Within the movie, this song is sent as a spiritual message to Moana and can be viewed as her ancestors trying to tell her who her people truly are in their hearts. It becomes a celebration of voyaging, and the Polynesian pride that comes from being the world’s original great navigators.

The song was first revealed at the 2015 D23 Expo, and was performed, live, by Opetaia Foa'i and his band. It was also used for the English language teaser trailer for the movie.

Since the song was originally slated to open the movie in a “Circle of Life” kind of birth scene, it was the first song written and composed for the film by Mark Mancina, Opetaia Foa’i, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.