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Māori kapa haka performance of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is the ultimate cultural mash-up

Unexpected—and awesome.

maori kapa haka, queen, bohemian rhapsody, new zealand, maori choir
Ian Ridpath/YouTube

A Māori choir sings the Queen classic "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" has been covered dozens of different ways, but you've never seen it performed like this.

As one of the most iconic songs in rock music, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is recognizable no matter how it's done. As children, my brother and I used to belt out Galileos and Figaros in the backseat of our parents' Volkswagon whenever the song came on (yes, just like in Wayne's World). While other kids learned about Beelzebub in Sunday School, I learned about him from Queen's perfect harmonies. If there were an anthem from my classic-rock-filled childhood, it would be "Bohemian Rhapsody."

It's one of those songs that is hard to cover well, though it hasn't stopped people from trying. Some renditions are definitely better than others, but this kapa haka version from New Zealand has caught people's attention and delight like few "Bohemian Rhapsody" covers have.

A Māori choir in native garb sang the song live in the Māori language, and it is something to see.

The group Hātea performed the song on February 21, 2019, at New Zealand's national kapa haka festival, Te Matatini, in Wellington. The festival brings 46 kapa haka (Māori performing arts) groups together to compete against one another.

Newshub reports that Hātea collaborated with musical artist William Waiirua to create a "Bohemian Rhapsody" cover in the Māori language, both as a tribute to Freddie Mercury and to celebrate the Oscar-nominated movie about his life.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The group had previously created a music video for their cover, but seeing it performed live is something else. The voices, the harmony, the presentation—everything—is wonderful.

This kind of cultural mashup reminds us how small our world has become.

The contrast between Queen's 1970s British rock and the Māori people's traditional kapa haka could not be more striking. And yet, the melding of the two totally works. Music has the power to bring people together, and this performance is a great example of how it can bridge cultures with beautiful results.

Watch the live performance here:

- YouTubeyoutu.be

People loved seeing it:

"Lump in the throat. Im so proud to be a Kiwi. This Kapa haka group is so talented. The harmonies are fantastic. The Maori language is so precious as are our Maori people. I could listen to this group over and over again. Spectacular."

"I was just totally moved, and have legitimately got goosebumps from this beautiful Maori rendition, of a Queen classic, Bohemian Rhapsody. I just had this wave of emotion, come soaring throughout my whole entire body."

"I’m just a simple Aussie but that was incredibly moving, something inherently beautiful about the Polynesian peoples, don’t ever change."

"Freddie told his executor before he died that he didn’t care what was done with his legacy, just ‘don’t make me boring’. This is exactly the kind of thing he was hoping would happen with his legacy when he said that."

"The reach of this song, far and wide, across all kinds of languages, cultures and ages, is astounding. This is GLORIOUS. No one could have imagined this in 1974/75. Thank goodness the record exec who said it wouldn't sell didn't stop Queen from releasing it back then."

"That was freaking awesome! Freddy is smiling down on this! Thank you!"

As one commenter pointed out, it's interesting how often "mama" is a common word among different languages. It's unmistakable in this song, even if you don't understand any of the other words.

And if you want more, check out the official music video for the "Bohemian Rhapsody" cover as well:

- YouTubeyoutu.be


This article originally appeared six years ago.

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Joy

5 small things that made us smile this week

We're giving you the small things that make us smile, every single week

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Hey, have you heard? Life is kind of stressful. Between a news cycle that just won’t quit and the never-ending temptation to doom-scroll, finding small moments of joy throughout the day has become more important than ever.

Case in point: A dog wearing sunglasses.

A news headline that makes you want to high-five a million angels.

A sweet snack that boosts your dopamine, courtesy of our friends at All In.

Or a tweet so perfectly timed it restores your faith in the algorithm (even if only for a second).



These momentary mood boosters are everywhere you look—you just have to be able to find them underneath all the noise. And that’s where we come in.

Consider this weekly web series your cheat sheet to the best of the Internet—not just random memes to make you laugh, but examples of people truly finding something extraordinary in the mundane. We'll be delivering five pieces of media that allow you to stop for a second, take a breath, and feel just a little bit brighter among the daily stress. (Think of us as your chronically online bestie who knows exactly how to make you smile, exactly when you need it the most.)

