Bigger

Album: The Lion King: The Gift (2019)
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Songfacts®:

  • "Bigger" takes its themes from the booming introduction by James Earl Jones, which precedes it. During "Balance (Mufasa Interlude)" Jones reprises his Mufusa role in the original Lion King movie. He speaks as The King of the Pride Lands, reflecting on the universal connection found within the circle of life. Beyoncé follows the intro track with a heartfelt message encouraging the listener to see themselves as a key piece of a larger whole.

    Bigger, you're part of something way bigger
    Bigger than you, bigger than we
    Bigger than the picture they framed us to see
    Legacy, oh, you're part of something way bigger
  • During her verse, Beyoncé addresses her children, Blue Ivy, Rumi and Sir, plus husband Jay-Z, as she reflects on her struggles of balancing her career with family life.

    Let mama let you know (Let you know)
    Mama's still tryin', I can't get no days off
    I don't get no days off
    Truly, I'm feelin' it, I had to say that thing twice (Twice)
    Tryin' to be a good wife
    Still really hard, I can't lie
    But I promised you I would fight, so I fight
  • Beyoncé teamed up with Derek Dixie, Stacy Barthe, Raye, Akil King and Ricky Lawson to pen the song. The track was produced by Derek Dixie and Beyoncé herself.

    Raye also contributes backing vocals. The British songwriter has written big songs for artists such as Snakehips ("Don't Leave"), Charli XCX ("After the Afterparty") and Ellie Goulding ("Sixteen"). Raye also had her own hit in the UK with "Decline" in 2017.
  • Raye told BBC's Newsbeat the song was penned at a writing camp at Beyoncé's studio and began life due to a bond with US songwriter Stacy Barthe.

    "I remember we were both in a really dark, sad place and we wanted to create something to empower ourselves," the Londoner recalled. "We spent maybe two or three hours on it. It was 3 a.m. and I remember Beyoncé's team came in and heard what we'd created so far and just completely freaked out. It was incredible."
  • Raye's collaboration with Beyoncé came about when the British songwriter was in Ghana working with the Afrobeats producer Guilty Beatz on a side project involving Ghanaian artists. Beyoncé's team got to hear some of their material and Raye was invited to a writing camp. She recalled to OfficialCharts.com: "I wrote a lot of songs - I put a shift in. But she fell in love with Bigger."

    Guilty Beatz also ended up with three production credits on The Lion King: The Gift: "Find Your Way Back (Circle of Life)," "Keys to the Kingdom" and "Already."

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