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Moana 2 (soundtrack)

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Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedNovember 22, 2024 (2024-11-22) (standard)
November 25, 2024 (2024-11-25) (deluxe)
Recorded2023–2024
Studio
Genre
Length32:38 (standard)
110:08 (deluxe)
Language
LabelWalt Disney
Producer
Walt Disney Animation Studios soundtrack chronology
Wish
(2023) 		Moana 2
(2024)
Singles from Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  1. "Beyond"
    Released: November 7, 2024

Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2024 Disney animated film Moana 2 released by Walt Disney Records on November 22, 2024. The 16-track album featured original songs composed by Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi returning from the first film, while Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, replacing the first film's composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, to co-compose the songs.

The musical numbers were performed by the voice cast members, Auliʻi Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Rachel House, Awhimai Fraser, Hualālai Chung, along with New Zealand musicians Olivia Foaʻi, Te Vaka, Sulata Foai-Amiatu, Matatia Foaʻi and Matthew Ineleo. A deluxe edition of the album was released on November 25, featuring the original score composed by Mancina and Foaʻi and six instrumental versions of the songs. The album was preceded by the first single "Beyond" released on November 7, 2024, as the spiritual sequel to "How Far I'll Go".

The soundtrack received mostly mixed reception from critics who compared it unfavorably to the music from the predecessor due to the absence of Miranda's involvement, which was instrumental in the soundtrack's critical and commercial success.

Development

[edit]

"For two women to be part of that and trying to get to the heart of the story, which is a young woman finding her way, I couldn't think of a better duo than Barlow and Bear. ... This is a new part of my voice. ... This film digs into these low notes in these times of indecision when we don't know what we are supposed to do next. There's a lot of deeper layers to these songs."

— Cravalho on the involvement of Barlow and Bear, replacing Miranda, as the songwriters[1]

Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi return to compose the film score, while Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear wrote the songs, replacing Lin-Manuel Miranda from the first film.[1][2] With their involvement, the makers discussed to Barlow and Bear about deciphering the new sonic landscape for Moana with the already established themes but also pushing Moana's voice to new places.[3][4] They were further assisted by Foaʻi and Mancina on utilizing the musical landscape of the Pacific and Polynesian culture but also asked the music team at Disney where they team sent a bulk Dropbox library of drums, skins, logs and vocal samples, from the first film, and met members from the Oceania Cultural Trust and real-life wayfinders, who inspired full songs with some of their ideas.[5]

Barlow added that "Working on this project taught me how to be a good collaborator" fulfilling her experience with Bear and the village people on telling stories through music and felt it like a big cultural anchor of the Pacific.[5] She further likened the songwriting process to a table tennis game, where "One of us will come to the table, or both of us will come to the table with ideas, and then it'll just be like ping pong, ping pong back and forth. You go through a million different rounds of notes, and the story goes through a million different lives before it's the movie you see on the screen."[5]

As Moana's character being aged, so with Cravalho, her deepened and expanded vocals also served as a musical instrument.[1][5] This was further noticed in "Beyond", a song which was considered as a spiritual sequel to the first film's "How Far I'll Go", the original Moana anthem.[6] As the film is bigger than her personal journey, and that, they wanted to make her more vulnerable, she designed the song "Beyond" as a little bit darker than the first film's song, "because the stakes are suddenly so much higher. She's about to make a big decision that will affect the rest of her life. She knows more of the world and what's out there, so she knows what to expect — and that could be scary."[1]

The first song they wrote and composed is, "We're Back" which uses the music from the predecessor, but also wanted to establish the world's from the first film as well as introducing new characters.[5] On November 11, Johnson revealed his song "Can I Get a Chee Hoo?" as a female empowerment song for Moana's character, which follows the tune of Maui's original "You're Welcome".[7] Johnson described the song as "vocally challenging" except for the rap portions.[8]

Release

[edit]

On November 7, 2024, Disney revealed full track list, along with the first single "Beyond" performed by Cravalho.[6][9] The 16-track album featuring original songs were released on November 22, five days before the film's theatrical release.[6][10] A deluxe edition soundtrack featuring Mancina and Foaʻi's original score and instrumental versions of the songs, were released on November 25.[11] The album will be distributed in CD and vinyl LP formats at the Disney Music Emporium on January 10, 2025.[12][13]

Critical reception

[edit]

