MORGANABLE LIFE & CULTURE / FILM
Nigerian singer Tems is taking a leading role in the music behind one of Hollywood’s major upcoming fantasy films.
Akure —
Nigerian singer Tems is taking a leading role in the music behind one of Hollywood’s major upcoming fantasy films. The Grammy-winning artist will serve as executive music producer of the official soundtrack for Children of Blood and Bone, an adaptation of Nigerian-American author Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel.
On November 12, Paramount Pictures unveiled a new trailer for the film and confirmed details of its soundtrack. The trailer features a preview of Tems’ original song, African Love Story. The singer wrote and performs the track, which will arrive on November 20 through RCA Records. It will serve as the soundtrack’s lead single.
The announcement places Nigerian performers at the centre of the international project.
TEMS TAKES THE LEAD
Tems’ role extends beyond performing a song for the film. As executive music producer, she helped shape and curate the soundtrack, bringing together artists and musical styles for the project. She has also contributed three original songs, according to reports on the production.
Tems previously co-wrote “Lift Me Up”, performed by Rihanna for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The song earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song in 2023.
This new project gives her a different responsibility. Rather than contributing only one song, she is helping guide the wider musical identity of a film rooted in African-inspired fantasy.
The director’s choice of Tems reflects an effort to make music part of the film’s storytelling. Gina Prince-Bythewood has previously spoken about wanting the singer to curate and executive produce the soundtrack.
She also drew inspiration from the music of Tems and Burna Boy while developing the project. Their involvement, therefore, connects the film’s visual world with contemporary African music rather than treating the soundtrack as a separate promotional feature.
That approach matters because the story draws on cultural ideas that may be unfamiliar to some international viewers. Music can help establish atmosphere, communicate emotion and give audiences another way into the fictional kingdom.
African instruments and modern production styles may also help the film create a sound that feels connected to its setting without limiting its appeal to one region.
Adeyemi’s novel became a major young-adult fantasy title after its publication in 2018. It also opened a wider conversation about African-inspired fantasy in a genre often dominated by European settings and traditions.
The film now brings that imaginative world to a larger screen, supported by performers and musicians with international followings.
Paramount’s announcement revealed a broad list of guest performers. They include Burna Boy, Fireboy DML, BNXN, Ayra Starr, Obongjayar, Moelogo, Daecolm, Pa Salieu, Show Dem Camp, Kold AF and Moonchild Sanelly.
Burna Boy also has a separate leadership role as the film’s executive music consultant. His involvement adds another major Nigerian name to the project’s music team. Their roles place two internationally recognised Nigerian performers in key creative positions.
The line-up reflects the range of contemporary African sounds and could introduce listeners to artists they may not know.
However, the soundtrack is not limited to popular singers. Acclaimed composer Terence Blanchard is creating the film’s original score. The score will combine orchestral elements with African instrumentation.
FROM NOVEL TO HOLLYWOOD
Children of Blood and Bone is based on Adeyemi’s 2018 fantasy novel, the first book in her Legacy of Orïsha series.
The story takes place in the fictional kingdom of Orïsha, a world shaped by elements of Yoruba mythology and West African cultural traditions.
The plot follows Zélie Adebola, a young woman who sets out to restore magic that a brutal ruler took from her people.
She joins forces with her brother, Tzain, and two royal siblings, Princess Amari and Prince Inan. Their journey brings them into conflict with the king and the system that keeps magic beyond the reach of ordinary people.
The novel attracted international attention for its fantasy setting, themes of power and identity, and African cultural influences. Its adaptation carries high expectations among readers.
Gina Prince-Bythewood directs the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Adeyemi. The cast includes Thuso Mbedu, Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg and Tosin Cole.
Other cast members include Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Regina King, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lashana Lynch and Richard Mofe-Damijo.
Nigerian singer Ayra Starr also appears in the film, adding an acting role to her contribution to the soundtrack.
Paramount Pictures has scheduled the film’s theatrical release for January 15, 2027. The studio says audiences will be able to watch it in standard cinemas, premium large formats and IMAX.
The new trailer and soundtrack announcement form part of the campaign leading up to that release.
The November 20 release gives the song an early opportunity to build interest in the film before it reaches cinemas.
It may also help the soundtrack connect with music audiences who do not usually follow fantasy films.
For Tems, the project expands her work across music and film. The soundtrack could also bring African music to audiences beyond streaming platforms and live concerts.
Nigerian artists have secured international awards, festival bookings and collaborations across different markets.
The film’s reception will also depend on how well it translates Adeyemi’s story, characters and cultural influences to the screen. The soundtrack gives the production a distinct musical identity ahead of its cinema debut for a wider global audience.
Tems’ leadership makes the announcement especially notable for Nigeria’s music industry. She is not simply lending her voice to a Hollywood production; she is helping shape the sound of a film drawn from a Nigerian author’s work.
The single arrives November 20, ahead of the film’s January 2027 release. It offers a visible platform for Nigerian creativity, linking the country’s music industry with a major international film release.
