By now, we've all heard "Spirit." We've all basked in the track's vast cathartic greatness. The song is majestic in a way only Beyoncé could be.
As the song swells, it carries with it a heavy-handed mix of euphoria and nostalgia, and, according to film critics' reactions to the upcoming The Lion King, the anthem conveys only a fraction of the glory that the movie will offer. "Oh man The Lion King delivers," wrote The Wrap. "It's a visual masterpiece…" BuzzFeed News said the film "[is] going to change the way we look at films forever."
As for "Spirit" itself, there is no way to describe it. The lyrics could only be given justice by Beyoncé. "Your destiny is comin' close," she bellows as a chorus sings in the background. "Stand up and fight." We can't exactly picture Taylor Swift giving the words the same emphasis. In closing, "Spirit" is a level of perfection that can only be reached by Queen Bey. As cliche as it is, the song literally sucked the spirit and breath out of my f**king body.
The single is part of a new album Beyoncé has curated titled The Lion King: The Gift. The "gift" is obviously a new Beyoncé album. "This is sonic cinema," Beyonce said in a statement. "This is a new experience of storytelling." Chance The Rapper was even brought in as a f**king "nostalgia consultant" just to make sure audiences would leave the theater emotionally exhausted. No words can prepare us for what's to come on July 19.
