"Raya and the Last Dragon" Soundtrack Lyrics

“Raya and the Last Dragon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

How do you score a world shattered by mistrust — and rebuilt by a leap of faith? Raya and the Last Dragon answers with a sweeping, rhythm-forward score by James Newton Howard and a credits anthem, “Lead the Way,” performed and co-written by Jhené Aiko. The album is mostly orchestral storytelling — kinetic percussion, bamboo/woodwinds, choir — crowned by a pop benediction over the end credits.

The soundtrack’s shape mirrors the film’s: arrival (mythic prologue), adaptation (ragtag allies and city capers), rebellion (fractures with Namaari), and closure (a trust fall scored like sunrise). As per Walt Disney Records’ release, the album dropped February 26, 2021, a week before the film, with 24 tracks and a 70-minute run time.

Genres & themes by phase: ceremonial chant and deep drums for arrival; skittering, playful motifs for adaptation; sharp-edged action writing for rebellion; and luminous strings/choir for closure. According to album notes and label listings, it’s a rare late-period JNH adventure score that’s both brawny and tender.

How It Was Made

Composer & palette. Howard recorded at Sony’s scoring stage with additional choir at Abbey Road, folding Southeast Asian–leaning colors (flutes, gongs, hand percussion) into his widescreen orchestral voice. He’d last scored a Disney animated feature in 2002 (Treasure Planet), making this a long-awaited homecoming.

Original song. “Lead the Way” arrives over the end credits — a hopeful, mid-tempo R&B/pop cut written and performed by Jhené Aiko. In the Philippines, Disney commissioned a Tagalog version, “Gabay,” performed by KZ Tandingan, for the local dub/rollout.

Tracks & Scenes

“Prologue” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: The opening legend of Kumandra and the dragons’ sacrifice. Low drums and ceremonial voices set a mythic register; strings bloom as the Dragon Gem is introduced. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Establishes the score’s ritual weight — history isn’t just told, it resounds.

“Young Raya and Namaari” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: First-act bond inside the Heart temple — two kids, one secret vault. Woodwind turns and gentle harp outline curious trust right before it breaks. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Their relationship’s seed: bright, hopeful intervals that later come back cracked.

“Betrayed” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: The gem shatters; the Druun swallow the land. Brass splinters against surging percussion, then falls to a minor-key dirge. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: The score’s first earthquake — theme fragments scatter like shards.

“Enter the Dragon” / “Sisu Swims” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: Raya awakens Sisu in Tail and learns that hope floats — literally. Flute arabesques and water-bright textures glide as Sisu reveals herself. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Introduces Sisu’s liquid, ascending motif — optimism with playful grace.

“Captain Boun” & “Journey to Talon” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: A shrimp-boat kid entrepreneur, a growing crew, a neon floating market. Percussive pats and plucked strings keep things light between stings of danger. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Location-as-groove — the score travels with texture and tempo.

“Escape From Talon” / “Noi and the Ongis” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: Baby-con artist chase through canals and rooftops; edits snap to rhythmic ostinati and comic woodwinds. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Howard’s caper-mode — precise, witty, and breathless.

“Spine Showdown” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: Snowbound face-off and a nearly fatal standoff between Raya and Namaari. Drums growl; brass spits; the choir cuts in like cold air. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: The friendship theme returns, now hardened — conflict becomes tragedy fuel.

“Running on Raindrops” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: A late-act dash — Sisu in full river-dragon glory, water stepping stones underfoot. Glittering arpeggios over propulsive drums. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Pure kinetic wonder; one of the album’s signature adrenaline cues.

“Brothers and Sisters” / “Return” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: The trust leap: one by one, the friends surrender their pieces and themselves; the dragons return. Motifs braid into choral radiance. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: The score’s moral resolves as harmony — unity literally re-composes the theme.

“The New World” — James Newton Howard
Where it plays: Epilogue sunbreak over a restored Kumandra. Warm strings, gentle percussion, and woodwinds at peace. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: After thunder, blue sky — closure in melody.