Ready to laugh? Have your heart melted? Cry happy tears? Let's get into it.

1. Petunia the pig

@knightk64 #petuniathepig#fyp#babypig#alltheprettygirls#animallove ♬ original sound - petuniathepig1

With over nine million views on a single video alone, you know there’s got to be something special about Petunia the Pig. And there is. Behold: the tiniest, most adorable pig we’ve ever laid eyes on. Abandoned by her pig mother, Petunia is a spotted teacup pig who was taken in by TikTok user @knightk64, and we’re all the better for it. She snorts (squeaks) constantly. She tippy-taps across the floor. She takes long naps nestled in her favorite blanket. And she now even has an adopted teacup pig sister named Rosie. Not to be dramatic, but we’d die for this pig.

2. Pop Muzik dances 

@ptpowers Everyone’s #foryoupage the @project21 dance or just us? #dad #baby #dance #fyp #trending ♬ Pop Muzik - M & Robin Scott

Remember when TikTok used to be a dancing app? The dance trends are making a comeback now in the best way—and this new trend is the most fun we’ve seen people having on this app in a while.

The trend started when a mega-talented group of girls from the Project 21 dance studio performed at the NYCDA 2025 dance competition in Las Vegas back in early April. Not only did the girls nab some of the highest awards at the competition, their recorded performance quickly went viral. The song choice? The 1979 classic “Pop Muzik.” The dance? Impossible to look away from. (Here’s a short clip of the girls in all their glory.)

While the original dance is just so fun to watch, what might be even more fun is seeing all the copycat performances and tutorials that have been launched across TikTok ever since. If this doesn’t make you want to get up and dance, nothing will.

3. Seeking out the extra in the ordinary 

There are so many beautiful moments each day that are worth noticing, and the folks at All In are out to help us recognize them. Each week, the All In crew takes to the streets to find the "extra" in the ordinary—small moments of joy that make a typical day just a little bit brighter. Today's moment of joy? Finding community and feeling like you're part of something really special. Can't get much better than that.

4. This tweet series about COVID lockdowns 

Back in 2023, a study in the British Medical Journal made headlines when it claimed that the COVID lockdowns of 2020 only “minimally” affected people’s mental health. As you can probably guess, when news of the study hit Twitter, people were not having it.

Cue one of the funniest and most eye-opening discussions of mental health we’ve possibly ever had as a society. Thousands of people took to the Internet to quote-tweet the article, sharing the most unhinged things they did while stuck in the confines of their house or bedroom, such as: Learning how to play a recorder with one nostril. Watching Glee 26 times in a row. Throwing a birthday party for the dishwasher. The list goes on.

As the fifth year anniversary of COVID lockdowns just passed, these tweets are circulating again. They’re funny, they’re raw, and they shine a spotlight on the effects of isolation on mental health in a way that’s never been done before. Here’s part one of a series, and here are some more. Enjoy!

5. Thirst edits featuring regular people

@coreymbrandon thank you 🥹 @Chili’s Grill & Bar #chilis #CapCut ♬ som original - helo

Here’s where the writer of this article shows her age and admits that, before this trend, she had no idea what a thirst edit was. Allow us to break it down for you: According to ChatGPT, a thirst edit is a video (or series of short videos), usually with specific music or text overlays, created to be seductive and attention grabbing. (Kinda like this, only set to music.)

This new trend takes a normal thirst edit and flips it on its head. Instead of trying to seduce the audience, people are now using thirst traps to romanticize daily life—stuff like eating mozzarella sticks at Chili’s, or hanging out by the pool—or to cheekily boost their own confidence. Set to the song “My Bubble Gum” by Rasheeda, this trend is just normal, everyday people absolutely feeling themselves and celebrating ordinary life. We love to see it.


For even more “extra”-ordinary moments, come find us on social media (@upworthy) or on upworthy.com!

For scrumptious snacks that add an extra boost of joy to your day, be sure to check out All In.

Pop Culture

Real women trying on 'micro shorts' is the comedy gold we didn't know we needed

Proof we don't need to force ourselves to fit into trends…unless we're needing a good laugh.

