Watch AWOLNATION and Makua 'Catch A Wave'

Official Announcement | Published: Feb 21, 2026 12:31 PM EST

(KM) AWOLNATION and Makua have teamed up for a new single and video entitled "Catch A Wave". We were sent the following details: In what's shaping up to be one of 2026's standout collaborations, "Catch A Wave" brings together two artists who've already built their own distinct lanes: Aaron Bruno - the multi-platinum force behind AWOLNATION - and MAKUA, the Big Wave World Champion whose rising alt-rock sound mirrors the charge he brings to the ocean.

Their connection began through producer and Villains For Good label head Jimmy Messer, and mutual respect quickly grew into a working rhythm. In 2025, MAKUA joined AWOLNATION on The Phantom Five Tour across North America and Europe, where the two discovered an easy, unforced chemistry - on stage, backstage, and everywhere in between.

Messer and Bruno have a long creative history, having built AWOLNATION's debut, Megalithic Symphony, together - the album that went multi-platinum and produced the breakout hit "Sail". With Messer now helping steer MAKUA's next chapter, the timing to bring these two worlds together finally aligned. "Catch A Wave" is the natural next step for two artists whose connection proved itself long before they ever stepped into the studio.

"I wrote the song about a fellow surfer passing away in the water," said Aaron Bruno from AWOLNATION. "It never felt appropriate to release on my own. Then I met Makua, and given the big wave champion that he is, the timing felt right."

MAKUA added, "Music gives us a way to bring back the memories of our friends who have passed and help carry their legacies forward. The song is a way to make sure they are not forgotten."

For MAKUA, the song carries profound emotional weight. The accompanying video pays tribute to what he calls the "Wave Warriors" - surfers who have passed away.