Just when you think you’ve heard every amazing “Bohemian Rhapsody” cover imaginable—from standout AGT performances to spontaneous crowd sing-alongs to haka renditions—this one literally comes out of nowhere. And it’s every bit as exciting, magical, profound, and inspiring as the OG.
On the streets of Paris, window shutters open to reveal three women clad in white who begin to sing, “Is this the real life…” in a way that can only be described as heavily Disney-coded. A pianist appears seemingly out of nowhere. Then another singer from another window. And another. Then, a blonde man in a horse drawn carriage comes down and belts out “Mama, just killed a man…” so good you just know it made Freddie Mercury smile wherever he is now.
Oh, and did we mention the 11-year-old who absolutely shreds a guitar solo??
These are just some of the 30, yes, 30 musicians and singers that came to deliver a truly epic flash mob performance of Queen’s signature rock ballad. Really, this was something between a flash mob and immersive theatre. Wow.
To say the clip has gone mega-viral would be an understatement. In under 24 hours, the clip has received over 30 million views across TikTok and Instagram. Of course, most viewers expressed more than a little FOMO.
“Could you imagine seeing this? Like omg I’d be freaking out.”
“This is tremendous, and I am so envious of those who witnessed it in real life.”
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Julien Cohen, the pianist in the video and mastermind behind this epic flash mob, was able to pull off such a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration. After all, his entire social media is dedicated to outstanding duets with talented musicians…many of which have also gone viral. And, if someone invites you to come to Paris to be part of a “Bohemian Rhapsody” flash mob, are you really gonna say no?!
Among the star studded line up are Michael Spence, aka Mickey Castillo (lead singer) and Olly Pearson (second guitar), both of whom competed on Britain’s Got Talent. Fittingly, Castillo often got compared to the late, great Freddie Mercury by BGT judges. Pearson also played Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” while on the show.
Other performers include:
DDKN: A French pop group consisting of sisters, Stella, Nounée, and Anouche, known for angelic harmonies. They were the first three singers.
Aside from being such an auditory delight, part of what makes “Bohemian Rhapsody” so incredibly compelling is how it brings people together with connecting threads of pure, raw emotion. This group handled both those elements so well, and the result is not only a celebration of one of Queen’s most beloved works, but of humanity as a whole—how good it feels to create with one another, and to physically witness art being made. Truly, this could not have come at a better time.
@juliencohen_piano The most INSANE Bohemian Rhapsody Flashmob you will ever see!! With 30 musicians and singers in the streets of Paris Lead singer: @Mickey Callisto Lead guitar: @GuitarOlly First 3 singers: @✨ DDKN ✨ Pop choir: @ddkn.off @Sone and @coline sicre Counter-tenor solo: @michaelkonesaki Second guitar: @Axel Thomas ♬ son original – Julien Cohen
Excuse me…off to go listen to this for the 20th time.
One of the biggest debates over the last century of popular music is “Who is your favorite Beatle?” This began in 1962, when the Fab Four had their first big hits in England, and young girls wore badges featuring photos of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, or Ringo Starr, proudly proclaiming their favorite.
Who you choose as your favorite says a lot about you. If you liked Paul, you’re like the cute one who you could take home to your mother. John’s fans enjoyed a guy with a bit more edge and a sharp sense of humor. George’s admirers loved “the quiet one” for being a bit mysterious, but when he came out of his shell, he was just as charming and funny as the rest. And what’s not to love about Ringo, the affable life of the party, who was the best actor in the group?
Ethan Hawke on The Beatles
However, actor and Beatle fanatic Ethan Hawke believes that there is only one correct answer to “Who’s your favorite Beatle,” and that is none of them. He shared his passionate opinion with Kareem Rahma on his wildly popular SubwayTakes social media series.
Using a microphone clipped to a New York City MetroCard, Hawke laid out his hot take on The Beatles.
“The magic of the Beatles. The reason why you care about John Lennon. The reason why I care about John Lennon is cause of the chemistry. It’s the combination that created the greatest rock band in the history of the world. It is undeniable that what they did together is they were the sum of all parts. And to say I have a favorite Beatle, it’s like saying I have a favorite ventricle of my heart,” Hawke says.
