Five thirty-year-old fathers from the town of Skellefteå in northern Sweden are causing an internet sensation with their a cappella covers of big pop hits. Dads singing “Typically Swedish” picture themselves at home, taking care of their kids.
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Currently touring the country for the first time, the group “Daddy Harmony” has millions of views on social networks.
“It all started on the day of my bachelor party, in the summer of 2022,” explains 33-year-old salesman Peter Wittmark in an interview with AFP. “We were singing like we often do, and my brother posted a video on TikTok with seven followers.”
When they woke up the next morning, all five singers discovered that the post had been viewed 40,000 times! A number that will rise to 20 million across the planet in a matter of weeks.
AFP
The “quintet” then got into the game and decided to post frequent videos from their kitchens or from their sofas, often with their children on their knees. In the combined cover of the song “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen, one of them holds her baby, a few weeks old, in her arms.
“The Quiet Effect”
“When we sing it gives them a calming effect,” says Peter. “We’re typical Swedish dads,” notes his brother Tomas, another member of the group. “For us, having children with us is not that special. Here, almost all men take paternity leave, so we are used to it.
“Daddy Harmony” songs from Michael Jackson to the Beatles, including Christmas songs.
For a month from the end of November, the group traveled every weekend across Sweden to meet its audience, with five dads working regularly during the week and staying with their families. They have two children each.
“I saw one of their videos and it completely captivated me, it was their nature,” said Louise Elkström, 41, a resident of Nörrkoping, who came to see the group standing in her town.
Does success make them lose their sense of reality? “You won’t see us throwing TVs out of hotel windows,” promises Sebastian Akesson, one of the singers.
Without delusions of grandeur, the members of “Daddy Harmony” don’t shy away from taking a big look at the future.
So they are considering dates in America and Asia. And the dream of one day performing in front of another young dad… Elton John.
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