Moana: Voices Across the Ocean Special With Dwayne Johnson

Music has always been at the heart of Moana, connecting its characters, cultures, and stories across the Pacific. Now, that musical spirit is expanding with Moana: Voices Across the Ocean, a new companion album celebrating Polynesian artists from around the world and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is giving fans a closer look at the project in a new SiriusXM special.

What’s Happening:

The Moana: Voices Across the Ocean premieres Monday, August 10, on SiriusXM’s Disney Hits (Ch. 133), with Dwayne Johnson and the album’s executive producers sharing the stories and inspiration behind each track. The full special will also be available to stream on the SiriusXM app following its premiere, with rebroadcasts scheduled throughout the week.
Johnson, alongside executive producers Lauren Hashian, Tiana Nonosina Liufau, and Kayla Faʻamaligi, discusses the ambitious project and its goal of putting a global spotlight on the soulful voices and musical traditions of Polynesian artists.
The album features more than 25 artists and spans languages and cultures from across the Polynesian triangle, including Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian, and more. Rather than simply serving as an extension of the film, the project is designed as a celebration of Pacific culture and the artists who carry its stories forward through music.
During the SiriusXM interview, Johnson reflected on what he hopes audiences will take away from the album and emphasized the universal emotional connection that can come through music, regardless of whether listeners understand the language being sung.
“What I hope that people will get from this album is that, I hope that they'll see themselves in this music because I feel like coming from our Polynesian culture, which we're so proud of, and not proud in a hubris way, but we're just we're proud in a soulful way of who we are, and what we are, and how we walk through the world, and how we get knocked down and how we get back up and we keep walking,” Johnson said.
Johnson also praised the other members of the creative team during the conversation, jokingly turning his attention to his wife, Lauren Hashian, after she shared her thoughts on the project.
“Tiana, you said something, and by the way, Lauren, you were saying such beautiful things. I was like, ‘Damn, that's my wife right there,’ come on now,” Johnson said.
Hashian responded, “Thank you, baby.”
Johnson then returned to an idea raised by Liufau about allowing audiences to determine their own interpretations of the music.
“But also Tiana, you said something that was really so beautiful about it. You said, ‘It's up to them.’ And when you say it's up to them, that's like, I love that because that's the people's interpretation of what our music is,” Johnson said.
“And even if people can't articulate, they don't need to speak the languages, they just have to feel it,” he continued. “And I think that's the thing I think that we've delivered, and what you were saying, Kayla, about these are these are human stories. I'm paraphrasing a little bit, but it's humanity, and I love that. And that's what I think represents our album.”
Johnson went on to describe his reaction to hearing the artists featured throughout the project, including Stan Walker and the late Iam Tongi, as well as the other performers featured on the album.
“Because when you hear from the very first time Stan Walker dropped his song, to Iam Tongi, to everyone on this album, I've listened to every song. It all comes back to, ‘Oh man, that's life, and that right there is how we live.’ And I love hearing these songs from these artists,” Johnson said.
“And that's what I hope people will take from this, as well because I think what you'll find the big pomp and circumstance of Moana. It's a big movie and we're coming out globally on July 10th. But when you strip all that away, the music is the thing that brings everything together.”
Johnson explained that music is fundamental to the storytelling of Moana, but its ability to connect people extends far beyond the film itself.
“The music is the thing in Moana, as we know, that brings the story together. That, but not only that, but the music is the thing that brings the world, yes, brings the world together, but it also just anchors everybody, you know, when they hear a song or a lyric that moves them,” Johnson said.
“So, that's what I hope that people take away from this, which is there's something for everybody in this, and maybe, just maybe, like, hey, I know I sound like a little soapbox-y now, but that's okay,” he continued.
Johnson ultimately connected the project to a broader message about kindness, community, and lifting others up.
“But it's like, hey, kindness matters, and being good to one another, it matters. We can be judgmental. I get judgy. You know, we're on a text thread, ‘Did you see this? Did you see this idiot do this thing?’ Unless it's really deserved,” Johnson said. “But also at the same time, like, then that like kindness matters, and being good matters, and being good to people and lifting people up matters.”
“That's it, too. That's what this album does. Everybody is lifting everybody up, and it's really cool. What we need more of.”

The stories behind those songs and the artists who created them will take center stage during Moana: Voices Across the Ocean. The special gives listeners an opportunity to hear directly from the people behind the project and learn more about the cultural significance, personal experiences, and creative process that shaped the album.
Music carries a particularly deep significance within Polynesian cultures, where songs and oral traditions have long served as ways to preserve history, honor ancestors, and pass stories from one generation to the next. Moana: Voices Across the Ocean draws on that tradition while introducing audiences around the world to contemporary artists representing the diverse cultures and languages of the Pacific.
The album grew from a desire to celebrate those voices and ultimately became a much larger musical showcase featuring more than 25 artists. Across its tracks, the project brings together different languages and perspectives while maintaining the central idea that music can create a connection even when listeners don't share the same language.
For fans of Moana, the project offers another way to experience the world of the story. For audiences discovering the featured artists for the first time, it provides an opportunity to hear music rooted in Pacific culture and presented on a global stage.
Moana: Voices Across the Ocean premieres today, Monday, August 10, on SiriusXM’s Disney Hits, Ch. 133, with rebroadcasts throughout the week. The complete special will also be available to stream on the SiriusXM app after its premiere.

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