Lin-Manuel Didn't Write 'Moana 2' Songs, but This Dynamic Female Duo Did

The long-awaited sequel to Disney's Moana (2016), Moana 2, hit theaters on Nov. 27, 2024, and earned a whopping $221 million over a five-day period, according to People. The film follows Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho), Maui (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), and others on a thrilling new adventure, complete with a fantastic lineup of music that helps bring the story to life.

While the original film featured music composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, he did not return for Moana 2, leaving many fans wondering: Who wrote the music for Moana 2? The answer is a dynamic duo who made history with their contributions to the film. Let’s meet the women behind the Moana 2 soundtrack.

The songs featured in Moana 2 were composed by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, better known as Barlow & Bear. The duo made history with the film as the youngest composers ever to write music for a Disney animated film, and as the first all-female writing team to do so, according to their official website. Needless to say, their contribution to the film is a big deal!

ABC 7 caught up with Barlow & Bear at the premiere of Moana 2, where Emily admitted, "[Abigail] has a very good brain for lyrics, and I have a good brain for music, so it works!" Abigail added, "I think if little girls can look up to us and say 'I can do that too,' then we've done our job."

Abigail and Emily are a powerhouse together, having co-written the musical adaptation of the Bridgerton series, The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, which earned them a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2022.

Separately, though, the ladies are a force to be reckoned with on their own. Emily is a pianist, performer, and composer, and even served as a pianist on Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour in 2023. Her music is also featured in the 2024 Netflix holiday film Our Little Secret, starring Lindsay Lohan and Ian Harding (yes, we're talking about Ezra from Pretty Little Liars!).

As for Abigail, she’s "a sought-after pop songwriter for major label artists, actress, and independent artist with over 20 million streams," according to their website. She recently released the single, "Modern Day Madonna."

Lin-Manuel Miranda did not write the music for Moana 2, despite his role in composing the music for the original film. It’s unclear why Lin didn’t compose the music for the sequel, but he was still involved in the musical process, working closely with Barlow & Bear.

Abigail shared with ABC 7 that Lin "was really, really helpful, especially in the inception when we decided to set sail." She added that Lin also "gave me a bunch of books about true rhymes and about musical theater storytelling."

Emily added that Lin made himself available to help with the musical composition for the film, saying, "Yeah, he was a FaceTime call away," and "We reached out for some advice a few times!" Although Lin can’t be credited for composing the actual music featured in Moana 2, he played a part in bringing it to life.