Pope Francis to release pop-rock album, ‘Wake Up!’

A new album featuring hymns and speeches by Pope Francis set to pop-rock music will be available on iTunes in November.

Wake Up!, the pope's first foray into the music business, is being released by distributor Believe Digital.

The first single from the "Vatican-approved" LP, Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!, is available now to download and is streaming online. It features a poppy, synth-laden rock backing track, paired with an audio recording of the pope speaking in South Korea last year.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, the album's producer and artistic director Don Giulio Neroni said: "I tried to be strongly faithful to the pastoral and personality of Pope Francis: the Pope of dialogue, open doors, hospitality." He previously worked on similar projects with pope John Paul II and pope Benedict XVI.

Musician Tony Pagliuca, founder of Italian prog rock band Le Orme, told the magazine that working with the pope had been an "interesting artistic challenge".

“When Don Giulio Neroni asked me to collaborate on this CD, I immediately accepted with enthusiasm,” he said.

The 11-track album will be available to download on November 27th and will feature recordings of the pontiff in English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

Wake Up! - Full track list

1. Annuntio Vobis Gadium Mangum

2. Salve Regina

3. Laudato Sie…

4. Poe Que' Sufren Los Ninos

5. Non Lasciatevi Rubare La Speranza!

6. La Iglesia No Puede Ser Una Ong!

7. Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!

8. La Fa Es Entera, No Se Licua!

9. Pace! Fratelli!

10. Per La Famiglia

11. Fazei O Que Ele Vos Disser