TikTok can’t get enough of Orthodox pop.
An old clip from the Miami Boys Choir is going viral on TikTok with everyone is weighing in.
The song that’s in everyone’s head
The clip that’s gone viral is from a live performance of the Hebrew song Yerushalayim, or Jerusalem in English, from 2008. The song is actually based on Tehillim (the Hebrew word for Psalms) and can be found in Psalms 125:2:
Jerusalem, hills enfold it
and the LORD enfolds His people
now and forever
If you’re a Hebrew speaker and can’t quite get the accent that’s because they’re singing in a distinct Yiddish dialect (oys included).
The group is so popular, TikTokers are even using K-Pop lingo to describe the videos.
“David is my bias,” one commenter wrote on a video (in K-Pop lingo, your “bias” is your favorite member of a group).
Other watchers are getting Harry Styles vibes from the group. “David is clearly the Harry Styles of the Miami boys choir,” one comment read.
What is the Miami Boys Choir?
The Miami Boys Choir, or MBC if you’re in the know, has been around since 1977 and specializes in Jewish Orthodox pop. Started by a Yeshiva student studying in Toronto, the group was formed in Miami Beach but later moved to New York (it still kept Miami in its name) where it is now based.
Not what you would call a traditional commercial success, the group does have a niche following in Orthodox circles. Their album released in 2005, Miami Revach, reportedly sold over 15,000 copies in the first few weeks alone.
The group specialize in Orthodox pop, which is sometimes called Hasidic pop, Hasidic rock, Haredi pop, and Ortho-pop (TikTok is giving it another name K-pop or kosher pop). Whatever you call this style of music, it’s a form of contemporary Jewish religious music that’s popular among Orthodox Jews.
This is not the first time Hasidic music has gone viral. In 2015 a video posted to YouTube featuring Satmar wedding singers received millions of views.
And then this year, a video posted by a different wedding singing group went ultra viral across social media.
Originally Published Sep 22, 2022 03:05PM EDT
