If you have been anywhere near a radio at any point over the last seven years, you will likely have heard Ariana Grande’s 2018 single ‘No Tears Left to Cry’. But have you ever heard the song performed live with only toy instruments? If the answer is no, then you need to check out this video, which finds Ariana herself and TV host Jimmy Fallon playing the track on Nintendo Labo instruments, alongside Fallon’s house band The Roots.
With nearly 10 million views on YouTube alone, the clip of the performance has gone viral, with many viewers praising the originality of the concept and the studio quality of Ariana’s vocals. The rendition features nine musicians, including Jimmy and Ariana, and they really bring a lush, professional sound to the performance despite the fact that the instruments they are playing were designed as gaming toys.
If you’re not already familiar with the Labo branch of Nintendo, then this description should fill you in. Essentially, Labo is a series of games developed for the Nintendo Switch console, where players build playable toys from cardboard cutouts that can interact with game software. This means you can construct a guitar from cardboard and string and play it using a Nintendo Switch, just like Jimmy Fallon does in the video above.
If you want to find out more about how the instruments were rigged up for the rendition, you should definitely check out this ‘behind the scenes’ video from the performance. It contains some short interviews, as well as clips of the musicians getting ready for the video and showing the camera how the instruments are put together.
We know Music Man readers love to see videos that give well-known songs a fresh twist, and this video does exactly that. We never thought we would see Ariana Grande singing along to a band playing instruments made out of cardboard and string, but here we are, and we have to admit that the rendition is one of the best versions of the song we have ever seen!
Ariana Grande continues to captivate audiences with her innovative performances. The viral video with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots showcases her versatility and creativity. If you’re intrigued by this unique musical collaboration and want to see the magic of Nintendo Labo instruments in action, be sure to explore the links below for more insights and videos.