Prisma Photo via Canva/Bianca Marie Arreola via Canva

Women are trying Free People's 'micro shorts' with hilarious commentary

With every season, comes a new trendy fashion item that retailers push as the must-have piece. But as we know, no trend is universally flattering.

Case and point, last year, when Free People, a specialty lifestyle brand for bohemian styled fashion, released its "micro shorts," which, as you can probably guess, are teeny tiny. They might check off all the requirements for a pair of shorts...except, they appear to be about the length of underwear.

If you're thinking "there's no way those would look good," you're not wrong! And to prove that point, a couple of women bought some to try on so you don't have to. The videos are not only honest but hilarious.

In one video Nicole Walters, a New York Times best selling author and mom to three girls, decided to order the shorts to see how they looked on someone with, "thigh meat." She wears a size 12 and often jokes about being a curvier on the bottom. When she pulled the shorts out, it looked as if she was going to have to perform a magic trick to get them on. They looked to be the size a small child would wear, but they seemed to have gone on easily even though they looked extremely uncomfortable. She looked uncomfortable. The viewers likely looked uncomfortable.

"Oh wow. They're in there and by in there I mean everywhere. There's a lot of thigh meat happening right now in the, this region," Walters says as she gestures at her upper thighs. "There's some thigh meat, um...uh...I feel like they're definitely in some places that I didn't know I had."

Walter's review of the shorts has people in stitches as she jokes about her Christianity falling out of the shorts.

"It’s the Barbie walk for me lol!!! Thank you for your service," one person says.

"The way you warn us that you’re going to turn around almost made me scream with laughter," someone writes.

"I'm just going to go ahead and dial 911 for help bc looks like you may need the jaws of life to come out them shorts...lol!! Your commentary had me dying laughing..lol," another commenter jokes.

In another Free People "micro shorts" try on video, Nicole Story Dent braved the itty bitty shorts to show her audience the summer trend they can look forward to seeing. The first pair of shorts has multiple flaps that appear to be large pockets which inspires Dent to pretend to fly in them before the discomfort sinks in.

"It's kinda giving waitress...if they ever want to make a Waffle House-Hooters hybrid, we have their uniform, "she said. "We have been asking for more pockets so they delivered. Speaking of delivered, you could deliver a baby without having to take these shorts off."

Dent guessed that the shorts would be more like "jundies" or "janties" than jorts, the shorthand term for jean shorts. Commenters couldn't stop laughing at her description of the shorts while others provided her with words of wisdom.

"Do NOT drop it low in these jundies, that kind of contact with the club floor is NOT hygienic," someone wrote.

"'There is nothing vegan about these. There is absolutely a cat being harmed!' I’m cackling! You really should win something from Free People for this! @freepeople we found your next model," another person joked.

"This is the kind of content the internet was made for, it’s just so good. However my thighs started getting chafed just watching this," added a third.

If you're brave enough to give these micro shorts a try, go ahead and stock up on some baby powder for all the chaffing. However, it's all about long Bermuda shorts this year. And since no one can keep up with fashion's rapid pace anyway, why not just stick with what feels good?

This article originally appeared last year.

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Pop Culture

Women spots alarming lock on the outside of women's restroom at Texas gas station

“This is a perfect example of see something, say something. Probably helped save girls and women!"

Photo credit: Canva

Everyone should be aware of this.

An alarming video is making rounds on TikTok, showing an external lock fitted to the women's restroom in a Texas gas station. Only on the outside. And only for the women’s restroom.

In the nearly six-minute clip, which has been viewed six million times, a woman named Shelby detailed the unsettling “contraption” she spotted at an Exxon in the city of College Station.

“Maybe I’m crazy but if I am, I would love to know what this contraption is for,” she wrote in her caption. She then demonstrated how the lock could automatically engage once the door closed, leaving a woman trapped inside unless someone from the outside releases it.

@momcallsmeshelby Maybe I’m crazy but if I am, I would love to know what this contraption is for 🙂
♬ original sound - 𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕓𝕪 🦋

“You have no way of getting out,” she said. Even more disturbing, she also filmed the outside of the men’s room, which obviously did not have such a device.

