Idris Elba is releasing an album inspired by Nelson Mandela after he played the South African statesman in the biopic Long Walk To Freedom.
The British actor, who also starred in US cop drama The Wire and UK crime series Luther, has teamed up with South African musicians to make mi Mandela - an album inspired by the anti-apartheid pioneer who died last year.
Elba said the idea came out of his research for the role when he started listening to traditional South African music, adding: "South Africa has numerous different tribes and each one has a musical expression, and each one has a very unique, different sound style.
"At the time I had my studio at the apartment I was staying in while I was making Mandela - a little keyboard, a laptop - and as an experiment to myself, I vowed to keep making music."
Another inspiration came from his father Winston, who encouraged him in the idea but died before recording was complete.
