Idris Elba has recruited Mumford & Sons and James Blake to work on an album dedicated to the memory of late civil rights icon Nelson Mandela.
The No Good Deed star began working on the project shortly after he portrayed the late South African leader in movie biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, and he has called on folk rockers Mumford & Sons to pen the track “Home,” while British singer/songwriter Blake lent his vocals to “Nothembi Jam”.
The album, which Elba previously described as a “love letter from me to Mandela about me playing him”, also features contributions from Mr Hudson, Cody Chestnutt and South African female vocal harmony group Mahotella Queens.
The album, titled mi Mandela, is due to be released in November, 11 months after Mandela’s death.
Meanwhile, Elba has also set his sights on conquering the holiday charts with a new festive collaboration with Kasabian rocker Serge Pizzorno and British comedian Noel Fielding.
The star reveals he was asked to record a rap for the pair two years ago and now the odd trio is finally ready to release the track, which he is confident will be a huge hit.
Elba tells NME, “I’m telling you now this song’s a hit! Serge did this funky Seventies, sort of, slow disco groove. Noel Fielding’s doing this sort of singing rap thing. Serge sings on it with this smooth hook that sounds like it’s from a Seventies show. I’m telling you now, when everyone gets this record, it’s a big tune.”
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