AWOLNATION + MĀKUA Drop “Catch a Wave” Tribute Single
AWOLNATION Teams Up With MĀKUA to Honor Surfers Lost at Sea on New Single “Catch a Wave”
Some songs hit like a set wave – you feel it coming, you brace for impact, and you come out the other side changed.
That is the energy behind “Catch a Wave,” a new collaboration between Aaron Bruno of AWOLNATION and big wave world champion and musician MĀKUA (Makua Rothman) – a tribute to surfers lost at sea, and a reminder of the ocean’s strange duality: it gives everything, and it can take everything.
A collab that started on the road – not in a boardroom
This pairing has been brewing for a minute. The connection sparked through producer Jimmy Messer (who has a long creative history with Bruno) and turned into real chemistry on tour. By the time the two artists stepped into the studio, the bond was already there – on stage, backstage, and everywhere in between.
And the timing made sense. Messer and Bruno go way back to AWOLNATION’s early era, and Messer is now helping guide MĀKUA’s next chapter via Villains for Good.
Why Aaron Bruno never released it solo
Bruno has been clear about why the song needed the right moment – and the right partner:
“I wrote the song about a fellow surfer passing away in the water. 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.”
MĀKUA echoed the purpose behind the track:
“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.”
That shared intent is the core of “Catch a Wave” – not tragedy for clicks, but reverence.
Check the video below:
“Wave Warriors” – a tribute video built to remember
The music video leans fully into the memorial aspect, honoring what MĀKUA calls the “Wave Warriors” – surfers who passed doing what they loved.
And if you know Makua Rothman’s story, you know he is not singing from the sidelines – he’s lived the razor-thin line between consequence and survival that defines big wave surfing.
MĀKUA Tour Dates:
2/26 – Las Vegas, NV – #Happens Alternative Radio Conference
2/27 – San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Brew Rocks**
2/28 – Stateline, NV – Harrah’s Lake Tahoe – South Shore Room**
3/1 – Menlo, CA – The Guild Theatre**
3/4 – Chico, CA – The Big Room at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.**
3/5 – Medford, OR – Holly Theatre**
3/6 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater**
3/7 – Bellingham, WA – Wild Buffalo**
3/8 – Tacoma, WA – Spanish Ballroom at the Elks Temple**
3/11 – Park City, UT – The Maquis Park City**
3/12 – Teton Village, WY – Mangy Moose**
3/13 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre**
6/12 – Redmond, OR – Reggae Rise Up
6/20 – Virginia Beach, VA – Point Break Festival
= **Makua Supporting G.Love & The Special Sauce
Stream “Catch a Wave” online HERE
Bottom line: “Catch a Wave” is the kind of track that fits Revolt’s lane perfectly – music with real stakes, made by people who understand risk, loss, and why the ocean keeps calling us back anyway.
