Nigerian music is taking a prominent place in Hollywood’s next major African-inspired fantasy production, as Tems, Burna Boy and a distinguished line-up of African artists join the official soundtrack of Paramount Pictures’ Children of Blood and Bone. The soundtrack features Tems, Burna Boy, Fireboy DML, BNXN, Ayra Starr, Kold AF, Obongjayar, Moelogo, Daecolm, Pa Salieu, Show Dem Camp and Moonchild Sanelly, as reported by Film Music Reporter and People. Tems leads the music project as executive music producer and curator, while Burna Boy serves as executive music consultant, bringing their creative influence to a soundtrack designed to reflect the film’s African roots and expansive fantasy world.
Tems is contributing three original songs to the project, including “African Love Story”, which has been announced as the lead single. Written and performed by the singer, the track is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026, through RCA Records. A newly released film trailer also features a preview of the song, offering audiences an early glimpse of the soundtrack’s musical direction. The film’s director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, has described the project as an opportunity to build the music around African sounds, with composer Terence Blanchard creating the original score by combining orchestral arrangements with African instrumentation.
Directed by Prince-Bythewood and adapted from Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel, Children of Blood and Bone is set in the fictional West African-inspired kingdom of Orïsha. The story follows Zélie Adebola, played by South African actress Thuso Mbedu, as she embarks on a quest to restore magic stolen from her people. Its international cast includes Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, Tosin Cole, Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Regina King, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Richard Mofe-Damijo, alongside Nigerian singer Ayra Starr. The film is scheduled to open in cinemas and IMAX on January 15, 2027, with its soundtrack bringing together a wide-ranging group of African and international voices around a story rooted in African mythology and imagination.
