Lebohang Morake

(l to r) Reservoir global creative director Donna Caseine, Lebohang Morake, Reservoir CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi, and manager Sibo Mhlungu. Photo Credit: Reservoir

Reservoir Media (NASDAQ: RSVR) has finalized another film-score catalog deal – this time with The Lion King composer Lebohang Morake, known professionally as Lebo M.

New York City-based Reservoir reached out today with word of its latest IP play, one month and change after CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi and Hans Zimmer appeared together at the Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference.

Reservoir has long had a stake in scores created by Zimmer, with whom Morake collaborated on the music for 1992’s The Power of One. On the heels of that tie-up, Johannesburg-born Morake “wrote and performed the opening of the legendary song ‘Circle of Life’” for 1994’s The Lion King, according to the purchasing party.

Since then, 60-year-old Morake has contributed to music featured in multiple other Lion King projects – including but not limited to the namesake musical and the forthcoming Mufasa: The Lion King, which is scheduled to hit theaters on the 20th.

Among the Grammy winner Morake’s other film-score credits are Tears of the Sun (2003), The Legend of Tarzan (2016), and The Woman King (2022), to name a few.

While Reservoir opted against publicly disclosing the transaction’s precise scope (acknowledging only “the acquisition of rights to the catalog” at hand) or price tag, Khosrowshahi in a statement touted Morake’s career accomplishments.

“Lebo’s music has moved generations of film lovers,” the Reservoir founder and head relayed, “with his contributions to ‘The Lion King,’ in particular, shaping some of film’s most beloved music.

“We are so proud to bring in rights to his influential catalog, reinforcing Reservoir’s interest in successful and culturally defining film scores, and we look forward to working with Lebo in the next phase of his career,” concluded Khosrowshahi, whose company also owns veteran composer Henry Jackman’s song rights.

And in remarks of his own, the Till Dawn Entertainment owner Morake relayed: “I’m proud to join forces with Reservoir, a company that recognizes the power of music to unite and inspire. This partnership will enable me to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and sharing my music with new generations.”

Today’s agreement marks the latest in a line of 2024 IP purchases from Reservoir, shares in which have climbed about 18% following late-September activist investor comments. All told, the k.d. lang-partnered business says it possesses north of 150,000 compositions and 36,000 recordings – with plans in place to keep on increasing both figures.