When Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Black Panther Wakanda Forever hit Disney+ last month, the only thing I felt it was lacking was a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the music for the film. Luckily, for Marvel fans, Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever, a new three-part docuseries, has now debuted on Disney+ to satisfy that need.
The first installment of this new docuseries takes Marvel fans back to the beginning, giving them a look at the history between director Ryan Coogler and composer Ludwig Goransson. It becomes immediately apparent that these two are not just professional partners, but also good friends and their chemistry is on display throughout.
Goransson is more or less the centerpiece of this series, with the cameras following him more often than anyone else. It is fascinating to see his approach to creating this incredibly ambitious score and soundtrack. He not only brings on incredibly talented musicians from around the world, but he takes the time to sit down with each of them and get to know them, to better understand why they create the art they do. It’s a rare thing to see a trues genius at work, and that is exactly what this series gives us.
And speaking of genius, it’s also very interesting to see just how much Coogler is involved in the creation of the music for this film. Obviously, as both writer and director fo this film, his plate is very full. That makes it fun to see him sitting side by side with Goransson, listening to music and trying to piece together exactly where in the film it would fit best. As he says in the trailer for the series, soundtracks like this don’t happen any more so to see him pouring this much effort into just one aspect of this film is a testament to his work ethic and how special the film is.
Another fun aspect of this series is to see Goransson and Coogler assembling their musical Avengers. Together, they have curated an incredible soundtrack for the film and they did so by handpicking incredibly talented artist from Africa, Mexico and America. Watching hem seek out these artists and then bringing them on board this project is fascinating to watch.
Ironically, the only problem this new docuseries runs into is the audio. On a few occasions, particularly in the early going, music is playing over the interviews and it drowns out the person speaking. Things even out a little later on, but it’s a strange thing to see (or hear, rather) in a docuseries about the creation of the film’s music.
Overall, Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever is a great watch for fans of the film. Both the soundtrack and score for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the first Black Panther have been topics of conversation for many fans and those in the industry. It’s great that we now have access to the creative process and a look at how this incredible music came to be.
The first episode of Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever is now streaming on Disney+.