Shelby recalled that filming her video apparently made the gas station employees “irate,” and kept giving her gestures to indicate they were watching her.

Rightfully, Shelby contacted the police. When they arrived, the workers insisted that the lock was there as protection, to inhibit a “large group of hispanic men” from “destroying” the facility, which supposedly happened in the past.

@momcallsmeshelby Someone ease my mind and tell me I’m crazy & explain the purpose of this thing……
♬ original sound - 𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕓𝕪 🦋

As you are probably thinking, and as both Shelby and the police agreed, the explanation was incredibly “sketchy” and “didn’t really make sense” since the lock in no way prevented the facility from being destroyed, nor did it keep anyone from entering the restroom.

Considering that Texas is ranked as the second state in the country with the highest rate of human trafficking victims, and that there are many “vulnerable young girls” who live nearby at A&M University, Shelby was right to be alarmed and send out a video as a warning.

She was far from the only one concerned. It wasn’t long before other women began applauding Shelby for taking action.

“This is a perfect example of see something, say something. You went with your guy and probably helped save girls and women! Thank you!"

“A remote controlled lock on the outside of a women’s restroom is absolutely NOT NORMAL! Always always always trust your instincts.”

“As someone who stops in public restrooms all over the country I truly appreciate this post! I will be checking every door I go into now.”

While the police officer Shelby talked to told her that legally there was nothing the department could do (which set off a whole conversation as to whether or not police officers are normally secretly “involved” in this type of activity), she did end up contacting the local Fire Marshal, who did remove the lock.

In a different video (around 55 seconds in) we hear the Marshal telling an employee, “You can call your boss, but no matter how he feels about it, it’s coming down today in front of me, with my tools or yours.”

@nochillheather thank you @𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕓𝕪 🦋 for bringing this to light. Regardless of what it is, it should never have been on this door. Mighty thankful the police were ON IT & taking it serious 🙏🏻🫡 Anywho stay safe out there everyone but mostly the girlies. 🙂↔️💓✨ #sextraffickingawareness #womensafetytips #womensafety #gasstationstorytime #exxon #fypシ ♬ original sound - Heather 🧚🏼♂️

Of course this is something women should not have to deal with. But in lieu of eradicating every bad guy out there, raising awareness on things like this can at least keep us a little safer.

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Family

Mom is mortified after her kindergartner tells the teacher what she does for a living

"So, this wasn't on my bingo card."

via Canva/Photos

A mom is embarrassed by her child.

One of the great joys and stresses of parenting is that you never know what will come out of your child’s mouth. When you have kids who are young and inquisitive, they can say really inappropriate things to people without knowing that they were being rude or possibly offensive. TikTok influencer Aurora McCausland (@auroramccausland), known for her DIY cleaning tips, recently told a funny story on the platform about how her son believes she makes a living. The problem was that she heard about it from her child's teacher.

@auroramccausland

so this wasn’t on my bingo card 🥲 #momlife #momtok #sahm #sahmlife #funnyvideo #fypシ

“The other day, I went and picked my five year old up from school and when I get to his classroom his teacher pulls me inside and says, ‘Hey, today he wanted to tell us about what Mommy does for work and said that Mommy makes videos in her bedroom but only when I'm [he’s] not at home,” McCausland recalled.

Given her body language while telling the story, McCausland was clearly mortified after hearing what her child said to his teacher. It makes it look like she may be posting videos to adult sites while her child is at work, which most people wouldn’t want their son’s teacher to know about.

The good news is that another teacher was there to clarify the young boy's comments by adding, “I think she makes TikTok videos.” The uncomfortable situation was a great invitation to chat with her son about what she does for a living. “So I have to have a conversation with my son about how he tells people what I do for work,” she finished her video.

teacher, funny teacher, teacher posing, kindergarten, funny kidsA teacher folding her hands.via Canva/Photos

The funny video went viral, earning over 1.7 million views on TikTok, and inspired many people to share the times when their children had funny ways of explaining their careers.

"My son told everyone that we were homeless (because we don’t own our home, we rent)," KBR wrote.

