Beyonce fans have reacted on social media as the singer released her new album, The Lion King: The Gift, on Friday.
The album is inspired by the singer’s role as Nala in the reboot of The Lion King and accompanies the film’s release in UK cinemas on Friday.
The Gift is separate from the movie’s official soundtrack, and features Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams and Wizkid, as well as Beyonce’s husband Jay Z.
Beyonce’s seven-year-old daughter Blue Ivy features in the single Brown Skin Girl, as well as the music video for Spirit.
Watch #SPIRIT now #TheLionKing https://t.co/RYtZbQYCvn
— BEYONCÉ (@Beyonce) July 17, 2019
The music video for Spirit is interspersed with clips from The Lion King and sees Beyonce and Blue Ivy performing in a desert.
Fans of the album enjoyed Blue Ivy’s involvement, particularly in the single Brown Skin Girl, which celebrates dark skin “like pearls”.
“Your skin is not only dark, it shines and it tells your story” -Beyoncé Knowles Carter. #TheGiftAlbum pic.twitter.com/t7r8sATNLf
— Harold Taylor (@iv__taylor) July 19, 2019
In an interview with ABC News, Beyonce described the soundtrack as a “love letter to Africa”.
She said: “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.”
When "SPIRIT" came on and completed the journey… #TheGiftAlbum pic.twitter.com/vGmCYjrsYO
— Aegon Thee Stallion (@KidFury) July 19, 2019
The album showcases Beyonce’s voice on tracks followed by interludes from characters in The Lion King, including Mufasa, Nala, Simba, Scar, Timon and Pumbaa.
Donald Glover, who plays Simba in the film, also appears in The Gift as his musical alter-ego, Childish Gambino.
#TheGiftAlbum I was so scared. I was scared that lemonade and homecoming were gonna be the peak of beyonce music. I love being wrong. This album. This album. THIS ALBUM. pic.twitter.com/Vyz1WwIaVZ
— CJ💋 (@Joey_Chris__) July 19, 2019
Fans wanting to hear songs from the original 1994 film, which have been re-recorded for the 2019 release, including Can You Feel The Love Tonight and I Just Can’t Wait To Be King, can hear them on the film’s official soundtrack.
Beyonce’s voice will appear in The Lion King alongside Donald Glover as Simba.
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Scar, and Alfre Woodard is voicing Simba’s mother Sarabi.
James Earl Jones will be reprising his voice role in the 1994 animation as Simba’s father, Mufasa.