End-credits song: “Lead the Way” — Jhené Aiko
Where it plays: English-language end credits (global).
Why it matters: A pop coda that reframes the film’s trust theme for the radio.

Regional single: “Gabay” (Tagalog) — KZ Tandingan
Where it plays: Philippine rollout/dub; released as a local single tied to the film.
Why it matters: Disney’s first Filipino-language single — a localized echo of the credits anthem.

Notes & Trivia

• Walt Disney Records released the album on February 26, 2021 — 24 tracks, ~70 minutes.
• JNH last scored a Disney Animation feature in 2002; this marks a 19-year return to the studio.
• “Lead the Way” (Jhené Aiko) is the film’s official end-credits single; a music video followed in early March 2021.
• “Gabay” by KZ Tandingan is Disney’s first Filipino-language single, issued for the film’s PH campaign.

Music–Story Links

When Raya and Namaari meet as kids, the harmony opens — fourths and fifths like a handshake. Each fracture darkens that interval until the Spine standoff hammers it shut. Sisu’s motif swims upward; when trust evaporates, the water line drops into drums. In the finale, themes braid — friends literally become one chord — and the choir resolves the story’s thesis: unity isn’t a lyric, it’s harmony.

Reception & Quotes

Critics praised the score’s color and momentum; even mixed reviews singled out standouts like “Young Raya and Namaari,” “Sisu Swims,” and “Running on Raindrops.” The single “Lead the Way” drew coverage from music press as a hopeful credits lift.

“Howard’s water-bright textures and thunderhead percussion give Kumandra a living pulse.” — score press

“Aiko’s closer folds the trust theme into a radio-ready benediction.” — music coverage

Interesting Facts

• Studios: score at Sony Scoring Stage; choir sessions at Abbey Road’s Studio 1.
• Album build: 23 score cues + 1 song; sequencing mirrors the film’s geography (Tail → Talon → Spine → Heart).
• Percussion design: layered hand drums and metallics sell the Druun as a sound before a threat.
• Fan faves: “Running on Raindrops,” “Return,” and “The New World” are frequent playlist survivors.
• Local love: “Gabay” positioned Disney’s Southeast Asian setting with a tangible regional gesture.

Technical Info

• Title: Raya and the Last Dragon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year / Type: 2021 — Film score + end-credits song
• Composer & Producer: James Newton Howard
• End-credits song: “Lead the Way” — written & performed by Jhené Aiko
• Regional single: “Gabay” (Tagalog) — performed by KZ Tandingan
• Label / Release: Walt Disney Records — Feb 26, 2021 (digital/retail)
• Studios: Sony Scoring Stage (LA); Abbey Road Studio 1 (London choir)
• Representative cues: “Prologue”; “Young Raya and Namaari”; “Betrayed”; “Sisu Swims”; “Escape From Talon”; “Spine Showdown”; “Running on Raindrops”; “Brothers and Sisters”; “Return”; “The New World”
• Film snapshot: Dir. Don Hall & Carlos López Estrada; Walt Disney Animation Studios; Runtime 107 minutes
• Availability: Streaming (Apple Music/Spotify); digital retailers worldwide

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score?

James Newton Howard — a percussion-rich, choir-tinted adventure score.

What’s the end-credits song?

“Lead the Way,” written and performed by Jhené Aiko.

Is there a local-language single tied to the film?

Yes. “Gabay,” performed in Tagalog by KZ Tandingan, accompanied the Philippine rollout.

How many tracks are on the album?

Twenty-four: twenty-three score cues plus the end-credits song.

Where was the choir recorded?

At Abbey Road’s Studio 1 in London; orchestral sessions were at Sony’s scoring stage in LA.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Disney/label listings; Apple/Spotify album pages; soundtrack overviews; film and soundtrack reference entries; music-press coverage of “Lead the Way” and “Gabay”.

November, 19th 2025