Wakanda Forever: Music from and Inspired by The Black Panther Through Roc Nation Records/Def Jam Recordings/Hollywood Records, the soundtrack for the film, which was produced by Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, and Dave Jordan, has been made available. The American premiere of Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which was produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore, takes place on November 11, 2022.
Lift Me Up, the lead single from Rihanna, made history by being the most added song in U.S. radio ever. It also attracted the biggest single-day audience and the most plays ever.
The score and the original songs on the soundtrack were written and produced by Oscar, Grammy, and two Emmy winner Ludwig Göransson. He was particularly prepared to oversee all sections of the soundscape due to his significant experience working as a producer of musicians (Childish Gambino, Adele, Haim, Justin Timberlake), as well as scoring movies and TV shows (Black Panther, Creed, The Mandalorian).
Coogler and Göransson set out to create an avant-garde soundscape for their fourth film project, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where Göransson claims, “The songs and score are one.” With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the two artists finally brought their long-discussed method to life. They had been talking about it ever since they were students at the USC Film School.
Over 2500 hours were spent by Göransson in what turned out to be a major labor of love, involving six studios, three continents, and five different countries. The audience will hear more than 250 musicians, two orchestras, two choirs, and more than 40 vocalists throughout the entire movie.
From co-writing the lyrics for the Rihanna song “Lift Me Up” to suggesting Tems, a Nigerian singer/songwriter, perform a cover of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” and bridging it with Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” for the movie’s instantly popular trailer, Coogler was heavily involved in the creation of the soundtrack for the movie.
“Ryan and I discussed how important it is to create an immersive journey of sound and voice,” stated Göransson. If a song was included in the movie, we wanted to use the complete song and have it relate to the plot. Thematically, we wished to transition the viewer from sorrow to joy. You can close your eyes and enjoy the movie experience while listening to the soundtrack. That was the intended result.
Recording sessions were organized in Lagos, Nigeria, Mexico City, and Abbey Road Studios in London because the plot is influenced by Mesoamerican and Nigerian traditions. Producers collaborated with well-known musicians from Lagos, including Tems, who is now a center for musical creativity. The soundtrack also includes work from up-and-coming rappers and musicians from Mexico City, such as the Mayan-only rapper Pat Boy.
To investigate and examine Mayan music, Göransson collaborated closely with music archeologist Alejandro Rojas while in Mexico City. The soundscape’s composition included instruments from Mesoamerican and Nigerian civilizations. LISTEN HERE
