The album that she curates for 'The Lion King' soundtrack receives positive responses from music critics, with Alexis Petridis describing it as an album that 'ably displays [Beyonce's] excellent taste, rather than a great Beyonce album per se.'
- July 22, 2019
AceShowbiz - Not only Beyonce Knowles is great at mesmerizing people with her incredibly beautiful vocals, but she is also able to curate great music. The latest example of that can be found in the songstress' newly-released "The Lion King" soundtrack album entitled "The Lion King: The Gift", which was released on Friday, July 19.
Described as a "love letter to Africa," the album received positive reviews from music critics. Alexis Petridis of The Guardian claimed that it was an album "that ably displays [Beyonce's] excellent taste, rather than a great Beyonce album per se."
A.D. Amorosi of Variety, meanwhile, said that album's "warm production washes and anthemic musically may not have the same avant-garde sway of weird rhythmic kink of its immediate aforementioned predecessors but what 'The Lion King: The Gift' misses in messiness, it makes up for in flavor, heart and grandeur without treacle."
The album's lead single, "Spirit", was also well received by fans, with many gushing over the overall production that made the song sound like a church-type of song. It peaked at No. 12 on Sweden Heatseeker and on New Zealand Hot Singles, while topping Billboard's Kid Digital Song Sales. It marked Beyonce's first entry on the chart. Meanwhile, her cover of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" with Donald Glover started at No. 5 on the latter's chart.
Hans Zimmer explained in an interview that "Spirit" was the final addition to the soundtrack and was initially slotted in for the end credits. However, it ended up being played in the body of the movie. Recalling people's reaction when they first listened to the song, Hans said, "We absolutely adored it. It was absolutely perfect for the film."
Gushing over the song, he continued, "This song is a gift. This song does a great bit of storytelling. … I just thought, 'Hang on. We should try this at this different spot as opposed to the end title.' I think it will be fine, if it's in the body of the movie and it's over a crucial scene. I think it will have much more resonance and weight."
