Following the release of the anticipated sequel film, Moana 2, which in its opening week earned $225 million at the U.S. and Canada box office, the movie’s soundtrack proved to be just as big a hit, debuting in the top 10 of three Billboard album charts.
Featuring the voices of returning actors Auliʻi Cravalho (Moana) and Dwayne Johnson (Maui), Moana 2 also debuted a new musical pair in composing duo Barlow & Bear (Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear). Together, the two made history as the youngest and only all-women songwriting duo to create a full soundtrack for a Disney animated film. (Barlow & Bear stepped in for Lin-Manuel Miranda, who helmed the music for 2016’s original Moana.)
“They were brought on for their immense talent as musicians and storytellers,” says Tom MacDougall, president of Walt Disney Music and Billboard‘s Executive of the Week, who also A&R’d the soundtrack. “Where being younger did come into play revealed itself in their ability to understand the feelings Moana was having as a young woman trying to achieve great things and channeling that experience into the story.” (Moana 2 picks up three years after the original film left off; this time, Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors that brings her back to the ocean.)
The celebratory opening week for Moana 2 is just the beginning of a busy year’s end for Disney, as MacDougall’s next soundtrack is already on its way. On Dec. 20, Mufasa: The Lion King will arrive along with its original soundtrack by Miranda.
And while MacDougall says “we simply release films when they’re ready,” he does believe there’s something special about the end of a year. “I do think [this period] represents a time of reflection, joy and family,” he says. “I can see how those emotions can get you in the mood to see characters sing.”
Moana 2 debuted in the top 10 on three of Billboard’s album charts (No. 2 on Kid Albums, No. 10 on Soundtracks and No. 10 on World Albums). What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
Our partners at the Disney Music Group and studio marketing know the “first responders” to our soundtracks live in these key categories and they look to service them early with sneak peeks, exclusives and lyric videos. As the films broaden out — like Frozen and Encanto — we look to capture all audiences on as many charts as we can, including the top song and album charts.
The first Moana soundtrack topped both the Kid Albums and Soundtracks charts for 54 and 62 nonconsecutive weeks, respectively. How are you and the team aiming for similar longevity with Moana 2?
We are always humbled by any charting, and don’t expect the past to point to future success but we do go to great lengths to find the core emotional situations that, dare I say, demand that these characters sing. My experience is that when we hit that mark — which I think we did with Moana 2 — success can follow.
What challenges did you and the team face in following up a musical smash like Moana?
Sequels to musicals are tricky as you need new adventures, obstacles and desires to sing about or it won’t feel like an evolution for the characters. With Moana being older and wiser, she has taken on more responsibilities to her community and her family which provided fertile ground for her to sing. And, of course, our demigod Maui is always finding reasons to sing, and Dwayne [Johnson] really pushed himself creatively to find yet another plateau for his talents as a vocalist for the new song “Can I Get A Chee Hoo?”
In addition to Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King arrives on Dec. 20. For any sequel or franchise continuation, when it comes to the music, what is the secret to balancing familiar sounds with new?
I think the secret to a musical sequel is to make sure you’re offering something new for the characters, the story and the music, but [that] doesn’t abandon what’s come before. Barlow & Bear represented the new on Moana 2, and [composers] Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina were the foundation of what came before that brought the warm familiar feeling audiences come to expect from the world of Moana.
For you, what’s the signal that the team has a hit on its hands?
Honestly, we don’t consider any film soundtrack to be a hit until the audience has spoken. There is often a slow period of absorption that seems to happen with music that doesn’t follow the near instantaneous assessment of box office success, so sometimes we just have to wait. With Moana 2 audiences have told us they want to spend a lot of time in that world, so I don’t think we’ll have to wait long to consider the soundtrack a hit.
How “far” do you see the Moana movies in particular going — are there any current plans “beyond” this sequel?
Having now worked on both films for over a decade of my career, I’m looking forward to just enjoying this moment of success and be grateful audiences have responded to these films in this unprecedented way. Can I get a chee hoo?
