“Spirit”

Along with her role as Nala in the new live-action remake of The Lion King, Beyoncé had the opportunity to create a new song for the soundtrack, one that could stand next to the beloved 1996 compositions crafted by Hans Zimmer and South African composer Lebo M. But ever the overachiever, one track wasn’t enough. The Gift, a standalone full-length album that will feature a wide array of African artists and producers, sounds similar in ethos to Kendrick Lamar’s diaspora-hopping Black Panther album last year. But the first taste of the project, a safe gospel-pop ballad called “Spirit,” doesn’t quite follow through on the international, genre-blending promises that she claims The Gift might offer.

“Spirit” opens with two men singing in Swahili, a nod to the fact that Lion King characters hold names that originate in the East African language. These voices follow Beyoncé throughout, bridging choral traditions of Africa and the American South. But that’s where the song’s intrigue stops, as Bey starts singing lyrics that err on the side of meaningless. When she belts, “Watch the light lift your heart up/Burn your flame through the night,” in the pre-chorus, her weighty, soulful voice does its best to carry one-note lyrics that fulfill the prompt of “uplifting” and nothing else. Of course this is literally a Disney song produced by Labrinth—best known for his LSD project with Diplo and Sia—and Ilya, a close collaborator of Max Martin’s; not necessarily the thrilling and daring pop Beyoncé has recently bestowed us with. It ultimately comes across like she’s gunning for her first-ever Oscar. Just let her have it.