'Happy' Goes Viral With Charming Detroit Choir At Heart Of Cover
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - What could possibly be better than 'Happy?' How about a group of charming kids singing a cover of Pharrell Williams' 'Happy' and seeing it go viral.
Talented students from the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences choir perform an inspired rendition of the Academy Award nominated song 'Happy,' and to date they've had almost 250,000 views.
As of Wednesday morning, a version posted March 7 on YouTube had been viewed more than 460,000 times. And it's prompted requests for TV appearances.
The cellphone video was recorded by Edward Bone, whose daughter is among the choir's third to eighth grade students.
"Really, it was just me being proud of my daughter ... and wanting people to see what a good job they're doing," Bone said. "It's like the song says, happy. I'm happy to be a proud parent of one of the students."
Choir director Angela Kee said the video was made after a producer for NBC's "America's Got Talent" requested a recording. The students helped create the choreography and Kee said she's "tickled and pleased and amazed" by the positive response.
"I picked the song because it is a favorite of the children," she said. "It's catchy. It's easy to teach, and the lyrics are positive. It drives negativity out of your heart. "I can hear the children singing and whistling the song in the hallway after they've left class."
Maurice Morton, the CEO of the roughly 1,000-student charter school, hopes that the YouTube attention will aid fundraising efforts for the choir's planned May trip to Disney World, where it will perform.
"We're in awe, we're just amazed," Morton said of the feedback.
This isn't the first time this choir has had a brush with fame.
In 2012, the choir wrote new lyrics to the Jay Z and Alicia Keys song "Empire State of Mind" celebrating Detroit, and the professionally finished video that accompanied the 'cover' put them front and center of morning national news shows.
Last year they recorded "Where is the Love." You can find several versions on YouTube.
We dare you not to sing, dance or smile while watching this awesome group of kids!
TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.