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Opetaia Foa’i Receives Billions Award For ‘Moana’ Ballad ‘We Know The Way’
Opetaia Foa’i has received APRA AMCOS’s Billions Award for ‘We Know The Way’, his contribution to Disney’s original Moana soundtrack. The recognition highlights the global reach of a song rooted in Polynesian languages, culture and voyaging traditions, demonstrating how culturally specific storytelling can reach mass audiences.
Released in 2016 and written with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mark Mancina, the song features Tokelauan and Sāmoan lyrics sung by Foa’i. It surpassed one billion streams across Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, despite peaking at No. 93 on the Billboard Hot 100; Foa’i accepted the award at APRA AMCOS’s Sydney headquarters on 23 July.
In short
- ‘We Know The Way’ surpassed one billion streams.
- Opetaia Foa’i received APRA AMCOS’s Billions Award.
- The song foregrounds Polynesian language and culture.
Explained simply
Opetaia Foa'i is a New Zealand-born musician and cultural advocate. He co-wrote and performed 'We Know The Way' for Disney's 2016 film Moana, which tells a story centred on Polynesian voyaging, using Tokelauan and Sāmoan languages in the song.
The Billions Award is presented by APRA AMCOS, the Australian and New Zealand music rights organisation, to recognise songs that reach one billion streams on platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. 'We Know The Way' has surpassed this milestone, marking its significant global reach.
The award highlights how a song rooted in Polynesian culture and languages has achieved worldwide popularity. It demonstrates the potential for culturally specific storytelling to connect with mass audiences internationally.