Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” introduced audiences to Namor, ruler of an underwater civilization descended from an ancient Mayan community. The character provided a new cultural experience that called for a new sound. Composer Ludwig Göransson collaborates with a wide range of Mexican musicians, including a veteran musicologist, Mayan rappers from the Yucatán peninsula, and bold new female singers like Foudeqush, Vivir Quintana, and Mare Advertencia. The episode also features Tenoch Huerta Meijía, who plays Namor, as he hears the music for the first time.

Director Ryan Coogler and composer Ludwig Göransson work together in Lagos, Nigeria, which is at the center of a rapidly growing, dynamic musical scene. Focusing on the themes of past versus present and technology versus tradition, Göransson starts each recording day working with traditional musicians and ends the day working with modern recording artists, including Fireboy DML, Bloody Civilian, and Busiswa.