Shakira Releases ‘Zoo’ for Zootopia 2 Soundtrack With Ed Sheeran

Shakira dropped "Zoo," a track she created with Ed Sheeran and Blake Slatkin. The piece appears on the Zootopia 2 soundtrack. It acts as the anthem for Gazelle, the character Shakira brings to life in the movie.

"We wanted it to have that universal message. These are hectic times, and it's about stopping and taking a moment to lean on each other and enjoy the moment," said Shakira to Variety.

The track pulls in sounds from across the globe. Latin pop shaped its creation. Lyrics include "Come on, get on up. We're wild and we can't be tamed. And we're turnin' the floor into a zoo, ooh, ooh."

Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard knew they wanted another Gazelle number when crafting the sequel. Shakira wrote "Try Everything" for the first film, which followed themes of optimism and spirit. "Zoo" functions as a celebration.

Bush recalls hearing the track initially. "Sometimes you hear music and say, 'I'm not sure if it's that one.' This came in, and there was no question. Immediately, you hear it, and you're like, 'This is amazing,'" said Bush to Variety.

"When I'm writing for 'Zootopia,' I try to channel Gazelle and think about the message that lives within the movie, and what the song should represent in the film," said Shakira to Variety.

Zootopia 2 focuses on themes of prejudice and fighting for what you believe in. "The morals in this film are timeless, too, and I hope that the song reflects that," she said. "As an ambassador of my own culture, I felt that this song was a reflection of that too."

The movie brings back rookie cops Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. They face off with a mysterious pit viper named Gary De'Snake while investigating. Gazelle performs "Zoo" at a gala event with her troupe of tiger backup dancers before chaos erupts when Gary shows up.

Zootopia 2 is in theaters now.