"I work in ortho.. my daughter told her teacher I steal people's knees bc she heard me talking to my husband about a knee replacement," Aingeal wrote.

"My son told a teacher we were living in our car over the summer. Camping. We went camping," Kera wrote.

"In kinder, my son thought Red Bull was alcohol and told his teacher I liked to have beer on the way to school," Ashley wrote.


"My niece told her teacher her mom and dad work at the wh*re house. They work at the courthouse," Ellis wrote.

"My husband works as a table games dealer at a casino. Kindergartener, 'Daddy's a Dealer!' We now start every school year clearly stating he works at the casino," CMAC

"My son said we lived in a crack house…There’s a tiny chip in the wall from the door knob," KNWerner wrote.

"My dad is a hospice chaplain and officiates a lot of funerals. My son and nephew were asked by their preschool teacher if their papa was retired or had a job. They told her his job was to kill people," Tiffyd wrote.

In the end, McCausland’s story is a fun reminder of how children see things through their own unique lens and, with total innocence, can say some of the funniest things. It’s also a great warning to parents everywhere: if you aren’t clear with your kids about what you do for a living, you may be setting yourself up for a very embarrassing misunderstanding.

This article originally appeared in March

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Parents share 24 unhinged sentences they never imagined saying before having kids

"Please stop licking the shopping cart."

Image via Canva

Parents share funny and unhinged things they've had to say to their kids since becoming parents.

Being a parent brings unexpected surprises everyday. From sudden unexpected talent show appearances to their hilarious locker decor and expert roasting quips, kids are always keeping parents on their toes. And their antics have required a number of unhinged parenting sentences to be uttered. In an online parenting community, member @Plomaster69 posed the question to fellow parents: "What's a sentence you never thought you'd say until you had kids?"

They went on to explain, "'Please stop licking the shopping cart.' I said this to my 4-year-old at Target last week and had to pause for a moment. Like, where do you even begin with that conversation? How did we get to a point where I needed to explain why metal shopping cart handles aren't meant to be tasted?"

It's a conversation that they anticipated many other parents have had to have with their kids. "Before kids, I thought parenting would be about teaching important life lessons and having meaningful conversations. Instead, I spend my days saying things like 'we don't put PlayDoh in our ears' and 'the dog's food is not people food' and 'yes, you still have to wear pants to the grocery store," they shared.

playdoh, playdoh hair, playdoh gif, playdoh fun, playing with playdoh90S Hair GIFGiphy

They ended their post by adding, "The weirdest part is how these completely unhinged sentences just roll off your tongue now. My neighbor heard me tell my kid 'stop trying to marry the vacuum cleaner' and didn't even blink. We've all been there."

Fellow parents had plenty of relatable phrases to share. These are 24 of the most unhinged (and funny) things parents have said to their kids:

"'Don't use your willy to swipe the Kindle screen'." @alancake

"'Stop folding your sister'."@ Cluelessish

"Similar. But, 'Don't lick the toilet!' In a public bathroom." @Musin_Geek

lick toilet, licking toilet, toilet bowl, toilet, lickToliet GIF by Adult SwimGiphy

"'Please stop sniffing each others butts'." @Affectionate_Cow_812

"'Please stop beatboxing when I'm on the phone with a client'." @Mamapalooza

"'Don't drink your bath water'."@ shoshinatl

up nose, stick up nose, put up nose, up your nose, stick in noseGood Burger Dancing GIF by BounceGiphy

"'Don’t put the bottoms of shoes on your face.' 'Don’t lick the cat.' 'Don’t stick that up your nose'." @TopHippo3938

"Hahaha yeah..... things like 'We do not eat stones'. 'Please don't attack the cheese with the scissors', and 'Legos don't belong in the fridge'. 'Please put your plate back on the table and use a fork, you are not a dog.' 'you shouldn't wear your sisters panty on your head when we are going out' are common occurrences and my kids are 7 and 10....Sometimes I run out of words though. My 7yo has developed a habit of climbing up to the very top of doorframes and sticking there like a freaking gecko until someone passes through to pounce... what do I even say. 'You're not a predator, stay on the ground'?" @No_Assistant2804

