Beyonce to premiere new visual album ‘Black is King’ on Disney+ in July
Beyonce is preparing to release the new album on July 31
The Queen is returning.
Beyonce is preparing to release her latest project, a visual album called Black is King, on the Disney+ streaming service in late July. As reported by Variety, the news comes from a joint announcement from Disney and Parkwood Entertainment, Beyonce’s production company.
The visual album will be based on the songs from the 2019 album, The Lion King: The Gift, which the Grammy-winning singer executive produced as part of the soundtrack for last year’s theatrical remake of The Lion King.
Beyonce portrayed the voice of Nana in the film, which is also now streaming on Disney’s streaming platform.
Beyonce will be credited as writer, director and executive producer of Black is King. The album is set to be released July 31.
Beyonce Knowles-Carter attends the European Premiere of Disney’s “The Lion King” at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on July 14, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney)
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“Black Is King is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience,” the joint statement reads. The visuals will follow a new narrative based on a young king’s “transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity.”
“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,” organizers announced.
News of the project broke when Beyonce posted a 60 second teaser trailer for Black is King on her website.
The Lion King: The Gift reached No. 1 and No. 2 on Billboard‘s R&B and Billboard 200 album charts, respectively. It featured several guest artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Tierra Wack and daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
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Prior to the announcement of Black is King, Beyonce dropped a new song, “Black Parade,” on Juneteenth. The song, co-written by Beyonce’s husband and billionaire rapper Jay-Z, was a response to protests surrounding the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers last month.
Black is King is the first visual project Beyonce is releasing since her Netflix concert documentary, Homecoming, which chronicled her 2018 Coachella performances.
The documentary received six Emmy nominations in 2019.
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