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Toddler impressively drums and sings 'Pocketful of Sunshine' with surgical precision

"Can’t poop in the potty but can perfectly replicate a song 😭"

Representative photo credit: Canva

Toddlers drumming are cute. Toddlers who can actually play drums are something else.

People can learn most things if they really put their minds to it, but there's no question some humans are born with innate abilities that defy expectations and explanation. We call those people prodigies, and while toddlerhood might be too early to definitively use that label, a tiny tot with a stick, a shovel, and a song in his heart has people tossing around the term. When you see the video of little Remi performing Natasha Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine," you'll see why.

Toddlers often "sing" along to songs, but rarely do they sing with anything close to perfect pitch and even more rarely do they keep perfect time. Not only does Remi do both, but he keeps separate rhythms with each hand—plastic sandbox shovel in one, stick in the other—all while singing gibberish lyrics to the identifiable tune.

Watch:

@rockinremi

can't blame him, it stays in your head once you hear it. 🤣☀️ also how fitting of a song for someone who is always so happy & a ray of sunshine 🥰 @Natasha Bedingfield #pocketfullofsunshine #toddlerdrummer #toddlersings #musicaltoddler #heartwarrior #chdawareness #sweetboy #toddlermom #fyp #foryoupage #proudmama

Not a discernible word uttered, yet so very impressive. People had thoughts:

"He’s singing in Simlish lmao so cute 😭 also more talent than me"

"The gibberish in perfect melody is killing meeee I love smart babies 😭"

"Mee me may mayyyyy!"

"Forget about the singing, he’s playing two different rhythms with each hand. Mind blown seriously."

"Holding down a beat and singing at that age is insane!!!!!"

"I am literally astonished. memorizing melody, singing it back with the correct notes on key?! While drumming??? Literal prodigy in the making."

"When they say some people are just born with it- this is what that looks like. Absolutely amazing."

"Can’t poop in the potty but can perfectly replicate a song 😭"

"It’s actually so hard to sing and drum."

"I think he's a prodigy. Very impressive!"

Even trained musicians weighed in on this little pocketful of sunshine's talents.

"I am a highly trained musician. He is…a natural percussionist. He also sings incredibly well for his age. This kid has music pouring out of him. He can pattern phrases and complicated rhythms."

"I’ve been drumming for 26 years. Dude is a natural and has exquisite dynamic control. And he can sing on top? Brilliant! ✨"

"Vocal coach here—he can even hear vocal dynamics (the volume increases and decreases in his singing) and is able to actively apply them WHILE keeping a complicated rhythm for his age...you guys might have a prodigy. Mozart at 7 years old left Handel's messiah and was able to rewrite it all FROM MEMORY. your son is remembering the beat, Melody and dynamics...you guys might want to get him a coach!!"

"I'm a music teacher, and his natural ability to figure out the beat and keep it, is something I struggle teaching kids who have been playing for years. little prodigy in the making friends, get him into lessons!!"

Many people suggested getting him a drum set and a coach. The drum set is already taken care of—Santa brought him one for Christmas—and he plays it a lot.

@rockinremi

late night jam sesh before bedtime 🤘🏼 🥁 🎶 #toddlerdrummer #toddlersings #musicaltoddler #heartwarrior #chdawareness #drummer #chdwarrior #proudmama #musickid #toddlermom #heartmom

Remi's mom Jessica writes in a comment that Remi started showing signs that he loved drumming and was able to carry a beat at around age 2 1/2. (In the drumset video above, he's 3 years and 4 months.)

Jessica also shares that Remi has a special affinity for Elvis Presley. He even told her, "Mama, Remi the real Elvis!" He may very well be.

