Prior to the release of The Lion King next week, Disney has blessed us with Beyoncé and Donald Glover's duet "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."
The cover of Elton John's classic 1994 ballad features Knowles and Glover hitting the high notes with narration assistance from Billy Eichner, who plays Timon, and Seth Rogen, who voices Pumbaa's character.
Hours after announcingThe Lion King: The Gift, the companion album Beyoncé curated for the film's soundtrack, the queen herself released the album's first single, "Spirit." While explaining her executive producer role, Beyoncé called the project "sonic cinema," and discussed its impact.
"This is a new experience of storytelling," she said. "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." The album is now available for pre-order and will grace streaming services on July 19, the same day as the film's release.
In terms of how she chose the artists to feature, the 23-time Grammy Award winner said she prioritized storytelling and authenticity.
"I wanted to put everyone on their own journey to link the storyline," she continued. "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."
Listen to the full version of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" above.