He then explained their unique chemistry as if they were four guys hanging out in a club. “Who makes the party happen? Ringo Starr. Here’s the problem. If you’re just hanging with Ringo, somebody please have a substantive conversation,” Hawke continues. “Somebody’s gotta say, hey, guys, why were we born? Why do we have to die? And that’s where George comes in. And somebody’s gotta take the piss out of George, who’s just as smart as him. That’s where Lennon comes in. And Lennon starts hogging the conversation. And then you got Paul. Paul’s like, ‘Hey, man, why don’t we play some music?’”
Hawke shared a similar opinion when he created a mixed CD of music by The Beatles’ members after the break-up for his daughter’s birthday. In the liner notes, he explained why, even though they were no longer in the same band, their solo hits complemented each other perfectly.
“There’s this thing that happens when you listen to too much of the solo stuff separately—too much Lennon: suddenly there’s a little too much self-involvement in the room; too much Paul and it can become sentimental—let’s face it, borderline goofy; too much George: I mean, we all have our spiritual side but it’s only interesting for about six minutes, ya know? Ringo: He’s funny, irreverent, and cool, but he can’t sing—he had a bunch of hits in the ’70s (even more than Lennon), but you aren’t gonna go home and crank up a Ringo Starr album start to finish, you’re just not gonna do that. When you mix up their work, though, when you put them side by side and let them flow—they elevate each other, and you start to hear it: T H E B E A T L E S,” Hawke wrote.
The Beatles’ incredible music never seems to fade away; it is passed down from generation to generation because it possesses a timeless quality that touches people as deeply now as it did in the 1960s. The band’s story feels just as important as that of four young men from a gloomy port town in post-war England, who took inspiration from rockers across the pond and created their own sound that transcended that of their idols. The Beatles remain intriguing figures because, despite being incredibly talented and charismatic individuals, they relied on one another to create something truly transcendent.
When Adam Met walks onstage with his brothers, Jack and Ryan, as AJR, he’s usually met with thousands of fans screaming the words to every song. The multi-platinum band is known for infectious hooks and arena-sized sing-alongs, with songs like “Bang!,” “World’s Smallest Violin,” and “Way Less Sad,” but Met’s life goes far beyond the stage.
He’s an adjunct professor at Columbia University, has a doctorate in international human rights law and sustainable development, is a nonprofit founder, and is now the author of Amplify. This national bestseller connects lessons from the music industry to lessons in activism. His specialty? Showing people how to turn fandom into movements, and how joy is the spark for both.
“When I roll out of bed, I say to myself, ‘What is actually going to bring me joy today?’ And then I focus on those things,” Met explained. “I don’t feel like I have to be doing any of the things that I’m doing … but I’m doing all of them because I love them and they make me happy.”
“I love using the academic side of my brain as much as the creative side of my brain as much as the fun side of my brain.”
— Adam Met
Building movements like building a fanbase
Met sees clear parallels between his career in music and his work as a climate activist. Whether it’s rolling out an album or launching a campaign, the process is the same: find your audience, welcome them in, and build a community where they feel safe and valued.
At AJR shows, the band’s goal is to make a packed arena feel like a one-on-one conversation. That intimacy translates into activism, too.
Instead of picturing engagement as a ladder people climb alone, Met uses what he calls the “hurricane model.” In this version, newcomers are pulled immediately to the center, given tools and encouragement, and then spiral outward to bring in more people.
“That’s how a fan base gets built. That’s how a social movement builds,” he said. “And as we’re thinking about the climate movement, we need more and more of that.”
Conversations that surprise
Adam Met at the Time100 NEXT event. Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TIME
One of the book’s most memorable chapters comes from Met’s sit-down with conservative commentator Glenn Beck.
“I so vehemently disagree with him on so many issues,” Met admitted. They spoke for nearly four hours, disagreeing for most of it, until they found one small but powerful area of agreement. It taught Adam something he’s carried into every part of his work: real bridges can form if you’re patient enough to look for common ground.
“If you take the time with people and end up finding something small to connect over, you can then build that bridge.”
— Adam Met
What one person can do right now
When asked about the small personal choices we’re told to make, like paper straws, Met was blunt.