@rockinremi

Replying to @Jessica Steinert @Elvis Official has gotten this boy through major things in his life, like his open heart surgery. He literally calls himself Elvis ⚡️❤️‍🩹 #toddlerdrummer #toddlersings #musicaltoddler #heartwarrior #chdawareness #toddlermom #fyp #foryoupage #musickid #proudmom #elvispresley

Musical prodigies usually arise from some combination of nature and nurture, possessing an inherent musical capacity and being raised in an environment that feeds that ability. Some have tried to argue that anyone can become a "prodigy" with enough early exposure and systematic practice, but that doesn't really explain kids like Remi. You can't teach the average two or three-year-old to drum with both hands playing different beats while keeping steady time, and while singing in tune with inflections—at least not without a ton of work.

When an ability appears without much effort, that sure seems to be an indicator of innate talent. Any talent has to be nurtured and practice is necessary, of course, but there are lots of kids who start music lessons and practice at a young age who don't become Mozarts by age seven.

One 2020 study found that what differentiated musical prodigies from other young musicians was a propensity to report "flow" during practice, the intensity of their practice before adolescence, and the source of their motivation when they began to play.

Perhaps it's just a matter of all the elements coming together—innate capacity, internal motivation, intense practice, and some intangible thing that makes the musical magic happen. Whatever it is, since the original video went viral, Remi has gotten older, and even better.

@rockinremi

🎶 Spooky, scary, Remington 🎶 Like I said, he puts the "jam" in pajamas 🤪🎃 happy October! Remi has been so excited for Halloween season to be here!! 👻 #heartwarrior #fyp #foryou #drummer #halloweenmusic

Wherever musical prodigy comes from, it's sure fun to see it emerging in such a tiny little human. Can't wait to see what Remi's future holds.

You can follow Remi's musical adventures on TikTok.

This article originally appeared in June. It has been updated.

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Golden Years

Senior man delights retirement home karaoke with a show-stopping rendition of 'Just a Gigolo'

He gave David Lee Roth a run for his money.

Photo Credit: Okley Gibbs

Okley Gibbs sings at a senior living home.

The senior living home where my mom resides is a gift that keeps on giving. Everyone there (like everyone everywhere) has a story to tell and a past to unravel in the most colorful yarn. In their prior lives, they were dancers, lawyers, doctors, and singers. They still are these things—just a bit older.

Sunday karaoke at The Reserve at North Dallas has been a true gem, one to which many of the elderly residents look forward. Upworthy shared the brilliant rendition of Carole Wade's "Landslide," which truly moved many of us to the core.

That same day, I happened to grab a clip of a man named Okley Gibbs (though like Cher or Madonna, he just prefers Okley) singing a spot-on, wild, show-stopping version of David Lee Roth's "Just a Gigolo."

His significant other, Leslie Wolpa (who is an amazing singer in her own right), cheered him on as he sang the song in perfect pitch, and added some dancing and a jaunty little hat tip.

Upworthy had a chance to hear Okley's story, which is incredibly unique. Having grown up near Omaha, Nebraska, he met Leslie at a weekly talent show at a casino, and they've been a couple for over two decades. Both aspiring musicians, they moved to Dallas, Texas, "where everything is bigger."

But his love of music goes all the way back to age four; he picked up a guitar around six. A turning point, even so early on, was starring as one of Fagin's boys in a musical production of Oliver!—where he particularly loved the song "Where Is Love."

Oliver, musical, music, where is love Oliver asks if he can have some more porridge. Giphy Romulus Films

His inspiration comes from Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Sherman, and Stevie Ray Vaughan (for guitar). But it's the crooners who really resonate with Okley. His appreciation for their big style naturally morphed (in the late 70s/early 80s) into a passion for Van Halen and Aerosmith. Somehow, the mix of these big personalities with a little rock 'n' roll edge was the perfect space for him.

He had a stint in graduate school in Michigan where he studied applied physics, more specifically satellite observation. But he was preoccupied with music and jokingly says, "Instead of making as much money as I could, I sidelined as a singer."

