A few weeks ago, no one really knew who Auli’i Cravalho is. Millions of people saw the movie Moana and were stunned by the amount of amazing vocal performances. Moana, the main character of the Disney movie, was voices by Auli’i, a 16-year old young woman who happens to resemble the character herself.

Auli’i has spoken about about how she has had a passion for singing her whole life. However, it is reasonable to assume that her recent fame is beyond what she could have predicted. Moana seems like the perfect way to expose Auli’i to the world and kick-start her professional career. Moana was one of Disney’s biggest recent hits, making an accumulative 81.1 million dollars in the box office. This huge success shows just how much people enjoyed the movie and its catchy songs. Sidney Tran (12) said, “I saw Moana three times in theaters, and I love hearing the songs even now.” Surely, many people like Sidney were impressed with Auli’i’s portrayal of Moana.

More recently,  Auli’i Cravalho had her biggest red carpet debut at the Oscars, where she actually had the opportunity to perform her song on the stage. The song “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana was nominated for the Best Original Song. Although it did not end up winning, this was a huge accomplishment for Auli’i because only five people have the honor of receiving a nomination each year.

On the red carpet, Auli’i Cravalho wowed the critics with a beautiful white dress with ruffles on the front. She looked stunning on the carpet, and was even on the best-dresses list on many fashion networks. This was the perfect way for Auli’i to present herself to the world. However, perhaps the biggest reason why everyone seems to love her is because of her personality. In all her interviews, her radiant smile and sweet personality shined through the media and made an impact on her fan base. Surely, the world will be eager to see what she does next.

The Oscar performance itself was a huge success also. Auli’i wore a gorgeous red dress while she sang “How Far I’ll Go.” Even though this was her first high-profile performance, she did not appear nervous at all. She was even able to remain composed and professional after one of the dancers accidentally hit the top of her her with a flag. This only shows just how serious Auli’i is about her music. She will not let anything stop her from continuing to follow her dreams in the music industry.