Creating Something that Goes Viral

LOVED watching him online, then on Ellen's show!!!!   Such talent!

This kid has talent.  What was interesting to watch were the teenage girls behind him.  A few got it and perked up.  Then there were those who looked soooo bored.  It is the ones who recognized what was happening that made this go viral and turned him into a star.

It's funny how certain ideas go viral. This video of soldiers in Afghanistan with their version of Lady Gaga's Telephone has had more than 5 million views. It goes to show that some ideas that go viral are hatched out of utter boredom.

Lady Gaga Telephone

I noticed the same thing Cindy (#2) did, there was one girl in particular that appears to have a huge crush on this kid, and others that looked like they needed a nap.

Melissa, good post.  Greyson Chance has huge talent.  I had to watch the video a few times cuz he's so good.

Agree with Cindy (#2) and Cynthia (#3) that the reactions of the girls in the background probably had as much to do with the video going viral though.  They were part of the storyline - little kid at elementary school wins the talent show (and maybe a couple girlfriends too!)  ;-)

I think some of the best stuff that goes viral do so by accident, not by intention.

Hi Melissa ~ The things I pick up on AR!! Though I've heard Lady Gaga's name once or twice if I've heard a snippet of a song I wouldn't know it since it's not my type of music. So this is all new to me.  The kid is so talented but I was taken aback by the girls' expressions - and the soldiers are absolutely hysterical. Thanks for the fun.

Liz

I agree with some of the other readers; I enjoyed watching the kids in the background "catch on" to the talent in front of them.  Some got it sooner than others.  Some were touched deeper than others...and some were wondering when they could go home. 

It's a classic example of how everything you do is perceived differently by different people.

That's why these things happen accidentally more often than they are planned.

Follow Up:  I've been subscribed to Melissa's blog for a very long time.  I checked in today to catch up.

I commented on the post, then went back to Cynthia's comment and watched some of our bored troops having phone spoofing a video I had never seen. I know Cynthia too, so I trusted her and watched the whole thing.

My teenage son heard the song and came in to see what I was doing.  He saw the spoof and asked me if I had seen the original.  I told him I had not.  He told me I needed to see the original to appreciate the spoof.  I agreed he was right.

I went to You Tube and watched the original.  The 9:32 video was reminiscent of the Thriller video I watched when I was his age.  (There are "clean" and "explicit" versions.  Pick your preference.

Now I am back telling you about it.

Hmmmmm.

• Melissa is viral to all of us reading this.  
• The spoof video is viral to many.
• The original video is viral to many more.
• I know Melissa and I know my son.  I trust them both so I checked everything out.

What is more important, the viral video or the referral?

I think The Referral was key to the end result, don't you agree?

Melissa, we should write a cooperative blog post about this!  Then we can really go viral!

Hi Melissa - sorry to hear you had the flu!  I hope you are better now.  I enjoyed both videos - I think it is the apparent spontaneity that makes something go viral more than something planned.