Now he finds himself enjoying the hustle. "I busk with my guitar along the 75 (near the freeway) corridor in Richardson and downtown Plano," he says. "I'll play until a security guard moves me, but usually they're pretty nice." He often plays in areas near restaurants, hotel entrances, or Walmarts. "Last week, I played at a park which had 300 high school kids and their parents taking pictures," he says.

The wonderful moments—the ones that remind him why he's doing it—are when people listen and encourage him to "play some more!"

Okley and Leslie sing "I'll Be Seeing You" as a duet:

@cdk213

#CapCut

His favorite song to sing with Leslie is the Kenny Rogers duet "Love the World Away," so that will be coming to a karaoke night soon. But their beautiful duet of "I'll Be Seeing You" is a close second.

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Teachers

Music teacher cleverly uses Gen Alpha slang to teach rhythm and it's surprisingly effective

Hey, whatever works.

Images courtesy of @goodvibes4lili/TIkTok (left), Canva (right)

Middle school music teacher meets Gen Alpha students where they are.

The idea of teaching middle school is daunting enough for most people, but the idea of teaching music to middle schoolers is a whole other ball game. Picture the energy, attention spans, hormones, and social chaos of a couple dozen budding adolescents. Now hand them all instruments they barely know how to play, and imagine trying to teach them anything.

Seriously, we do not pay teachers enough. Even if you love kids and excel at your job, it's not easy, which is why seeing a teacher use an innovative method of getting kids' attention and effectively teaching them a skill is always impressive.

A music teacher shared a video of a lesson on music reading that uses Gen Alpha slang terms to learn rhythm—a notoriously tricky thing to teach kids—and it's making the viral rounds. Watch:

@goodvibes4lili

Trying to relate to todays youth. 🥴🎶 Thank you @Shalisha Turps #musicteacher #teachertok #middleschool

If you don't know what those slang terms mean, don't worry about it. Some Gen Alpha slang literally doesn't mean anything, so it's not really worth it to try to keep up. This teacher knows the lingo, though, and she's using it to her advantage.

Traditionally, rhythm reading has been taught using "ta" and "ti" for quarter notes and eighth notes, but that doesn't have quite the same catchiness. It's not unheard of for music teachers to use words to teach rhythm, but using the slang that's currently popular takes it to another level.

The idea appears to have originated with music teacher Shalisha Turps, who shared a similar version on her TikTok page and encouraged people to use it if it's helpful. She also said she has kids get into small groups and come up with their own words to match the rhythms.

@drummergirlturps_

Fun and engaging ways to teach rhythmic patterns in the classroom. They can come up with their own afterwards in groups! #musiclesson #rhythm #drums #music #drummersoftiktok

People in the comments are loving the innovation and the way she met the kids where they are in order to help them learn:

"Ok but this is actually amazing teaching. They’ll probably remember this into their 30s for some reason. I still know the quadratic equation because we learned a silly song for it."

"As a future music teacher i know for a fact that these kids will always remember eighth notes equaling 'clock it.''

"This is such good music theory application. Pedagogy that’s engaging. 🔥🔥🔥"

"The sign of any great teacher is their ability to teach in a way that the kids are able to understand and learn what they are being taught. wonderful job."

gen alpha, slang, what the sigma, teaching, music Gen Alpha already has its own slang. Giphy

Not everyone loved it, however. Many commenters flat out lamented the use of silly slang, while others begrudgingly admitted that it worked well, even if they found it cringey.

"Unfortunately, this is effective. 😭 She’s presenting content in a way that they understand and are engaged by. As much as it makes me and all y’all cringe, this is great teaching, keep it up!!!"

"Do I hate it? Yes. Did it work? Also yes."

"You laugh but unironically the sigma rizz and six seven ones helped conceptualize those rhythms to me better than i remember learning in school. 💀💀"

"All these people complaining in the comments and as a music teacher I'm like, their rhythm sound great for how young their voices sound."

