Beyoncé brands new Lion King album The Gift ‘a love letter to Africa’

Beyonce has called new album The Lion King: The Gift ‘a love letter to Africa’.

The singer – who voices Nala in the live action remake of Disney’s Lion King – has confirmed the tracklist to the new record, which was inspired by the CGI remake of the classic film.

The special album, inspired by the new Disney remake and curated by the superstar, will be released on July 19 and brings together some of her favourite artists who have recorded original songs that pay homage to the film’s themes.

After deliberately bringing forward solely African artist – including Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade Mr Eazi and Burna Boy-  to the limelight with this album, the star explained her decision.

In a rare interview with CBS This Morning, the Formation singer said: “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 do my interpretation of it, I wanted it to be authentic to what is beautiful about the music in Africa.”

Speaking in the preview of the broadcasting special, she added: “I lot of the drums, the chants, all these incredible new sounds, mixed with some of the producers from America, we’ve kind of created our own genre and I feel like our soundtrack becomes visual in your mind.

“It’s a soundscape, it’s more than just the music because each song tells the story of the film.”

The Drunk In Love hitmaker also appears on 10 tracks on the soundtrack, four of which – Bigger, Find Your Way Back (Circle of Life), Otherside and Spirit – are solo tracks.

She collaborates with husband Jay-Z as well as co-star Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover on the track Mood 4 Eva, while she reunites with Kendrick Lamar for on The Nile.

It quickly becomes a family affair as her seven-year-old daughter Blue Ivy appears as a lead artist on the song Brown Skin Girl, which also features Beyoncé, St. Jhn and and Nigerian pop star Wizkid.

The album also includes Pharrell, Teckno, Tierra Whack, 007 Shake and Jessie Reyez.

Here is the complete track list:

1. Beyoncé – Bigger

2. Beyoncé – Find Your Way Back (Circle Of Life)

3. Tekno, Yemi Alade, & Mr. Eazi – Don’t Jealous Me

4. Burna Boy – Ja Ara E

5. Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar – The Nile

6. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, & Childish Gambino – Mood 4 Eva

7. Salatiel, Pharrell, & Beyoncé – Water

8. Blue Ivy Carter, St. Jhn, Wizkid, & Beyoncé – Brown Skin Girl

9. Tiwa Savage & Mr Eazi – Keys To The Kingdom

10. Beyoncé – Otherside

11. Beyoncé & Shatta Wale – Already

12. Tierra Whack, Beyoncé, Busiswa, Yemi Alade, & Moonchild Sanelly – My Power

13. 070 Shake & Jessie Reyez – Scar

14. Beyoncé – Spirit

The Lion King: The Gift and The Lion King will both be released on Friday, July 19.