Beyoncé Narrates New Trailer for Visual Album: ‘Black Is King’
On Sunday, July 19th, Disney dropped the official trailer for the visual album Black Is King, a film written and produced by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.
Black Is King is set to stream exclusively through Disney+ on July, 31st. The film was inspired by Disney’s live-action The Lion King, which will be celebrating the first anniversary of its theatrical release, two weeks after Black Is King‘s arrival. Beyoncé formerly starred in the remake of The Lion King, in which she voiced Nala. She released an album for the film titled The Lion King: The Gift, which later influenced the music for Black Is King.
“The film reimagines the lessons from the 2019 blockbuster for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns,” Disney said in a press release.
The official trailer revealed appearances from Pharrell Williams, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Jay-Z, Naomi Campbell, Kelly Rowland, and more.
“You were formed by the heat of the galaxy. What a thing to be, both unique and familiar, to be one and the same — and still unlike any other…Life is a set of choices: Lead, or be led astray. Follow your light — or lose it.” Beyoncé says in a voice-over featured in the trailer.
On June 28th, Beyoncé took to Instagram explaining her intention behind creating the visual album.
“With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy. My only goal is that you watch it with your family and that it gives you pride,” said Beyoncé in her post on Instagram.
Beyoncé also credited those who worked with her to help make this production achievable. She mentioned collaborators, Jenn Nkiru, Pierre Debusschere, Ibra Ake, Dikayl Rimmasch, Jake Nava, Kwasi Fordjour, Blitz Bazawule, and Emmanuel Adjei.
“Black Is King is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience,” said Disney and Parkwood Entertainment in a press release. “The film is a story for the ages that informs and rebuilds the present. A reunion of cultures and shared generational beliefs. A story of how the people left most broken have an extraordinary gift and a purposeful future.”
BEYONCÉ …. GIRL…
The budget. The visuals. The excellence.#BLACKISKING pic.twitter.com/j0vxZ14p7d— 💫✨ (@TheJessieWoo) July 19, 2020
Black Is King was also made available to stream throughout the African continent, including, Nigeria, Kenya, Cape Verde, South Africa, Liberia, and more.