“The first thing I would do is go back to plastic straws. Paper straws are not really going to have any sort of impact. And also, they are terrible,” he said with a grin.
Instead, Met pushes people toward systemic impact.
“Literally put into Google when is my next local election,” he urged. “Your vote is thousands of times more powerful at the local level than it is at the national level.”
“Your vote is thousands of times more powerful at the local level than it is at the national level.”
— Adam Met
Local boards decide how neighborhoods are zoned, where highways get built, and even where petrochemical plants go. And in many cases, those races are decided by a handful of votes.
Combating climate anxiety with small wins
Met knows many young people feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis. His answer? Look for quick, local victories that remind you that change is possible.
“Finding something that will take you a couple of days to get done and seeing that success and feeling that success … is the best way,” he said. Whether it’s pushing for a stop sign on your street or rallying neighbors to petition city hall, those wins fight back against the sense of helplessness.
From blueprint to revolution
Met unveiled the Neo-Industrial Revolution, a declaration handed out during Climate Week and available online. It calls for a rebrand of how we talk about climate change, shifting from distant concepts like “1.5 degrees” to urgent, relatable changes in transportation, energy, food, and housing.
“It starts with the language,” Met explained. “We need a new lexicon … and we need to make it personal and revolutionary.”
Where the music and movement meet
Even as he juggles tours, lectures, and writing, Met sees music as his proving ground. AJR’s live shows often feature a section where the brothers break down how a song was made, layering one instrument after another until the crowd realizes what track it is. That sense of discovery, suspense, and eventual release, is the same energy that he brings to activism.
“It’s the storytelling and that build that keeps people engaged,” he said.
And for fans, that engagement is real. At one AJR concert, a 12-year-old who started out nervous and quiet was on his feet by the time the band played “Way Less Sad.” Met wants activism to feel the same way—moving people from timid curiosity to bold participation.
That’s what Amplify and the Neo-Industrial Revolution are all about: giving people the tools to move from the back row to the front lines.
Adam Met’s book, Amplify, is out now. You can explore the Neo-Industrial Revolution at neoindustrialrevolution.org. And most importantly, check when your next local election is, and make your voice heard.
Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher wrap the U.S. leg of their reunion tour with two concerts at the Rose Bowl. – Photo credit: Courtesy Big Brother Recordings
Something happened while Oasis was broken up. In the 16 years since the British rock icons famously imploded during a backstage fight in Paris, their fanbase quietly grew — or, in this case, grew up. At the Oasis Live ‘25 reunion tour, which has sold out stadiums in both the United Kingdom and North America, the crowd has been a surprising mix of equally enthusiastic older and younger fans.
Jack Dione, 24, was eight years old when Oasis broke up in 2009. “I was just a little kid, but I listened to them all the time,” he told Upworthy. “I was not going to miss seeing them when they came to the Rose Bowl, to L.A.”
“They’re like our Beatles,” added a teary-eyed Emma Mackenzie, who was 13 when the Gallagher brothers called it quits. “For us, this is like the Beatles getting back together.”
Best friends Emma Mackenzie and Alena Brophy share an emotional moment during Oasis concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Photo by Denise Quan
Ironically, Noel Gallagher was soundly lambasted for daring to proclaim that his band was “bigger than the Beatles” in 1996, following the worldwide success of Oasis’ first two albums, Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory. Nearly three decades later, their Manchester-bred brashness and unapologetic swagger is still polarizing.
“Liam thinks he’s a gift from God. They are cocky sons of bitches, and I love that about them,” says Tim Plumley, a music industry executive who has not worked with Oasis, but has worked with members of the Beatles — who were also known for complicated interpersonal dynamics.
When tickets for Oasis Live ‘25 went on sale last year, Las Vegas oddsmakers gave the Gallagher brothers a 4/1 chance of making it through the end of their scheduled dates. Fans were more than willing to take the gamble. The North American leg of their tour reportedly sold out in less than one hour.
