RAYE and Hans Zimmer Present "Mother Nature" for 'Planet Earth III'

RAYE is a self-described “Planet Earth stan,” so getting to partner with the esteemed Hans Zimmer for Planet Earth III’s official theme song was a dream come true for the London songstress. After globally debuting “Mother Nature” on Greg James’s BBC Radio 1 breakfast show, the duo gave the whimsical ode to nature a full-fledged release earlier today – which serves as the backing track for Planet Earth III‘s captivating trailer.

Sir David Attenborough narrates the two-minute clip, with RAYE’s poignant lyricism – rooted in “Earth’s awe, beauty, fragility and resilience” – bolstering his message. “She’ll be beautiful / So beautiful / For as much as she can stand / Forgive us Mother Nature / For we know not what we do,” she croons. Zimmer also enlisted Bastille to contribute background vocals; he explained in a statement – “Creating scores for any of the BBC‘s Natural History series is always an honor for me as there are no more epic stories than those occurring naturally every day in our own planet’s ecosystem. For Planet Earth III, it’s a further privilege to bring the incredible world-class talents of Bastille and RAYE to create both a wonderful soundscape for the series.”

RAYE has been in her orchestral era for a minute now, fresh off her My 21st Century Symphony album release, which she recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall. “I’ve watched religiously for years, so having this opportunity open for me doesn’t even feel real,” RAYE shared in a statement. “David Attenborough and Hans Zimmer are two of my heroes, to be able to compose a song with Hans is BEYOND a wildest dream, and then to hear Sir David narrate over and in between my voice actually brings tears to my eyes.”

“Once again we journey across our magnificent planet,” Attenborough announces toward the trailer’s close. “To meet the astonishing animals that live here and reveal their extraordinary stories.”

Stream the trailer for Planet Earth III above, and find “Mother Nature” on streaming everywhere now via Human Re Sources/The Orchard.

Elsewhere in the music world, check out this week’s iteration of Hypebeast’s Best New Tracks.