A new Black Is King trailer has arrived! The teaser dropped on Sunday (July 19) and features Beyonce herself narrating it for her upcoming visual album.
“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,” she says as a young boy floats in space before a bright flash reveals the superstar carrying a baby boy.
“Life is a set of choices: Lead, or be led astray,” she continues as what appear to be temptations and dangers appear. “Follow your light — or lose it.”
The new trailer also features appearances from Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland, Lupita Nyong’o, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Pharrell Williams, and others.
The singer opened up about her project in a June 28 Instagram post. Calling it a “labor of love,” she shared that she had been filming, researching and editing for the past year. Beyonce explained: “It was originally filmed as a companion piece to ‘The Lion King: The Gift’ soundtrack and meant to celebrate the breadth and beauty of Black ancestry.
“The events of 2020 have made the film’s vision and message even more relevant, as people across the world embark on a historic journey,” she wrote at the time. “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.”
“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,” the 24-time Grammy winner continued. “My only goal is that you watch it with your family and that it gives you pride.”
Black Is King will stream exclusively Disney+ on July 31, two weeks after the one-year anniversary of Disney’s The Lion King. Watch the trailer below: