Recording at Warner Brothers Studio

We have all been back in Australia and New Zealand respectively for a couple of days now but no-one has landed yet, our heads are still floating in the magic of what we have just experienced. Having all the great Te Vaka singers from 1994 through to 2016 all singing together on the Moana soundtrack was an historical moment for many reasons. Not only had they all never sung together before but to have Pacific voices singing in a Pacific language on a Disney movie has never been done before. The impact was huge! The Disney music team were moved by the voices, the pride and the authenticity of what the singers brought to the movie. They were stunned by Opetaia's ability to create vocal lines and chants for the movie on the spot and the bands ability to immediately sing and record them. At times it felt deeply spiritual and many tears were shed not only from the band but the people in the control room. When John Lasseter (head of Disney and Pixar), came into the studio to hear what was happening, Te Vaka broke into a "Fatele" (Tokelauan dance) and song for John and he was in tears too. I cannot acurately describe what we have all just experienced - it is too much like a fairytale for anyone to believe it. I think the only way to get an idea of what I am talking about is to see the movie. Release dates for Moana are 23rd of November (thanksgiving day) in the US and Boxing day in the South Pacific. We can't wait! But in the meantime there is lots of work to do to prepare for the US Premiere performances.