It’s been just over a year since Beyoncé released her meticulous album The Gift to accompany the release of to The Lion King and I haven’t stopped listening since.
Now, after I’d officially given up hope that bangers like My Power and Find My Way Back would ever be given videos, Beyoncé and Disney+ have pulled a fast one on all of us by announcing a feature-length mystery project to give The Gift the attention it deserves – at least, that’s what I assume this is. It’s Beyoncé, so no one really knows what’s going down until the day it happens.
Always keeping us on our toes, that wily minx.
What we did receive last week though was the gift of a trailer, our first (and so far, only) clue as to what Black Is King actually is.
Here’s what we know so far, which will hopefully tide the hive over until the full project drops on Disney+ at 5PM AEST TODAY.
The plot will reimagine lessons learned from The Lion King
If there’s anyone to rival the secrecy of Beyoncé, it’s Disney+. However, even Disney+ has been kind enough to release a little tidbit about Black is King:
“The visual album from Beyoncé reimagines the lessons of ‘The Lion King’ for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns. The voyages of Black families, throughout time, are honoured in a tale about a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love, and self-identity.”
Beyoncé gave further context through an Insta post where she explained, “I believe that when Black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books.”
You can read the full post here.
At least one other member of Destiny’s Child is in it
Eye spy with my little eye, a certain Destiny’s Child member that rhymes with Shelly Shmowland and a certain momager rhyming with Shmina Shmowles.
It’s….it’s Kelly Rowland and Tina Knowles, if that actually needs clarifying.
Beyoncé has recruited her longterm pal and former bandmate to appear (at least in the trailer), as well as Naomi Campbell, Lupita Nyong’o and Jay-Z, naturally.
If Kendrick Lamar pops up for a rendition of Nile I might just vomit from excitement.
My Power will finally get the video it deserves
My Power, the anthem that plays throughout the one-minute trailer, is a masterclass in collaboration with Moonchild Sanelly, Nija, Busiswa, DJ Lag, Tierra Whack, Yemi Alade and Beyoncé at the helm.
It just hits you in your gut. So, I think it’s safe to assume that it will get its own segment in Black is King in some form or another.
There very well could be some Lemonade-esque narration
Should the beginning of the trailer be anything to go by, we could expect to hear the soothing tones of Beyoncé a la Lemonade as she walks us through her album phase-by-phase.
In all honestly, I could listen to Beyoncé reading me a Wikipedia page about a natural disaster and I’d feel as snug as a bug in a rug.
The power she has.
If you’ve already got your Disney+ account sorted and you’re sitting there twiddling your thumbs and counting down the minutes, feel free to rewatch the trailer another 400 times like I’ll be doing.
Everything Beyoncé touches is her kingdom.
