LISTEN: Beyoncé drops 'Spirit,' new original song from 'The Lion King'

LOS ANGELES — Beyoncé fans had plenty to celebrate Tuesday night.

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Just hours after she walked the red carpet with daughter Blue Ivy at the world premiere for Disney's "Lion King" remake, the R&B icon dropped the single "Spirit," a new song for the film that hits theaters July 19.

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The track, written by IIya Salmanzadeh, Timothy McKenzie and Beyoncé, marks "a pivotal scene with Beyoncé's character, Nala," Parkwood Entertainment said in a news release. The song also will appear on the film's soundtrack, available digitally Thursday and physically on July 19, as well as "The Lion King: The Gift," a companion album available July 19.

"With 'The Lion King: The Gift' album, Beyoncé curated a masterful recording, a robust soundscape bringing together some of her favorite artists with the most talented and important African artists of the day to both pay tribute to the iconic film and bring the authentic sounds of African music to the world," the news release said.

In a statement, Beyoncé called the album "sonic cinema" and "a new experience of storytelling."

"I wanted to do more than find a collection of songs that were inspired by the film," said Beyoncé, who curated the album. "It is a mixture of genres and collaboration that isn't one sound. It is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat."

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Cox Media Group