Two A-list muses sparked the idea for Dwayne Johnson that ultimately led to Moana: Voices Across the Ocean. And the actor—who first starred as the demigod Maui in 2016’s original animated adventure that would lead to a 2024 sequel and 2026’s live-action remake—credits his wife, singer-songwriter Lauren Hashian, with its conception. “She’s the most talented in the family,” he tells Apple Music. “We were talking about this years ago: Wouldn’t it be great if we had an adjacent album, very similar to what Kendrick [Lamar] did with Black Panther, very similar to what Beyoncé did with The Lion King? If we had that, and if we could put on for our culture,” says Johnson, who proudly reps his Samoan ancestry. The result is a 15-track companion to the 2026 film, steeped in Polynesian tradition, featuring 25 artists including Fifth Harmony’s Dinah Jane, Stan Walker, Iam Tongi, and, of course, The Rock himself. Below, Johnson breaks down a few key songs. “We Know the Way” “It’s such a powerful anthem from the original Moana. But what makes this one special? The original ‘We Know the Way,’ written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa’i —that was English, Tokelauan, and Samoan. This is the first version ever with four languages: English, Tokelauan, Samoan, and Maori. Dinah Jane from Fifth Harmony and Stan Walker—that guy sings from the guts, and you can feel it.” “Your Dad” “Easily the most vulnerable thing I’ve ever done. I grew up an only child, trailer park kid, tough dad, tough love. I had my first daughter, Simone, when I was in my late twenties. I’m still trying to figure myself out. I heard this quote a long time ago: ‘Every man wants a son, but every man needs a daughter.’ And I’ve been so lucky and blessed to have three in Jasmine, Tiana, and Simone. And I wrote this for them. I called Iam Tongi, and I said, ‘I’d love to work with you on something like this.’ And he started putting pen to paper. My pen game is OK. His pen game is amazing. And we came up with a song called ‘Your Dad.’ And it means the world to me.” “In the Waves” “When Iam first sent this song over to Lauren and I, it was 7 in the morning. I listened to it in my office. And man, I just started crying. It’s a beautiful song. Just this idea that we all lose loved ones, and they all go on and walk in the clouds. But life does begin and end in the ocean. And when you want your loved ones there with you, they’ll always be there in the waves.”