Man caught on camera casually singing the greatest U2 karaoke ever has become a viral sensation
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This guy's casual U2 karaoke performance has become a viral sensation.
Karaoke can be exhilarating, horrifying, awkward, hilarious—but it’s rarely nonchalant. That might be part of the reason one man went viral for a suave rendition of U2’s soaring anthem "With or Without You." It’s hard to belt one of rock’s most passionate songs while reclining in a booth, but somehow that just makes the whole thing even coolerl.
The clip shows Lugi, the singer of California duo Pengwich, singing the first verse, often closing his eyes as he channels his inner Bono. At first, the room is charged with the buzz of people talking. But it’s amazing to watch everyone suddenly realize, "Whoa, this dude is really good" and start paying attention. By the end of the video, as Lugi ascends into a sweet falsetto and belts with full-force vibrato, the entire mood has shifted.
"How does one maintain this level of cool in karaoke?"
People also responded to the performance online, with Instagram users marveling at the unique delivery. An account called FacesofRock1 shared the video, and the comments flooded in. Here are some of the best:
"Even better than the real thing, excuse the pun"
"He’s the main character in his own David Lynch movie."
"u2 is amazing and this guy nailed it. Sitting down. In the corner. 🔥🔥"
"This guy killin it and everyone loud and not paying attention. Unbelievable"
"All the patrons blissfully unaware they’re missing the greatness 🥀—>"
"That guy, that voice, that song, that drink, that pub... he did alright 👍🏻"
"Unc Smooth AF."
"What a legend"
"This is the coolest guy I’ve ever seen."
"Dude has been waiting 45 years for this moment🔥"
"Absolute stud."
"Nailed it from his chair!!👏👏"
"How does one maintain this level of cool in karaoke? 😂"
"It was a genuine moment for sure"
Upworthy reached out to Lugi, who offered some interesting context about the performance. "The ironic thing about this clip is that my usual approach to performing is the opposite of what happened that night," he said, pointing to a more animated and intense rendition of Radiohead’s "Creep." (Different styles, for sure, but equally memorable.) "I’m generally the guy they come to see jump on the bar or lie on the floor," he added. "But that particular night, the people were there to chat amongst themselves, so I chose to keep it personal and low-key. I didn't think anyone was listening, let alone recording."
Lugi never envisioned going viral via karaoke—his ultimate aim is to share original music, using these live covers as a way to "keep the performance momentum going." Ultimately, he just wants to create, no matter the outlet. "My first language is music," he said, "and if there's an available microphone, I'm probably gonna grab it. In my youth I was super shy, so I think I'm making up for lost time." As for the video itself? "I’m excited [it] went viral and the reactions are so positive. It was a genuine moment for sure, but then anytime I can lose myself in a song it's for real."
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