It shows Beyoncé performing a dancing choreography surrounded by African dancers and choristers in a desert-like environment and features a cameo appearance by her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.

[4] The song opens with two male backing vocals singing the lines "Uishi kwa muda mrefu mfalme" in Swahili which translate to "Long live the king" in English.

Nala's Brazilian Portuguese dubber IZA performed each and every part of the character, except for the song "Spirit" following a contract issue between Warner Music Group and Disney and was replaced by voice-actor Andrezza Massei [pt].

The Lion King: The Gift was included in Capital XTRA's 20 best albums of 2019 list, whereby "Spirit" was described as a "triumphant, gospel-inspired" track that "firmly cemented Beyoncé at the top of her game".

"[12] Raisa Bruner of Time agrees, calling the song "a soaring, gospel-inspired track that shows off Queen Bey's full range", including both the showcasing of "particularly her lower tones" and the "surprising falsetto in the bridge".

[14] Adina Goldstein and Symphreona Clark also complimented Beyonce's vocal performance, writing for YR Media that it "resembles a large rushing river, beautiful, inspiring and so strong it can shape even the hardest of substances".

"[16] Jon Pareles for The New York Times also praised "how the African elements are at the core of the music", and described the song as "a dynamic secular-gospel exhortation to 'Rise up!'".

[18] Robyn Beck for Vanity Fair praised the "ethereal" track, describing it as a "powerful ballad with a sweeping chorus, backed by an echoing choir".

[19] Michelle Kim writing for Pitchfork was particularly critical of the song's lyrics, noting that they "err on the side of meaningless" in comparison to the singer's previous projects.

[6] Kristen Perrone for Elite Daily described "Spirit" as "inspiring" and its lyrics as "particularly powerful", adding that the song has topped "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

[33] The music video premiered during Can You Feel the Love Tonight, an hour-long special hosted by Robin Roberts that aired on ABC Network on July 16, 2019.

[35] The clip consists of excerpts from the movie intermingled with scenes of Beyoncé singing the song and dancing in the desert accompanied by male and female dancers and choristers dressed in matching outfits.

[39] Tosten Burks of Spin magazine found the scenes of the singer dancing in the desert reminiscent of Solange Knowles's short film When I Get Home (2019).