"We keep a list of ours! Some notable additions: 'Not everything has to be a hat, (child name)'. 'Please don’t play the piano with you face'. 'Try not to sneeze on your pain au chocolat again'. Special mention for one to my husband: 'There’s nothing sexy about piles, Jack.'" @sophie_shadow

"'Did you just GLUE your sister’s foot to that?!' -me, just last night." @winezilla08

glue, glued, school glue, gluing, elmer'selmers glue school GIF by Elmer's ProductsGiphy

"'We do not steal other people’s pets and set up pet shops at the side of the road'. 🙈" @kt1982mt

"'No eating the stairs'. You could swap out stairs for table, garbage can, me. It’s all valid. Poor little guy is going through it but he also refuses to hold anything made for teething and prefers to run wild and free." @imwearingredsocks

"'How many pretzels did you put up your nose?!'" @BabeWithThe_Power


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Mental Health

Researchers reveal that the one key to happiness might not be what you thought

"The single strongest predictor of happiness isn't purpose at all."

Photo by Antonino Visalli on Unsplash

Women happily frolic together amidst sunflowers.

For so long, many people have conflated the search for life's meaning with happiness. Perhaps you've seen the lonely monk in a movie, sitting atop a mountain meditating and looking for answers in solitude. While this is all very well and good (it actually really is in terms of well-being,) it simply doesn't translate to being "happy."

monk, meditation, mountain, Buddhism, searching A monk sits on top of a mountain. pxhere.com

In the "Purpose-Happiness Connection" in Psychology Today, author Jordan Grumet M.D. poses this question: "What if the key to happiness isn’t what we’ve been told?"

He then shares that for years, we believed that "finding a deep purpose in life is essential to happiness." But as it turns out, it's much simpler than that. The true key to happiness is…connection.

"One of the most robust studies on happiness, the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has tracked participants for more than 80 years, found that the single strongest predictor of happiness isn’t purpose at all—it’s relationships."

Neuroscientist, professor, and podcast host of The Huberman Lab, Andrew Huberman is a big believer that changing one's behavior can change their thought patterns, leading to a happier brain. He interviews Dr. Laurie Santos, a professor of psychology at Yale, who states the thing you DON'T have to do is "change your circumstances." (Because well, you can't.) "Quintupling your income is tricky, moving is tricky, switching your life around all over the place is hard. And the good news is science shows you don’t have to do that. That doesn't work as well as you'd think."

"But," she says, "you can hack your behaviors and your thought patterns and your feelings to get good results. Let's talk behaviors: one of the biggest behavioral changes you can make to feel happier? Is just to get a little more social connection."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com, The Huberman Lab podcast

She continues, "Psychologists do these fun studies where they look at people's daily usage patterns. So like how much time are you spending sleeping or exercising or at work or whatever. And the two things that predict whether you're happy or not so happy is how much time you spend with friends and family members. And how much time you're just physically around other people. The more of that you do, the happier you're gonna be."

In a piece on Vox, author and writer Olga Khazan suggests that this might be bad news for some introverts. She notes a few studies on the topic, one which claims that "people who are extroverted as teenagers remain happier even when they’re 60."

It isn't that extroverts are always chattier or more attention-seeking. (As an easily drained extrovert myself, I can tell you that's not true.) It's that their energy is drawn from contact with people. With DOING things. With, that's right…connection.


introversion, reading a book, solitude, alone-time, contentA cartoon sloth reads a book alone.Giphy, GIF by SLOTHILDA

Khazan shares, "Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist who has studied this phenomenon, says it’s worth focusing less on the 'extrovert' part of this and more on the fact that these individuals are more enmeshed in community. Connection is really the key to happiness." Lyubomirsky says there's hope for all. "And there are ways to square your natural introversion with the universal human need for connection. You don’t have to mingle with everyone at the office party, for instance. You can just call a trusted friend for a one-on-one conversation. Even hanging out with others and listening more than you talk can be a form of extroversion."

Grumet suggests ways to step out of one's routine no matter how one gives or receives energy. "Love painting? Join an art group. Passionate about fitness? Start working out with others. Fascinated by a niche topic? Write about it, talk about it, and connect with others who care about it, too."




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