Oasismania exploded on social media and spilled onto the streets, with branded bucket hats, T-shirts and soccer jerseys spotted with increasing frequency on people from 17 to 70. Oasis pop-up shops appeared overnight in select cities. The Hollywood location alone drew 600 customers per day, according to a security guard. Among the merch offerings: Oasis baby onesies, replicas of Liam’s signature parka, and a retro Adidas tracksuit that hits a sweet spot between “then” and “now,” just like the band has managed to do. Liam was even spotted on an L.A. hiking trail wearing shorts and posing with fans — one of whom was clad, of course, in Oasis gear.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DOOntZbkV9O/
When all is said and done, the Live ‘25 tour is expected to bring in upwards of $1 billion in revenue at the completion of its 41 dates — more, if the reunion is extended.
“In terms of marketing, it was a blow-out,” says Plumley. “There’s a whole generation that never got to see them, and they’ve achieved this mythical-like status, so it’s a much bigger audience than they could ever play previously.”
Todd Nakamine, a fan since the ‘90s, traveled to London to see a pair of reunion shows (one on his birthday) before seeing them two more times in his L.A. hometown. He believes Oasis was the right band, at the right moment, to engineer a comeback for guitar-driven music. “Everybody’s been saying rock and roll has kind of died, and we need a rock and roll band, and we need rock stars. And they are rock stars,” he told Upworthy. “For our age, it’s very nostalgic.”
Melissa Dragich was one of the band’s publicists at Epic Records from 1996-2002. She attended one of the L.A. shows at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with her 19-year-old son, Jack Cordero. Conditions couldn’t have been more perfect. The stage was illuminated by a brilliant full moon, and the night was balmy. At least a dozen friends were dotted around the stadium. “It brings us back to that happy time, when we were all in our 20s and just starting our lives,” Dragich says. “I played Oasis for my kids because I worked with them, but they’re also a band I really enjoy. And once my son knew he was going, he immersed himself in the albums, and he fell in love with them.”
“I think it was the best concert I’ve been to,” says Cordero. “Even better than Green Day.”
Oasis Live '25' is a family affair for Jack Cordero, Melissa Dragich, Jamie Jonesu00a0and Joie Jones. Courtesy Melissa Dragich
One young girl named Sam sobbed her way through the show in the front row. Noel dedicated “Don’t Look Back in Anger” to her, which made her sob even more.
A number of celebrities attended the concerts in L.A., including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kristen Stewart, Sofia Vergara, Noah Cyrus, Mark Zuckerberg and Paul McCartney — the latter caught shooting video on his phone in the audience, and responding “Fabulous!” when paparazzi asked him about the show as he left the venue.
122K views u00b7 5.7K reactions | Paul McCartney filming Oasis. The biggest bands you can think of are Oasis fans. ud83cuddfaud83cuddf8nn#oasis #liamgallagher #noelgallagher #oasislive25 #oasislive | Realty Rocker www.facebook.com
It’s been a cruel summer in Los Angeles, with the city on edge due to ICE raids, protests, and the rising cost of life in an urban area. The Rose Bowl itself lies a scant mile from the Altadena neighborhood where 7,500 structures burned to the ground and 19 people lost their lives in January’s Eaton fire.
But for two glorious nights at the Rose Bowl, people put aside their worries and their differences, and joined in a multi-generational sing-along led by two brothers who finally learned how to get along — and, as a bonus, were endorsed by a Beatle.
Yes, it was about nostalgia.
“Oasis brings us back to how we felt in the ‘90s, which was so different from how the world is now,” says Dragich.
For Cordero, it was also about the joy of community and shared experience, even if — or especially if — you’re a teenager who attended the Oasis concert with your mom.
“It’s probably best summed up by one of the songs they performed called ‘Some Might Say,’” he concludes. “We need to listen to the lyrics: ‘Some might say we will find a brighter day.’”
Oasis just might be the reunion we never knew we needed — but we’re sure glad it happened.
Even Liam Gallagher seemed moved, telling the crowd in his own irascible way, “I wanna thank you, man…for sticking with us over the years. We must be be a f****** nightmare to support and follow, and we appreciate it, gettin’ to play these beautiful stadiums in front of all you beautiful people. Champagne Supernova. Look after yourselves. Take care.”
And with that, they were on their way to their next destination, Mexico City, for their final tour stop. Or is it? Maybe they, like us, don’t want the feeling to end.
Oasis capsu00a0a triumphant U.S. reunion tour with fireworks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA Courtesy Big Brother Recordings
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