The soundtrack to The Lion King film peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart during its debut week in July, and was No. 1 on the US Soundtrack Albums chart. On Sunday, September 15th the ABC Network released a 30-second trailer for the project, teasing never-before-seen looks into how songs were created, recording sessions, music video sets, and more.
Tonight, Beyoncé will also drop Making the Gift, a behind-the-scenes TV special about the making of the Lion King: The Gift soundtrack. The documentary is set to feature artists who worked on the soundtrack including Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, Jay-Z, and Childish Gambino, plus a sneak peak of Blue Ivy.
On Good Morning America, when asked about The Gift, Beyoncé responded,
“This soundtrack is a love letter to Africa. 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.”
Curated and produced by the singer, the soundtrack features many African artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Yemi Alade, Shatta Wale, and more. Making the Gift will premiere Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT, following Dancing With the Stars.