Amid the divisive audience response to the Moana 2 soundtrack, Lin-Manuel Miranda has now explained his absence from the sequel in a new interview.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is opening up about why he didn’t return for Moana 2. Miranda, who wrote the music for 2016’s Moana and received an Oscar nomination for the song “How Far I’ll Go,” recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his latest work on Mufasa: The Lion King alongside the film’s director Barry Jenkins.

In a new interview, Lin-Manuel Miranda shared why he didn't return for the sequel, despite writing award-winning songs for Disney's 2016 animated hit.

Lin-Manuel Miranda was noticeably absent from Moana 2. Miranda, who received an Oscar nomination for the song “How Far I’ll Go” in Moana, did not work on the music for the sequel. Instead, Miranda was the composer and lyricist on Mufasa: The Lion King.

Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear called Lin-Manuel Miranda for advice while working on the hit animated Disney sequel

Exclusive: Miranda tells ‘The Independent’ he was impressed by ‘how far’ star Auliʻi Cravalho’s voice has come

He told PEOPLE that he's “really proud" of 'Moana 2' composers Opetaia Foa'i, Mark Mancina, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear

EXCLUSIVE: Moana 2 composer Mark Mancina defends Lin-Manuel Miranda’s absence in the Disney sequel and teases the songwriter’s work on Mufasa.