Moana musicians up for Pacific Music Awards in Auckland tonight

Keeping things authentic was always key for two Pacific musicians involved in Disney's first movie featuring Polynesia.

Father-and-daughter combo Opetaia and Olivia Foa'i are among Pasifika musicians nominated in tonight's Pacific Music Awards, in Auckland.

Speaking on NZ Herald Focus today, the pair talked about their involvement on the animated film, Moana, and how they had pushed to ensure the songs they were helping to create stayed true to Polynesia.

Olivia Foa'i said: "For me, I just had a great time working with Dad. He has so much vision and so much to say...and he really always stays true to the purpose with the story of ancient Polynesia.

"I was just focused on: 'I want to do everything that I can to make sure that that message stays the way that he intended it'.

"So I had a lot of fun and then I realised: 'Oh, this is a big movie! It's this big Hollywood thing'. I'm glad we were able to put in that genuineness."

Olivia's name pops up in two categories tonight, nominated for Best Pacific Language (song) and Best Pacific Female Artist.

The other finalists in the latter category are Aaradhna and La Coco.

Gramma Tala and Moana in a scene from the Disney film. Photo / Disney

Olivia's nomination in both categories is for the song Tulou Tagaloa, which her father wrote. It - and Olivia's voice - is the very first thing audiences hear when the movie starts.

Opetaia has long been respected among Pacific musicians for his work with well-established Pacific group Te Vaka, who feature heavily in the Moana soundtrack.

He said working on Disney's first big nod to Polynesia was a privilege and he paid tribute to a number of other Polynesians and Kiwis involved in the film, including Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Rachel House and Jemaine Clement, who plays a large jewel-obsessed crab.

Referring to Pacific people, Opetaia Foa'i said: "This is our movie...no one else's.

"We had a huge Polynesian ensemble. It could not have gone wrong [because] there were too many of us, to not get it right.''

Olivia said: "I love the fact that before, I travel a lot and you say: 'I'm Polynesian'. And there used to be a lot of people like: 'What's that?'

"Now it's like, 'oh yeah, we've seen Moana, the movie. We know what Polynesia is'."

*For more info visit: Vodafone Pacific Music Awards