Clearly, even if it rubs some of us older folk the wrong way, the approach is working. If kids are engaged and genuinely learning, and nothing truly objectionable is happening, that's the sign of an effective teaching tool. Nobody has to get it but the kids, so kudos to this teacher and others who find creative and culturally responsive ways to help their students learn.

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Fashion

Proud goth man compares striking side-by-side photos of himself between ages of 18 and 48

“We do improve with age, don't we?"

Photo Credit: Reddit, Hemlox76

A man shows his goth fashion at 18 and at 48.

There is something about the music we connect to when we're young that beautifully helps shape our identity. We want to scream from the rooftops, "This is how I feel!" but we so often can't. Luckily, clothes and accessories can do the proverbial screaming for us. Often, it's written off as a moody teenage phase (and sometimes it is), but for some, it's an absolute vibe that becomes a part of everyday life all the way to the end.

And so, when a man took to the subreddit r/goth to show off HIS goth look from teen to middle-age, many rejoiced. The OP writes, "Fashion Friday: 'It's not just a phase, mom' 18 vs 48 years old." Under this is a split photo. On one side is the 18-year-old version of himself, hair slicked back, eyes full of dramatic dark liner and shadows. He's in all black (natch) with a Nosferatu t-shirt tucked into leather (or possibly pleather) pants. One hand is tucked into said pants, while the other dramatically holds up a glass—his body tilted in the ultimate cool pose, as he shows off his black nail polish.

On the other side is the now 48-year-old version. He wears a black sleeveless The Sisters of Mercy band shirt showing off lots of tats and an intense stare under his tiny glasses. Under the photo, he writes, "Less hair but more tattoos, and at least I don’t have to pose in my parents’ backyard anymore :)"

Goth music, The Cure, Gothic, fashion, style A man posts a photo of himself at 18 and at 48 showing off his goth looks.Reddit, Hemlox76

Upworthy had a chance to speak to this Redditor and when asked if he still feels the "goth vibe" that he did as a teen, his answer was enthusiastically , "Oh hell yeah I do!" He added, " I keep my look pretty toned down for work ( corporate gothic, sort of), but still go all out when going to concerts and stuff like that."

The comments under the post are undeniably goth in nature. The first immediately references death when they write, "Looking stylish in both pics. I'm currently 33. Goal is to be buried in goth attire." The OP replies, "Well, a black suit is usually standard :) Myself, I’d go for just a hole in the ground in the woods and an ash tree planted over me if that was legal over here."

This commenter explains how their music influences brought them to the goth lifestyle. "Heh. I came by mine honestly. Dad likes Black Sabbath and science fiction/fantasy, Mum likes Steeleye Span, Edward Gorey and gothic novels. Their kid likes all of it, plus goth rock and power metal. They thought it was weird when I was a teenager, but now that I'm an adult we go to shows together and my mum buys me black lace and darkly themed vintage :)"

And this kind Redditor compliments the OP: "You aged like a fine wine brother. And your hair colour now suits you. Granted I was 4 when the first pic was taken, but yum to both."

Goth guy explains how goth fashion emerged from the music. www.youtube.com, Jake Munro

The goth vibe, in music, clothes or all-around attitude, started gaining in popularity in the late 70s, as a term to describe atmospheric post-punk bands. The term got thrown around a bit, but the overarching idea is music and clothes that are dramatic, moody, and emotional. To paraphrase an old adage, "I'll wear black until they find a darker color," certainly applies. Both musically and in appearance, think Robert Smith, the front man for the English band The Cure.

The official music video for Pictures of You by The Cure. www.youtube.com, RHINO

The whole mood is steeped, at least in attitude and clothing, in Gothic literature which goes way farther back than just the 1970s. Moody heartbreak and even mysterious horror were romanticized in books like Frankenstein and Dracula. It was cool to be sad, and beautiful to be heartbroken.

And even though the goth baseline might appear dark, the Reddit thread illustrates that its community is often like a tight-knit family—with great taste in music AND clothes.

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