Cravalho was born in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, and is of Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Irish descent.
At the time she was cast in Moana, Cravalho lived in Mililani, Hawaii, with her mother, and was in her freshman year of high school at Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama campus. She has claimed that she was initially not going to audition because "there were already so many great submissions over YouTube". However, an agent from Oahu recognized her talent and encouraged her to audition for the role.
The Walt Disney Company has stated that hundreds of Polynesian women auditioned for the role, and Cravalho was the last person to audition.
How Far I'll Go
Auli'i Cravalho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Long as I can remember, never really knowing why
I wish I could be the perfect daughter
But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try
Every turn I take, every trail I track
Every path I make, every road leads back
To the place I know, where I cannot go, where I long to be
See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I'll know
If I go, there's just no telling how far I'll go
I know everybody on this island seems so happy, on this island
Everything is by design
I know everybody on this island has a role on this island
So maybe I can roll with mine
I can lead with pride, I can make us strong
I'll be satisfied if I play along
But the voice inside sings a different song
What is wrong with me?
See the light as it shines on the sea? It's blinding
But no one knows, how deep it goes
And it seems like it's calling out to me, so come find me
And let me know
What's beyond that line? Will I cross that line?
The line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I'll know
How far I'll go
The song "How Far I'll Go" by Auli'i Cravalho is from the movie Moana. The song is about the longing of Moana, the singer, for the unknown and unfamiliar, despite the expectations and traditions of her island community. The song begins with Moana being drawn to the ocean - an unexplored space that promises adventure, freedom, and excitement. Moana expresses her reservations about not being able to fulfill the expectations of her community, represented by a desire to be the "perfect daughter." However, she cannot resist the call of the sea, which she recognizes as her true destiny.
The chorus of the song has Moana singing about the pull of the horizon and the unknown possibilities it represents. Moana says that no one knows how far the horizon goes; however, the feeling of the ocean behind her back determines that she will find out just how far she'll go. The bridge of the song has Moana feeling conflicted between her desire to explore and excel and her duty to her community. Moana feels like she might disappoint her community by exploring beyond their island. However, Moana is hopeful that if she follows her instincts, she will discover her true identity.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been staring at the edge of the water
I have spent a long time contemplating by the water, but with no understanding of why.
'Long as I can remember, never really knowing why
For as long as I can recall, I have been considering the sea, yet I am uncertain about my purpose in doing so.
I wish I could be the perfect daughter
I would like to meet others' expectations of me as doing what is 'right.'
But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try
Despite my attempts to focus elsewhere, my mind always wanders back to the shoreline.
Every turn I take, every trail I track
With each step that I take and with every path I follow,
Every path I make, every road leads back
Every journey I take will lead me to the same familiar place.
To the place I know, where I can not go, where I long to be
It's a location I can't go to but still yearn to be there.
See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
There is a place where the sea and the sky link, and it calls me.
And no one knows, how far it goes
I am unsure about what lays on the other side, and there is no way to predict
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
If the tides do not change and the wind guides me, then possibly, just maybe
One day I'll know, if I go there's just no telling how far I'll go
When I go- exploring what is beyond- how farther will my path lead me, there is no telling.
I know everybody on this island, seems so happy on this island
I'm aware of everybody on this island, but don't understand why they're content.
Everything is by design
The reasons behind stuff on this island are calculated and planned.
I know everybody on this island has a role on this island
Everybody on the island has a responsibility they need to fulfill
So maybe I can roll with mine
So, I may attempt to match along with the others.
I can lead with pride, I can make us strong
I may lead and make us more powerful with the assurance I own.
I'll be satisfied if I play along
I may be fulfilled by simply playing along with the status quo.
But the voice inside sings a different song
However, the voice inside me begs for me to follow my guts.
What is wrong with me?
I am perplexed about why I can't fit into the lifestyle on this island.
See the light as it shines on the sea? It's blinding
The light that shines on the ocean is too bright to glance at.
And no one knows, how deep it goes
No one knows how far down the light goes.
And it seems like it's calling out to me, so come find me
It seems like the light is calling me to find out more about it.
And let me know, what's beyond that line, will I cross that line?
I would like to know what is outside of that line and if it's possible for me to cross it.
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
If the tides do not change and the wind guides me, then possibly, just maybe
One day I'll know, how far I'll go
When I go- exploring what is beyond- how farther will my path lead me, there is no telling.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind