Who Sings The 'Lava' Song?

If there's one thing for certain about your experience seeing a Pixar movie, it's that you're guaranteed to tear up (okay, ugly cry) many, many times. The studio has a knack for making films that tug at your heart, and in theaters for its latest film, Inside Out, the sobs will be flowing. To make matters even more embarrassing, they'll be happening before the movie even begins; Lava , the short film that airs before Inside Out , is a heartbreaker. A tale about a lonely volcano and his search for love, the film contains gorgeous visuals, powerful themes, and a tune so addicting it'll be stuck in your head forever. The "Lava" song features the beautiful voices of two singers, so if you need someone to blame for all the crying you'll be doing in public over the next few days, they're the ones.

Hawaiian musicians Kuana Torres Kahele and Napua Greig sing the parts of Uke, the volcano searching for his soulmate, and Lele (get it?), the volcano who hears Uke's song, respectively. Both people are successful artists in their native country; Kahele released an award-winning album in 2011, and Greig is a singer, dancer, and teacher. Together, they gave life to the volcanoes in Lava through both dialogue and song, singing the lyrics of a tune written by the short's director, James Ford Murphy.

As for the song itself, Murphy has said that his longtime love of Hawaiian music, particularly the use of ukulele, inspired him while writing. He taught himself to play the instrument, buying a uke while visiting the island and using inspiration from famed late singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole to come up with the song. Said Murphy in an interview with Yahoo, “I thought that if I could marry the rich imagery and with the power and emotion of music, then I could really make something cool.”

Check out Murphy discussing Lava and playing a version of the tune below, because admit it: you're never, ever getting "Lava" out of your head. But really, with a song that good, do you even want to?

Image: Walt Disney Studios