Available today wherever music is sold and streamed, the Moana original motion picture soundtrack features seven original songs and a full original score, plus two reprises as well as two end-credit versions of songs from the film. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.
The diverse and dynamic team behind the film’s inspired music includes Tony®-, Emmy®- and Grammy®-winning songwriter/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, who counts among his credits Broadway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning and multiple Tony-winning “Hamilton” and the Tony-winning “In the Heights,” three-time Grammy®-winning composer Mark Mancina (“Speed,” “Tarzan” and the Oscar®-winning “Training Day”) and Opetaia Foa’i, the founder and lead singer of Te Vaka, a winner of numerous world music awards.
Miranda said, “Moana has a family that she loves, an island that she loves, but there’s a voice inside that’s calling. The idea of quieting life enough so that you can hear that inner voice was something really worth writing about for me because I think it’s so important.”
According to Mancina, the music is designed to propel the story. “Music is like a gigantic magnifying glass when it comes to the emotion of a story,” said Mancina. “It can enhance it; it can manipulate the story—you have to be very careful. I like to leave a theater with those tunes in my head. And if I still have them in there the next day, I’m really happy.”
Opetaia Foa’i added, “For more than 20 years, I’ve been touring the world telling stories of our ancestors, who were the best navigators the world has ever seen. When I first learned that ‘Moana’ was about voyaging, I thought ‘when you dream upon a star.’ Everything really aligned with my purpose of sharing this awesome culture.”
The Songs of “Moana”:
- Written and performed by Foa’i and Miranda, “We Know the Way” showcases the rich and vibrant voyaging life of Moana’s ancestors.
- “How Far I’ll Go” is Moana’s song performed by Auli’i Cravalho. “It’s intimidating to write an ‘I want’ song for a Disney animated movie,” said Miranda. “You think of Ariel with ‘Part of Your World’ or ‘Reflection’ from ‘Mulan.’ This is Moana’s chance to say for herself how she feels and where she belongs.”
- “Where You Are” is written by Miranda, Foa’i and Mancina and performed by Christopher Jackson, Rachel House, Nicole Scherzinger, Auli’i Cravalho and Louise Bush. The song introduces the audience to Moana’s village and the key players.
- Written by Miranda and performed by Dwayne Johnson, “You’re Welcome” showcases the colorful personality of Maui. “I just thought that it would be really fun to hear The Rock sing ‘You’re welcome for my existence. You’re welcome that you get to meet me,'” said Miranda. “Dwayne has such incredible charm and he totally delivers the character’s confidence and cockiness.”
- Jemaine Clement was tapped for “Shiny,” a song written by Miranda and Mancina that spotlights Tamatoa, the 50-foot crab with trust issues. Miranda said “Tamatoa is mean and ostentatious, so we really wanted to create the anti-lesson of the movie. If Moana’s journey is listening to her inner voice, Tamatoa is there to say, ‘It doesn’t matter. Who cares? It’s really about how you look.’ He’s from the deepest, darkest part of the sea and feels his armor is important. You got to be shiny.”
- “I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)” was written by Miranda, Mancina and Foa’i and performed by Rachel House and Cravalho. The song marks an important moment in the film when Moana is doubting her decision to take on this huge challenge.
- With music by Foa’i, Miranda and Mancina, and lyrics by Foa’i and Miranda, “Know Who You Are” is performed by Cravalho, Vai Mahina, Olivia Foa‘i, Foa’i and Matthew Ineleo. The song is heard late in the film as Moana’s journey nears its culmination.
- The end credit version of “How Far I’ll Go” is performed by Canadian singer/songwriter and Def Jam recording artist Alessia Cara(“Here,” “Wild Things,” “Scars to Your Beautiful”).
- Hollywood Records artist Jordan Fisher teams up with Miranda for the end-credit version of “You’re Welcome.”
For centuries, the greatest sailors in the world masterfully navigated the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, 3,000 years ago, their voyages stopped for a millennium – and no one knows exactly why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who is inspired to leave the safety and security of her island on a daring journey to save her people. Inexplicably drawn to the ocean, Moana (voice of Auliʻi Cravalho) convinces the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) to join her mission, and he reluctantly helps her become a wayfinder like her ancestors who sailed before her. Together, they voyage across the open ocean on an action-packed adventure, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills her quest and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.
The Moana original motion picture soundtrack features 14 tracks and is available wherever music is sold and streamed on Nov. 18, 2016. The Moana two-disc deluxe edition and the digital deluxe edition soundtrack, which are also available Nov. 18, feature additional tracks including demos, outtakes and instrumental karaoke tracks. The soundtrack can be purchased at http://disneymusic.co/MVOSndtrk and at streaming partners http://disneymusic.co/MVOSndtrkWS. For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like us on Facebook.com/disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic and Instagram.com/disneymusic.