Louis Peitzman of Vulture described that the song's without Miranda's involvement, "feels as flimsy and disposable as the last" and added "the music of Moana 2 is the biggest mark against it with derivative melodies and clunky lyrics that screech the action to a halt. When the songs occasionally interpolate a line or motif from the original Moana score, it has the water-drop-in-a-desert effect of reminding us how far we’ve fallen."[14] Dani Kessel Odom of Screen Rant wrote "Though the harmonies are enjoyable, the music in "What Could Be Better Than This?" is highly repetitive. The lyrics also feel surface-level, unlike those from songs in the first Moana movie. They aren’t interesting to listen to because the slant rhymes are simple."[15] Matt Patches of Polygon wrote "In the end, Moana 2 is a vehicle for one banger, a feel-good throwback, and a few songs we’ll never talk about again, which doesn’t feel like enough for a brand-new Moana."[16] Tyler Nichols of JoBlo.com called the music being "more forgettable".[17]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote "The songs in “Moana 2,” by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, are perky and appealing, with that electrified island drum bounce, but most of them sound like the imitation-Lin-Manual knockoffs they are [...] none of the songs summon that indelible quality that sealed the story of “Moana” into our hearts."[18] Ben Wasserman of Comic Book Resources, wrote the film falls short of its soundtrack, compared to the predecessor, and stated that despite, the songs "Get Lost" and "Can I Get A Chee Hoo?" being catchy, "these songs never reach the level of earworm that made "You're Welcome" and "How Far I'll Go" such memorable classics amongst Disney fans."[19]

Track listing

[edit]
Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) standard edition track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."Tulou Tagaloa" (Sei e Va'ai Mai)Opetaia FoaʻiOlivia Foa’i, Te Vaka1:07
2."We're Back"Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, FoaʻiAuliʻi Cravalho, Villagers of Motunui3:12
3."Tuputupu" (The Feast)Matatia Foa’iTe Vaka0:35
4."Beyond"Barlow, Bear, FoaʻiAuliʻi Cravalho feat. Rachel House3:50
5."My Wish For You" (Innocent Warrior)FoaʻiOlivia Foaʻi, Sulata Foai-Amiatu, Matatia Foai, Matthew Ineleo, Opetaia Foaʻi0:53
6."Finding The Way"Foaʻi, Mark MancinaOlivia Foaʻi, Te Vaka1:29
7."What Could Be Better Than This?"Barlow, BearAuliʻi Cravalho, Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane2:59
8."Get Lost"Barlow, BearAwhimai Fraser3:05
9."Can I Get A Chee Hoo?"Barlow, BearDwayne Johnson2:50
10."Mana Vavau"FoaʻiDwayne Johnson, Opetaia Foaʻi, Rachel House1:31
11."Beyond" (Reprise)Barlow, Bear, FoaʻiAuliʻi Cravalho0:53
12."Nuku O Kaiga"FoaʻiTe Vaka1:10
13."Finding The Way" (Reprise)Foaʻi, MancinaTe Vaka1:09
14."We Know The Way" (Te Fenua te Malie)Foaʻi, Lin-Manuel MirandaAuliʻi Cravalho, Olivia Foaʻi, Opetaia Foaʻi, Te Vaka1:28
15."Beyond" (End Credit Version)Barlow, Bear, FoaʻiAuliʻi Cravalho feat. Te Vaka3:16
16."We're Back" (Te Vaka Version)Barlow, Bear, FoaʻiOlivia Foaʻi, Sulata Foai-Amiatu, Te Vaka3:11
Total length:32:38
Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) deluxe edition track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
17."Motufetu"MancinaMark Mancina2:58
18."An Easy Hop"MancinaMark Mancina1:09
19."The Wayfinder of Motunui"MancinaMark Mancina feat. Te Vaka0:55
20."Missed Connections"MancinaMark Mancina2:02
21."It's Me Maui"MancinaMark Mancina2:25
22."Sacred Title"MancinaMark Mancina4:03
23."Fire in the Sky"MancinaMark Mancina2:02
24."Assembling the Crew"MancinaMark Mancina1:57
25."Run and You'll Live"MancinaMark Mancina2:04
26."Out to Sea"MancinaMark Mancina3:49
27."Hei Hei Saves the Day"MancinaMark Mancina0:41
28."The Plan for the Clam"MancinaMark Mancina2:25
29."It's Go Time"MancinaMark Mancina2:09
30."Clam Chow"MancinaMark Mancina1:10
31."Maui Breaks Free"MancinaMark Mancina1:30
32."Meet Matangi"MancinaMark Mancina2:54
33."The Pearly Gate"MancinaMark Mancina2:02
34."Between Realms"MancinaMark Mancina1:34
35."Welcome to Pouli"MancinaMark Mancina2:00
36."Sea Snake Attack"MancinaMark Mancina1:19
37."Safe-ish for Now"MancinaMark Mancina1:47
38."Gotta Chee Hoo It"MancinaMark Mancina0:52
39."Stronger Together"MancinaMark Mancina1:59
40."Nalo"MancinaMark Mancina1:52
41."Waves Like Mountains"Mancina, FoaʻiMark Mancina, Opetaia Foaʻi, Te Vaka1:38
42."Change of Course"MancinaMark Mancina1:25
43."There's Another Way"MancinaMark Mancina feat. Te Vaka2:16
44."Just a Little Different"MancinaMark Mancina feat. Te Vaka2:37
45."Wayfinders"MancinaMark Mancina2:35
46."We're Back" (Instrumental)Barlow, Bear, FoaʻiAbigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Mark Mancina3:12
47."Beyond" (Instrumental)Barlow, Bear, FoaʻiAbigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Mark Mancina3:59
48."What Could Be Better Than This?" (Instrumental)Barlow, BearAbigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Mark Mancina2:59
49."Get Lost" (Instrumental)Barlow, BearAbigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Mark Mancina3:05
50."Can I Get a Chee Hoo?" (Instrumental)Barlow, BearAbigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Mark Mancina2:50
51."Beyond" (End Credit Version/Instrumental)Barlow, Bear, FoaʻiBenjamin Rice3:16
Total length:110:08

