Honestly, Disney soundtracks usually follow a very specific, polished formula. You know the one—big soaring vocals, a literal orchestra in the background, and lyrics that feel like they were written by a committee. But when Jhené Aiko Lead the Way dropped as the end-credits theme for Raya and the Last Dragon back in 2021, it broke that mold. It didn't feel like a corporate mandate. It felt like a Jhené Aiko song that just happened to be in a Disney movie.
If you’ve ever sat through the credits of Raya, you know the vibe. The screen turns to that beautiful, stylized animation and suddenly this smooth, percussive R&B track starts pulsing. Most people didn't expect a Grammy-nominated R&B artist known for "Chilombo" and "Triggered" to be the voice of a family adventure film, but it actually makes perfect sense when you look at Jhené’s own life.
The Dragon Connection You Probably Missed
Jhené didn't just take this gig for the paycheck. She’s a self-proclaimed "Disney kid," but the connection goes way deeper than nostalgia. She was born in 1988. In the Chinese zodiac, that is the Year of the Dragon.
She also has a massive dragon tattoo on her back. When Disney approached her for a movie literally titled Raya and the Last Dragon, she basically felt like the universe was shouting at her. She told Apple Music at the time that she’s always had this fantasy of being a Disney princess, or at least voicing a character. This was her way in.
What’s cool is that she didn't just sing what she was handed. She actually co-wrote the track with James Newton Howard, the Oscar-nominated composer who did the entire film’s score. Because she had a hand in the writing, the lyrics aren't just generic "believe in yourself" fluff. They actually tie into the specific Southeast Asian-inspired world of Kumandra.
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Breaking Down the Sound of Kumandra
If you listen closely to the production—handled by her long-time collaborator Lejkeys (Julian-Quán Việt Lê) and Fisticuffs—you'll hear a weirdly beautiful mix. It’s got that modern, crisp R&B snap, but there are these "exotic" textures layered in.
- The Percussion: It uses skin drums and hand drums that mimic the traditional instruments used in the film's score.
- The Synthetics: There’s a heavy electronic pulse that keeps it feeling like a 2020s pop song.
- The Bridge: Jhené literally chants "Kumandra, Kumandra" in a way that feels like a mantra, which is very on-brand for her "healing music" aesthetic.
It’s a "pop" song, sure, but it has these Indonesian gamelan-style influences hidden in the mix. That's the James Newton Howard influence bleeding through. He used instruments from China to Vietnam for the score, and those same DNA strands made it into the single.
Trust as a Gift: What the Lyrics Actually Mean
The movie Raya and the Last Dragon is basically a two-hour essay on why humans are bad at trusting each other. The song Jhené Aiko Lead the Way is the summary of that lesson.
The core line is "Whatever brings us together can never tear us apart." It sounds simple, but in the context of the movie—where five warring tribes are literally turning to stone because they can't get along—it hits a bit harder. Jhené’s delivery is airy and light, which keeps the message from feeling too preachy.
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She sings about "energy in the water" and "magic deep in our heart." If you follow Jhené’s work outside of Disney, you know she’s big into sound healing, crystal bowls, and spiritual energy. She managed to sneak her entire personal philosophy into a song for five-year-olds. It’s kind of impressive.
The Music Video and the "CGI" Controversy
The music video, directed by Carlos López Estrada (who also co-directed the actual movie), is a trip. It blends real-life footage of Jhené walking through lush, forest environments with animated assets from the film.
Funny enough, when the video first dropped, people on Reddit were genuinely confused. Because the lighting was so stylized to match the animation, some fans thought Jhené herself was a high-end CGI rendering. She wasn't. She’s just that good at looking ethereal.
The video serves as a bridge between our world and the fantasy world of the movie. It shows her interacting with the "Sisu" dragon spirit, emphasizing the theme that we’re all part of the same "family" regardless of where we come from.
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Why This Track Still Matters in 2026
We’re a few years out from the release now, but "Lead the Way" still pops up on "Focus" and "Feel Good" playlists constantly. It’s one of those rare movie songs that doesn't feel dated.
Most Disney "end credit" versions of songs (like the pop versions of Let It Go or How Far I'll Go) feel like they’re trying too hard to be a radio hit. Jhené just stayed in her lane. She kept her signature "whisper-soft" vocal style and her "Chilombo" era production team.
The result? A track that feels authentic to her as an artist while still fitting the Disney brand. It’s a blueprint for how these collaborations should work.
Real-World Takeaways
If you're looking to add this to your rotation or just want to appreciate it more, here’s the move:
- Listen for the Gamelan: Try to spot the traditional Southeast Asian percussion hidden under the heavy R&B bass.
- Watch the Bridge: Check out the music video specifically during the "Kumandra" chant; the visual integration there is the best part of the whole clip.
- Read the Credits: Take a look at the work of James Newton Howard. If you like the "magic" feel of this song, his scores for Maleficent and Fantastic Beasts have a similar vibe.
The song basically teaches us that the first step to fixing a broken world—or a broken relationship—is usually just the "gift" of trust. It's a nice sentiment to have in your head while you're stuck in traffic.
To dive deeper into the sound, check out the full Raya and the Last Dragon soundtrack. Pay close attention to the track "Running on Raindrops" by James Newton Howard. It shares the same melodic DNA as Jhené’s song but strips away the pop production for something purely orchestral. Comparing the two gives you a really cool look at how a "theme" is built from the ground up in a film.