Opie and Anthony interviewed New York City rough sleeper Daniel “Homeless” Mustard, and it turns out he had a remarkable talent to share with the listeners. Mustard sang a beautiful and haunting version of Radiohead’s “Creep” on air, which was totally unlike any other cover. The musician displayed a husky voice full of character, and the feeling that he injected into the song made it an unforgettable moment.
Mustard accompanied himself on acoustic guitar, and his take on the song really channelled the emotion of the lyrics in a powerful way. The performance became by far the most popular video on the Opie and Anthony YouTube channel, gaining 39 million views. You can watch it for yourself below.
Mustard begins the song with a laidback croon, but he slowly builds the tension up leading to the chorus, where he shows off a gravelly rock voice that is all his own. Radio hosts Opie and Anthony gave some insight into his story, describing him as a talented musician “who found himself living on the unforgiving streets of New York City for an extended period.”
The hosts said Mustard had arrived at the show after a night in jail and a hospital stay. They said that they were not aware of his talent, but after he told them of his passion for music they “provided him with a Taylor guitar and the rest is history! Mustard’s cover is nothing short of amazing, showcasing his raw talent and the power of music to transcend adversity.” Mustard also features in the third most popular video on Opie and Anthony’s channel, where he sings The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry”.
Mustard’s take on “Boys Don’t Cry” is also totally unique, turning the upbeat post-punk tune into a slowburn rhythm and blues number that showcases his voice so perfectly. The Cure cover was uploaded a week after the Radiohead cover, and you can see in the second video that Mustard is doing better and he’s gotten over the cold he had earlier.
Music lovers online laid out their appreciation for Mustard’s performance below the video, adding comments such as “You can tell music is this guy’s whole life and it helps him get through rough times. Here’s to music!” and “This proves it’s not about having the voice of an angel; it’s about having the emotion behind it.”
After Mustard’s covers on the Opie and Anthony Show went viral, the singer went on to record his original music. A year after appearing on the show Mustard released his self-titled debut EP, which featured five of his original songs. He soon followed it up with the Fragments of Bone and Tiny Steps EPs. The Fragments of Bone EP features his most popular songs online, and also includes a recording of his “Creep” cover in a similar style to the version heard on the Opie and Anthony Show. All three releases are still available on streaming services. If you would like to see more from Daniel Mustard, you can subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Facebook.