When Black Panther first hit theatres in 2018, it not only served as a respectable addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also blessed our ears with the Kendrick Lamar curated Black Panther Soundtrack. So with the looming November 11 release of the long-awaited sequel, Wakanda Forever, fans have been cautiously optimistic for an accompanying soundtrack that lives up to its predecessor.
A welcome surprise for Marvel and music lovers alike, Rihanna announced that she is ending her music hiatus with new single “Lift me up”, which has dropped leaving fans emotional this Friday. It has been six years since the Fashion icon released a solo project, with her upcoming Super Bowl performance in February many fans have been anticipating a surprise drop to hold them over.
The single is said to be a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed the titular role of Black Panther and passed away following a private battle with cancer in 2020. According to the press release the writing and production of “Lift Me Up”, was a collaborative effort with fellow artist Tem, composer Ludwig Goransson, director Ryan Coogler, and of course Rihanna coming together to materialise the song.
The Soundtrack, produced by Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Goransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan is slated to release on all streaming platforms on November 4, a week before the movie.
While it is unclear if Kendrick Lamar will have any involvement in the forthcoming soundtrack, the four songs released pack an emotional punch with an infusion of afrobeat tunes, and with award winning composer Ludwig Goransson returning to score the sequel there really is no reason not to be optimistic.
The singles announced and available to stream as of now are:
- No Woman No Cry – Tems, Marvel
- A Body, A Coffin – Amaarae, Marvel
- Soy – Santa Fe Klan, Marvel
- Lift Me Up – Rihanna, Tems
The release of the song coincided with the world premiere of Wakanda Forever, which has been met with positive reactions, though the official review embargo for the film will remain in place until November 8. From the tear jerking “Lift Me Up”, to the somber tone of the trailers we’ve seen so far, it’s reasonable to assume Wakanda Forever is going to be a touching send off for the late Black Panther.
See you in theatres on November 10th, and remember, if you don’t like your popcorn salty, divert your tears!