Move over, Kanye West.
The rapper and Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West will make her Hollywood Bowl singing debut Friday at the first of the two-night “The Lion King” concert event. She will perform “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.”
As previously reported, West will join “Lion King” veterans Nathan Lane, Billy Eichner, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Heather Headley, Lebo M and Jason Weaver as well as EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson.
A full orchestra is set to perform Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning musical score led by conductor Sarah Hicks. The song list featured Elton John and Tim Rice classics such as “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” “Circle of Life,” “Be Prepared” and “Hakuna Matata.”
The shows will be filmed for later broadcast as “The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl” on Disney+.
The celebration is presented by Disney Concerts, Fulwell 73 Productions, AMP Worldwide and Live Nation-Hewitt Silva. See tickets here.
The 1994 film was followed by the Tony-winning adaptation in 1998. A 2019 live-action movie starred Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Lane, Eichner and Alfre Woodard. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” a live-action prequel directed by Barry Jenkins will be in theaters in December. Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter makes her feature film debut playing Kiara, the daughter of Nala (Beyoncé) and Simba (Donald Glover).
Since the 1994 debut of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Oscar-winning original global phenomenon, the story of “The Lion King” has dazzled audiences around the world, including with the record-breaking, Tony Award-winning stage musical (1998), the 2019 live-action box office blockbuster, animated series and sequels, as well as long-running successful shows in the Disney Parks. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” directed by Barry Jenkins, will be in theaters this December 2024.
Variety spoke to Eichner on Wednesday just after the first rehearsal for the Hollywood Bowl event. “All of the producers have flown over from London,” he said. “We’re all finally in person together with the orchestra and the conductor and choreographer Jamal Sims and so many dancers — so many dancers! I feel like I’m on Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour.”