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Chart (2024) Peak
position
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[20] 67

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Various November 22, 2024 (standard)
November 25, 2024 (deluxe)
Walt Disney Records [21]
[11]
January 10, 2025 CD [12]
LP [13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Lenker, Mauren Lee (September 12, 2024). "Beyond the sea: Moana 2's Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reflect on the unexpected path to their surprise sequel". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Bregel, Sarah (February 13, 2024). "The strange journey behind the TikTok duo replacing Lin Manuel Miranda for the Moana sequel". BBC. Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  3. ^ Dockterman, Eliana; Lautrup, Joey (November 25, 2024). "The TikTok Duo Behind the Music in 'Moana 2' on Winning a Grammy and Working With Beyoncé". TIME. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Wehniainen, Grace (November 27, 2024). "Exclusive: The 'Moana 2' Songwriters Have A Surprising Connection To 'Bridgerton'". Bustle. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e Deckelmeier, Joe; Hullender, Tatiana (November 26, 2024). "Moana 2 Songwriters Barlow & Bear On The Creative Process Of Charting Moana's Lyrical Journey". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Ridgely, Charlie (November 7, 2024). "Moana 2: First Single & Full Tracklist Released by Disney". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  7. ^ Blackwelder, Carson (November 11, 2024). "Dwayne Johnson says his daughters 'see themselves' in Moana, talks Maui's new song". GoodMorningAmerica.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  8. ^ Lenker, Mauren Lee (November 28, 2024). "Dwayne Johnson says Maui's new 'Moana 2' song was vocally challenging — except for rapping: 'I got bars'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  9. ^ Lenker, Maureen Lee (November 7, 2024). "Listen to 'Beyond,' the first full-length song released from Moana 2". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Ortiz, Andi (November 28, 2024). "Here Are All the Songs in the 'Moana 2' Soundtrack". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "'Moana 2' Deluxe Edition Soundtrack Album Details". Film Music Reporter. November 24, 2024. Archived from the original on November 24, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Moana 2 Soundtrack CD". Disney Music Emporium. November 11, 2024. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Moana 2 Soundtrack LP". Disney Music Emporium. November 11, 2024. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  14. ^ Peitzman, Louis (November 28, 2024). "After Moana 2, We All Owe Lin-Manuel Miranda an Apology". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 28, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  15. ^ Odom, Dani Kessel (November 28, 2024). "Every Song In Moana 2, Ranked Worst To Best". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  16. ^ Patches, Matt (November 26, 2024). "Moana 2 adds one good song to Disney canon, but not much else". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  17. ^ Nichols, Tyler (November 28, 2024). "Moana 2 Review: Slightly better than the original?". JoBlo.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  18. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (November 26, 2024). "'Moana 2' Review: The Songs Lack That Lin-Manuel Miranda Magic, but This More Dutiful Than Inspired Sequel Turns Into a Catchy Action Fairy Tale". Variety. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  19. ^ Wasserman, Ben (November 26, 2024). "1 Glaring Flaw Holds This Disney Sequel Back From Its 8-Year-Old Predecessor". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  20. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  21. ^ "'Moana 2' Soundtrack Album Details". Film Music Reporter. November 6, 2024. Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
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