which supports Black-owned small businesses.
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Beyoncé
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Beyonce Shares Epic Track List For 'The Lion King: The Gift:' JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Eazi, Shatta Wale & Many More
The GRAMMY-winning star of the Disney remake will share more details about her curated album in an exclusive interview on ABC
Today, GRAMMY-winning multi-hyphenate Beyoncé offered the world yet another gift, the stacked track list of the forthcoming The Lion King-inspired album she executive produced. The 14-song LP features some of the hottest talent from the States and Africa, including her co-star Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino, her husband JAY-Z and past-collaborator Kendrick Lamar. Rising American artists Tierra Whack, 070 Shake and Jessie Reyez also contribute to tracks, as well as Nigerian powerhouses Mr Eazi, Burna Boy, WizKid, Tiwa Savage, Tekno and Yemi Alade, plus Ghanaian dancehall artist Shatta Wale, Cameroonian artist Salatiel and South Africa's Busiswa and Moonchild Sanelly.
Both the The Lion King: The Gift album and the new CGI-animated film will be released this Fri., July 19. The Lion King Soundtrack, along with Beyoncé's powerful new track "Spirit," which finds a home on both albums, was released digitally last week. The film's soundtrack and score were composed by GRAMMY-winner Hans Zimmer, with "Spirit" coming from Zimmer, Lebo M. and Beyoncé.
.@Beyonce on “Spirit”: “The soundtrack is a love letter to Africa…it becomes visual in your mind. It's a soundscape.”
— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 16, 2019
See more TONIGHT on '#TheLionKing Can You Feel the Love Tonight? with @RobinRoberts' special at 8pmET on @ABCNetwork! https://t.co/mfhnDwDPg8 pic.twitter.com/mADrEkn1Gy
Beyoncé offers vocals on 10 of the tracks on The Gift, including on "The Nile" with Lamar, "Mood 4 Eva" with JAY and Gambino and on "Brown Skin Girl" with her daughter Blue Ivy Carter, WizKid and St. Jhn.
"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. I wanted it to be authentic to what is beautiful about the music in Africa," Beyoncé told ABC News in a segment aired on Good Morning America earlier today.
This clip is from her interview with GMA Anchor Robin Roberts; the full Q&A will air on ABC tonight, along with a premiere of the music video for "Spirit."
"We've kind of created our own genre and I feel like the soundtrack is the first soundtrack where it becomes visual in your in your mind. The soundscape is more than just the music because each song tells the story of the film," Queen Bey added.
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The original Lion King movie was released in 1994 and featured music written by Elton John and Tim Rice, including "Circle Of Life" and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight." Those now-classic songs earned the pair four nominations at the 37th GRAMMY Awards. John earned a fifth nod and a win; "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" earned him a GRAMMY for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The dynamic duo also offered the creative genius to a majority of new soundtrack.
Today has been a big day for Beyoncé; her moving Homecoming documentary received six Emmy nominations. Along with the star-studded new album, you can finally watch the Beyoncé and Glover-starring film this Fri., July 19. If you can't wait, you can also tune into her interview with Robin Roberts airing tonight, July 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.