Beyoncé‘s self-described love letter to Africa just took on a whole new meaning.
The world-famous performer’s latest documentary special, which aired tonight on ABC and is titled Making the Gift, offered a behind-the-scenes look into the creation of her recent The Lion King: The Gift album.
In it, cameras first follow Bey, Jay-Z and their children, Blue Ivy Carter, Rumi Carter and Sir Carter on a trip to Africa. As she described, “Visiting countries in Africa, it’s always an emotional experience for me. It feels like I’m making peace with a part of me that’s yearning for my ancestral connection. I was blessed to be able to relive some of the experiences that I’ve been very fortunate to have over the years with my entire family.”
And let’s be honest, those never-before-seen shots of the twins (who are walking and talking now!) were enough to set the Bey Hive ablaze with excitement.
Blue even got a chance to show off her singing chops while recording “Brown Skin Girl,” and yes, the 7-year-old instantly became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter.
Reflecting on the opportunity to see her firstborn shine, the proud mama saudd, “When I see fathers singing ‘Brown Skin Girl’ to their daughters, to know that my daughter can have the same opportunities and feel confident and feel like she doesn’t have to take her braids down and she can comb her afro out and she can glisten in her brown skin… That is why I make music.”
And on the topic of motherhood, Bey had this to say: ”When you’re a mother, there’s a love that you experience with your kids that’s deeper than anything you can imagine. The love is beyond Earth and beyond time and space, and it’s a connection that will be constant.”
Subsequent scenes see Beyoncé and the album’s many songwriters and producers working together to bring their vision to life.
“The Gift has been so much more than a celebration of the film The Lion King,” she shared. “To be able to work on a film that is so massive, so iconic, and to also represent African people and African Americans in a positive light is a blessing for me.”
The Lion King: The Gift is available to stream and download now.