GRAMMY Award-winning director, composer, producer, singer and songwriter Lebo M has dedicated his life to representing the African continent on the global stage.
Since his soundtrack on the world-famous Disney movie, “The Lion King”, back in 1994, his name has become a force to be reckoned with.
Thirty years later, he is the only composer returning to the Grammy Award-winning animation’s prequel, “Mufasa: The Lion King”, which is set for a grand world-wide release in December.
Independent Media Lifestyle caught up with the multi-media personality, who is currently working between Los Angeles and London, to share insights on his role in the much-anticipated upcoming Disney prequel.
“The music in ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ is different and very special, the first thing I wrote became the very beginning of the movie, which is new for me,” said Lebo M.
“For the first time in the history of ‘The Lion King’ my new song, ‘Ingoma’, which will replace ‘Nants' Ingonyama’, will start the film. So it’s a brand new beginning of ‘The Lion King’.
“After writing the first song, I started working with American songwriter and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda. He was brought in to replace Elton John and Tim Rice. I’m currently writing the score, which I’m going back and forth to London for, so it’s still a very exciting process,” said Lebo M.
The “Lebo M – Coming Home” reality star got his big break after teaming up with German film score composer and music producer Hans Zimmer.
Zimmer has won two Oscars, four Grammys, and has been nominated for three Emmys and a Tony award.
Lebo M worked with Zimmer on the 1992 film, “The Power of One”, but the movie never took off as they anticipated.
Years later, Disney reached out to Zimmer, asking for help because they wanted to replicate “The Power of One” soundtrack.
At this point, Lebo M was at home during the tumultuous years leading up to the country’s first democratic elections.
“The soundtrack for ‘The Power of One’ was quiet unique. I did a few more soundtracks after that but was called by Zimmer to come back to Los Angeles to work on ‘The Lion King’.
“This was during 1992/3/4, especially with the changes that were happening at home, so they found me, flew me to LA and I wrote the songs. The rest is history,” said Lebo M.
The “Nants’ Ingonyama” hitmaker said that everyone involved in the production, including himself, imagined “The Lion King” to be a blockbuster hit but didn’t really realise how much power it would go on to hold globally.
“When it came out in 1994, it was quite a shock and it took a while for me to really realise the global impact the movie had, because I had gone on to do other projects.
“The impact of ‘The Lion King’ as a property became more professional and my realisation of how powerful it was when we got involved in the Broadway productions, and I went around the world and opened the Broadway show and then I produced it and brought it to South Africa.
“I think slowly but surely over the years I learned and realised how impactful the property is not only for me as an artist but also as a South African and, quite frankly, the pride I was beginning to have realising that I was involved in a product that was taking the African continent to the highest level and in the best global position in the world.
“I got a Grammy and we got 20 nominations ... I never felt the impact of it as a stand out project until I started interacting with the audience.”
Three decades later, when he was the only composer asked to return to write music for the prequel, Lebo M said he felt “incredibly special”.
“Seeing what ‘The Lion King’ has been for 30 years, I honestly felt like, ‘Wow this is big’. I’ve been working on ‘Mufasa’ for almost two years now and again I approached it as a project but this one is very special because it’s a prequel, so it doesn’t feel like I’m doing the project I’ve been doing for 30 years.
“The excitement of it now is going back to what life was like for Scar and Mufasa as babies.”
Despite his hectic work schedule, which sees him flying from country to country, the iconic singer made the time to come home to celebrate his 60th birthday recently.
Lebo M disclosed that this was the first time he had a birthday party in South Africa.
“I’ve never had a birthday party here. I left home at age 16 and came back a busy man, so it was truly special.
“My team organised a fantastic gala for me at The Four Seasons. It was a lovely surprise. All my friends and family were there and then they took me to Mauritius on a four-day relaxing break. It was amazing. My first birthday in my home base, South Africa.”
Milestone celebration aside, Lebo M isn’t planning to slow down. In fact, he said he can’t relate to his age.
“I wish I could relate to the age thing. I am too young. I’m 60, and when you do what you love and you don’t do it as a profession, there’s no such thing as fatigue. I can’t relate to that type of language because I love what I do. I love my work,” he said.
The world-famous producer still has plenty more to offer the world.
“I am currently writing my biography and we’re focusing on the ‘Mufusa’ premiere. Once that is done, I will also get back to planning my first concert in Africa, which will happen sometime next year.
“The biography comes out in December, too. That’s my next focus. It will speak for itself. It’s about my life, both personally and professionally.”
As for why it has taken him this long to perform on home soil, he said, “Honestly it has been a challenge.
“I produced ‘The Lion King’ in SA. Before that, I produced the opening and closing ceremonies of the Fifa World Cup. I also worked around the world at the highest level and it’s always been difficult for me to make the decision.
“The quality of production I want to produce, that’s why I am doing it intentionally in South Africa, it has to meet the quality of the projects I’ve done around the world and that takes a lot.
“It’s a personal journey for me, so I never wanted to do half-arsed production. It comes with a lot of stress but I want to remain proud and want every audience member who is at my concert to say nothing but, ‘Wow, this is who we really are’.”