Disney reveals which ‘Moana 2’ songs will compete for Best Original Song Oscar
How far will these songs go? According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney has selected the two “Moana 2” songs it will submit for Best Original Song consideration at the 97th Academy Awards. The two tracks are “Beyond” and “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?,” which kids and parents will become familiar with when the film opens in theaters next month.
Both songs have music and lyrics by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, who are taking over original songwriting duties from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was nominated for Best Original Song in 2016 for the first film’s breakout song, “How Far I’ll Go.” “Beyond” also features Pacific choral vocals written and arranged by Opetaia Foa’i, who is a composer of film’s score along with Mark Mancina. It’s described as the film’s “I want” song, a tradition in Disney musicals where the heroine states her goal for the story in an early number. It’s performed by Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of Moana, along with Rachel House, who voices the spirit of Moana’s late grandmother.
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“Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” is described as a comic relief song performed by Dwayne Johnson as trickster demigod Maui, in the vein of “You’re Welcome” from the first film.
Academy rules state that only two songs may be nominated per film, so studios have to choose carefully for musicals. In the past 10 years or so, Disney typically only submitted one song per film, but has started submitting two in recent years after submitting the “wrong” song from “Encanto” in 2021. Miranda’s “Dos Oruguitas” was submitted before “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” became the movie’s breakout hit, and while it was nominated, it lost to Billie Eilish’s “No Time to Die,” which probably wouldn’t have happened to “Bruno.” So Disney has taken to covering its bases better since then. At least one of these songs is likely to be nominated, though the current Best Original Song frontrunner is “El Mal” from “Emilia Perez.” “Moana 2” will also compete against new Lin-Manuel Miranda originals from another Disney film, “Mufasa.”
“Moana 2” opens in theaters on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
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