Singer-songwriter Avie Sheck has been finding fame on YouTube for the last six years. But when he uploaded a cover of Radiohead’s 1992 hit “Creep,” unexpectedly featuring his mum on vocals, the video went absolutely viral, amassing over 1.5 million views in just two months!
Their cover begins just like any other – Avie on acoustic guitar and slaying the first verse with his breathy and soothing, lullaby voice. But his mum soon turns the rock track on its head with her addition of drone-tone backing vocals, before her sublime voice flowers into the intricate melodies of Indian music.
As they sing the cover in their kitchen, Avie reveals his mum’s surprising musical background through the subtitles. While Avie spent his life mastering Western pop, it turns out that his mum also has her own musical background, dedicating her entire life to training in Indian classical music. Avie wholesomely wrote, “I’ve been in bands my whole life. These are our worlds together :)”
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The payoff is unreal. When Avie’s mum replaced the chorus lyrics with her complex, microtonal melodies, the effect could move any Music Man reader to tears as they seamlessly interlink their contrasting cultures, singing classical Indian raags over classic Radiohead chords. Even when Avie takes the lead, his mum’s unconventional backing harmonies are out of this world, hitting some beautiful high notes while Avie belts the song’s true lyrics from his heart.
You don’t have to be a Radiohead fan to appreciate the gleaming talent in this clip. Some YouTube viewers have been genuinely moved with emotion after watching this young man singing with his mum, commenting, “I miss you mom,” while others have shared how extremely touched they were by Avie’s mum’s transcendent voice despite not sharing the same language. One commenter confirmed: “Bro just broke through all language barriers and solved world peace.”
This isn’t the only time Avie has collabed with his mum either! Four months before their viral Radiohead clip, the mother-son duo pushed the boat out even further with their acoustic raga cover of “Aerials” by System Of A Down. You can watch the moment in the second video above!
And it’s no wonder Avie’s family went viral. Born in the Indian Himalayas before spending time living in Japan and Thailand, Avie settled in Los Angeles, California where he kickstarted his music career. This viral video was filmed while Avie’s mum was visiting him at his new home, and has become his most viewed video to date by over a million views, making this moment even more wholesome!
Avie Sheck’s unexpected collaboration with his mum has delighted audiences worldwide, merging Western pop with Indian Classical Music in a truly unique rendition of “Creep.” Their kitchen duet has struck a chord, drawing millions of views and showcasing the harmonious blend of their musical worlds. Explore more about this captivating duo and their journey through the links below.