The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Soundtrack Has A Meaningful Easter Egg

Four years ago, the first Black Panther soundtrack changed the game for what a superhero movie could sound like. Not only did composer Ludwig Göransson spend more than a month traveling Senegal and South Africa to learn local rhythms for the film’s score — but Kendrick Lamar curated the soundtrack, bringing us iconic tracks like “All the Stars” and “Pray for Me” (collaborations with SZA and The Weeknd, respectively). Suffice to say, expectations were high going into the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.

And what better way to exceed those expectations than with the return of Rihanna? Her emotional track for the film, “Lift Me Up,” marks her first solo music since ANTI’s release in 2016.

“We were looking for a great artist who could tell the story of the film, embrace the themes of the film, and present them to the audience in a different packaging,” director Ryan Coogler said in an interview, per Marvel. “That’s what Kendrick did so beautifully with the first film, and this film is different. It made sense that it would be a woman, and it made sense that it would be someone who could speak to not only the words but the feeling of motherhood, because that’s a major theme in this film.”

Coogler added that Rihanna told him, “I did this for Chad” — referring to the late Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020 before he could reprise his role as T’Challa in the Black Panther sequel. On the same day of Wakanda Forever’s official theatrical release, Rihanna released one more song tied to the film: “Born Again,” which has major ties to the film’s themes of grief and family. “I’d give my heart to this place / I’d give my soul or whatever it takes, never run away / And I’d relive this just to see your face again / I know that you’d do the same, born again,” reads one verse.

Other songs on the soundtrack include music penned by local artists in Mexico and Nigeria specifically for the film, Göransson told Screen Rant. “We were writing the songs based off the script, I’d send the songs as soon as we have them to Ryan, and Ryan played it on set to his actors,” he explained.

There is a sort of Easter egg hidden in the soundtrack, too. Currently, if you start to type in “Wakanda” on Spotify, you may notice that your screen’s background turns purple — and if you listen to Spotify’s official playlist for the film, each song’s progress bar will be the same shade, just like the heart herb that features prominently in both Black Panther films.

Ahead, the full Wakanda Forever soundtrack:

• “Lift Me Up” by Rihanna
• “Love & Loyalty (Believe)” by DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna, and Busiswa
• “Alone” by Burna Boy
• “No Woman No Cry” by Tems
• “Árboles Bajo El Mar” by Vivir Quintana and Mara Advertencia Lirika
• “Con La Brisa” by Foudeqush and Ludwig Göransson
• “La Vida” by Snow Tha Product and E-40
• “Interlude” by Stormzy
• “Coming Back For You” by Fireboy DML
• “They Want It, But No” by Tobe Nwigwe and Fat Nwigwe
• “Laayli’ kuxa’ano’one” by Adn Maya Colectivo, Pat Boy, Yaalen K’uj, and All Mayan Winik
• “Limoncello” by OG DAYV and Future
• “Anya Mmiri” by CKay and PinkPantheress
• “Wake Up” by Bloody Civilian and Rema
• “Pantera” by Aleman and Rema
• “Jele” by DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna, and Busiswa
• “Inframundo” by Blue Rojo
• “No Digas Mi Nombre” by Calle x Vida and Foudeqush
• “Mi Pueblo” by Guadalupe de Jesús Chan Poot
• “Born Again” by Rihanna