YouTube is clouded with piano recitals from pro musicians across the world. But few compare to the works of Thầy Minh, a Vietnamese pianist whose channel, “Haburu,” clocks an incredible 571,000+ subscribers and more than 67 million views across his hundreds of uploads.
But what makes Thầy’s performances so outstanding? There’s one simple and adorable answer. Thầy Minh plays for a very special audience – his cat, Haburu – who lounges just above the keys as his master takes on soothing renditions from anime soundtracks to legendary pop hits, sending his cat to sleep as the piano hammers massage his back.
In May 2020, Thầy Minh transformed Richard Marx’s career-defining ballad, “Right Here Waiting,” into a gentle piano lullaby. And sleepy Haburu couldn’t resist letting the soft sounds and hammer movements waltz him into a moment of pure cat heaven. Amassing more than 149,000 views to date, Music Man readers can watch the magical rendition unfold in the viral video above…
You don’t need to be a mad cat lady to fall in love with this clip. Thầy’s rendition is enchanting enough, even without paying attention to Haburu. As Haburu’s paws drape over sections of the keyboard, Thầy manages to play the Marx hit without disturbing his kitty, who drifts further off to sleep with every pulse of the piano hammers. But, as soon as Haburu finally moves his paws, Thầy transforms his rendition to use the full set of keys, working in perfect harmony with his cute live audience.
If you are a cat lover, however, this clip might raise a boatload of questions: How on Earth can a cat lay so calmly and undisturbed for so long, despite the loud sounds, sporadic hammer movements, and without chasing the hands which dance across the keys? It turns out that Haburu is just an especially lazy cat, as Thầy admits on his Facebook page. And he’s not the only one…
Thầy Minh rescued a second kitten who also features on his YouTube channel. Found abandoned next to a landfill site, Thầy took the kitten home, nursed her to health, and named her Pineapple. She’s learned from her big bro Haburu, sleeping next to him calmly as the piano hammers churn out even the most upbeat, boogie-woogie pieces. Don’t believe us? Just check out the second video above!
Together, Thầy, Haburu, and Pineapple have become absolute internet sensations, treating fans to classical music, Christmas carols, Beatles renditions, and a super-viral take on “Merry Go Round Of Life” from the Howl’s Moving Castle soundtrack which has topped 27M views alone!
Thầy Minh and Haburu are a delightful YouTube duo whose gentle, cat-approved performances have charmed millions. If the viral “Right Here Waiting” lullaby left you wanting more soothing piano and feline magic, check the useful links below to explore his channel, videos and social pages.