Lebo M
| Lebo M | |
|---|---|
 Lebo M
| |
| Born | May 20, 1964 (age 59) |
| Origin | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | Till Dawn Entertainment |
- "When Disney approached me to compose the soundtrack for "The Lion King," I knew exactly who I wanted to work with and just about had to send out search parties into the African bush to find Lebo. He is the movie."
- —Hans Zimmer
Lebohang "Lebo M" Morake is a South African composer most famous for arranging and performing music for the Lion King movies and stage productions. He was recommended to Disney by Hans Zimmer, the score composer of The Lion King, and was later hired to form and conduct the African choir that sang for the movies. His voice is the first voice heard in the beginning of the film, singing the now famous chant (often considered synonymous with the film's image in popular culture) over the opening sequence. He contributed to the film's direct-to-video sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and he worked with Disney to release an album inspired by The Lion King: Rhythm Of The Pride Lands.
Biography
Lebo M was born in the apartheid-ridden South Africa on May 20, 1964. Inspired by Nelson Mandela, he worked hard in the slums and then in Los Angeles in a variety of jobs. He was exiled from South Africa in 1979, but returned 20 years later. (This means he was working with Hans Zimmer on The Lion King while he was exiled from South Africa). He lives with his family in Johannesburg and Los Angeles. He founded the Lebo M Foundation and Till Dawn Entertainment.
Lebo M has composed, arranged, performed and produced music for films such as Tears of the Sun, Dinosaur, and, of course, The Lion King.
External links
- Lebo M at Wikipedia
- Lebo M at IMDB
- Lebo M Official Site at World Wide Web Archive
- Till Dawn Entertainment Official Site
