Iration x Maoli new single ‘Roots’ out today

Hawaiʻi-bred, California-based alternative reggae-rock band Iration releases their new single “Roots” in collaboration with Maui recording artist Maoli today, Nov. 14, 2025 via Three Prong Records.

Recorded at The Arcade in Los Angeles, CA, the song’s bass-heavy rhythms meet catchy, laid-back melodies to create a smooth and poignant, earworm. The song’s lyrics echo both Iration and Maoli’s deep island ties, an ode to growing up in Hawaiʻi and their shared love of the land and its people. 

Just a young kid, from a place nobody’s heard of
Out in the country, where you get what you deserve
And it’s a long road, when you grow up in the Valley of the Kings
Chasing California dreams… 
Them roots, yeah they grow a long way down

Iration vocalist and guitarist Micah Pueschel – whose family goes back three generations on Maui with a former homestead that burned in the Lahaina fires – said of the new song: “We’ve been exploring different sounds for as long as we’ve been a band. We’ve tried many styles but we always love coming back to our roots. We grew up in the islands and the music, memories and culture have kept us grounded through our career. We tried to channel that with ‘Roots.’ We wanted to feature a Hawaiian artist and were lucky to be able to get Maoli on the song. He is a rising star and one of the great voices in reggae and country music and he absolutely crushed it.”

Born on the north shore of Maui, veteran performer Glenn Awong, who records and releases music as Maoli, made national headlines in 2025 for transcending the borders between island reggae and country soul music. With nine independent albums and over half a billion global streams, Maoli has carved a path into the mainstream by showing the musical kinship between country folk and island lifers. His golden-voiced addition to “Roots” is the capstone on a collaboration that may touch the hearts of Hawaiians and beyond.

Hailing from Hawaiʻi and now based in Southern California, Iration has racked up more than 1 billion total streams worldwide and established themselves as one of the most popular reggae-rock bands in the world, with their classic songs “Time Bomb” and “Falling” reaching RIAA certified gold status in 2020.

Iration’s sun-drenched songs have also garnered critical acclaim with American Songwriter, Billboard, All Music, The Noise and others. Touring nationally since 2008, Iration is renowned for their captivating live performances. They’ve performed at major music festivals like Outside Lands, Lollapalooza, Hangout Fest, Cali Vibes Fest, Bottlerock; as well as special performances for the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Kelly Slater, and Senator Bernie Sanders.

Visit irationmusic.com for Iration music, merch and tickets – including 2026 Hawaiʻi tour dates to be announced soon.

Lyrics:

Iration -“Roots” with Maoli

Just a young kid
From a place nobody’s heard of
Out in the country
Where you get what your deserve
And it’s a long road
When you grow up in the valley
Of the kings chasing California dreams

Driving coast to coast
In rain and through the snow
After the ghost of a dream
Living life mostly
Trying to survive
The thing that kept me being me

Was them roots
Yeah they grow a long way down, woah
Them roots, roots
Yeah they grow a long way down

Ya la la la
Ya la la la
Ya la la la

From a country boy
To the city
Never knew that the road was such a heartbreak
So many nights under the spotlight
Singing the songs that make you feel right
And when it comes onto me heavyI’ll take a look all around
Now I’m readyTo give you the sound
To spread it aroundTo town to town
Oh what a feeling
To be giving them all the roots, woah yeah now

Roots
Yeah they grow a long way down
Them roots
Yeah they grow a long way down, woah
Them roots roots
Yeah they grow a long way down
Them roots roots
Yeah they grow a long way down
Yeah down, down, down

And we’re still on that journey
Through the blood and sweat
It’s a never-changing destination
And no, we’re not there yet
KOA up to Santa Barbara
Florida, and in Colorado
Plant the seed
And we watch it grow
Feel the love everywhere we go

Roots
Yeah they grow a long way down, woah
Them roots
Yeah they grow a long way down, woah
Them roots roots
Yeah they grow a long way down, woah
Them roots roots
Yeah they grow a long way down

Ya la la la
Ya la la la
Ya la la la