On the 19th of july, Beyonce released her long awaited soundtrack ‘The Lion King: The Gift’. The album was constructed to support Disney's new, live-action version of The Lion King, where 'Nala' is voiced by Beyonce. I’ve concluded this album was more than a marketing strategy but as Beyonce calls it; a “love letter to Africa”. Using her platform to reinforce and empower African culture. Giving it the appreciation it deserves from the West. To contribute to her album being authentic, the soundtrack features some popular and local Afrobeat artists; Wiz Kid, Burna Boy, Shatta Wale, Tiwa Savage and many more. These artists were privileged to be a part of her project.
‘Brown skin girl’, the single I favoured most on the soundtrack, was created to empower and uplift black females. Beyonce neglects the past and focuses on black beauty and embracing melanin.
The significance of Blue Ivy Carter (Beyonce’s Daughter) reassuring black women to acknowledge and take pride in who they are. It’s beautiful for a young black girl to be proud of her melanin and for her to now empower other black females. Some black girls have grown up struggling to love their skin, some feel underappreciated and under addressed. Despite the fact, society has altered some are still neglected.
Connotations with slavery are covered and pushed aside as “the same skin that was broken be the same skin takin’ over”. Broken physically by whips, innocent killings and even broken emotionally by the media, the state and our society.
Traditional African drums are played throughout the song and it's as if we are taken on a journey. Wiz Kid brings the song to life and celebrates black beauty. Beyonce appreciates “nappy curls” as society tends to discriminate against “nappy” hair. Some black women are unsurprisingly mocked for natural, tightly coiled hair. Early history has illustrated it as ‘ugly’ and unprofessional in the workplace.
The ’#BrownSkinnedGirlChallenge’ illustrates black women celebrating their culture uploading pictures and videos dancing and singing along, embracing their skin.
Beyonce is classed as a fair skinned black woman and one thing I love about the track is she gives dark skinned woman the spotlight. A worldwide icon chooses to focus on black beauty.
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