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The track is a highlight of Moana: Voices Across the Ocean, a companion album to the recent live-action Moana. Johnson executive-produced the album with his wife, Lauren Hashian.
He co-wrote the song with Iam Tongi, the Hawaiian singer who won American Idol in 2023. Johnson explained the emotional origins of the track to Rolling Stone. He said:
“Iam sent me a song called ‘My Dad’ about his father who passed away. I heard it and got very emotional. I said, ‘I’m not ready to sing this to my dad.’ I have a complicated relationship with my dad.“
He asked Tongi to rewrite it so he could sing it to his daughters. The song became “Your Dad.”
Johnson reflected on his musical influences. He grew up listening to Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, and Merle Haggard. He also spent time in Nashville as a teenager. He said:
“I love old-school soul, with some country flavour. That’s how I grew up. I want to go and write and sing and explore the things that I love.”
The star is now exploring more music. He envisions something in the Soul and Country genres.
Take a listen to ‘Your Dad’ below…
