The highly anticipated Moana 2 is nearing its release and fans are buzzing with anticipation. Most children who enjoyed the original thoroughly in 2016 and sang their hearts out, are now adults and will swarm the theatres to re-live the nostalgia.
So the expectations for the sequel are sky-high, especially for the film’s soundtracks, after all, music isn’t just background noise when it comes to Disney, it’s the heartbeat of every story. However, people are feeling that the magic that Lin-Manuel Miranda brought to the experience is absent. So what exactly led to this noticeable void, and will Disney pay for it?
The New Music Duo That Took Over Moana 2’s Music
Disney handed the reigns of all Moana 2 soundtracks to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, two Grammy-winning artists who found their breakthrough on TikTok when they started posting Bridgerton-inspired musicals. Even though their talent is undeniable and praiseworthy, the movie’s compositions are already facing mixed reviews.
They’ve made history by being the first female composer duo at Disney, but replacing Lin-Manuel Miranda is no small task. Fans of the original Moana are quite harsh and blunt when it comes to stating their opinion about the sequel’s music, they’ve called it “bad,” “soulless,” “ai-generated” and whatnot.
They noted that even though songs like Beyond sounded polished, they did not evoke any emotions as Miranda’s music did. Netizens also seemed to complain about the lyrics and found the writing to be mediocre at best.
Has Disney Made a Mistake By Letting Lin-Manuel Miranda Go?
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s contributions to Moana made it one of the best-animated musicals in Disney’s history. Songs like How Far I’ll Go and You’re Welcome were a perfect fit for the narrative and went on to become a cultural phenomenon.
Fans would sing, dance, and cherish these songs because Miranda is gifted with the ability to combine beautiful lyrics with unforgettable melodies. His music elevated the film, and Moana became more than just another adventure. Now that the film’s release is close, the lack of the sequel’s standout track could be troublesome.
Without Miranda’s magic touch, many fear that Moana 2 will lose its edge, and won’t be able to capitalize on the original’s success. And even though Disney’s dedication to bringing in new talent for their projects and giving everyone a platform is admirable, the reactions to the new soundtracks suggest that the road ahead could be rough.
