+
Sign up for
The Upworthiest
Our top stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox.
upworthy

grammys

Joy

Dying mom creates one last song for her son and it tops the charts

All Cat Janice wanted was to leave something behind for her son through her music. Mission accomplished.

@cat.janice/TikTok, used with permission

A dance bop with so much meaning

News of the Grammys might be circulating all over the web right now, but that’s not where you’ll hear about this truly inspiring music story.

Thirty-one year old musician and mom Cat Janice had one wish after being diagnosed with cancer: to leave behind a song for her 7-year-old son Loren, so that he could collect the proceeds.

The D.C.-based singer songwriter first noticed a lump in her neck in November of 2021, as she explained on TikTok. Over the next year the lump grew larger, prompting her to visit a doctor who confirmed it was sarcoma.

Janice continued singing and writing songs throughout her chemo treatments and surgery, posting her creations—and her healing progress—on social media.

Despite being declared cancer-free on July 22, 2022, the cancer returned almost a year later. And in January 2024, she posted that her “tumors basically tripled overnight," leaving her virtually unable to speak, let alone sing, and living in hospice.
@cat.janice #greenscreensticker cannot even believe this happened but I have to keep my head up. I want to leave behind every penny I have for him. Will you please pre save it and stream when it comes out? Hospice has been easier and more time with kiddo but swelling has not stopped :( ❤️❤️ prayers please #cancer #songwriter ♬ Dance You Outta My Head - Cat Janice

Knowing she didn’t have much time left, Jancie teased out one last song, a happy pop tune titled “Dance You Outta My Head,” kindly asking folks to stream it. That way, she could leave her baby boy something when she was gone.

Janice got her wish. “Dance You Outta My Head” blew up on TikTok. People not shared videos of them dancing along to the words, but also offered words of support and empathy.

@kylei.ann I am cryingggg at our spins @Cat Janice ♬ Dance You Outta My Head - Cat Janice

"I was once a 7-year-old who lost their mom to cancer," someone wrote. "Dancing to spread this song."

What's clear is that folks weren't just spreading the song out of charity. Janice created a bona fide banger—infused with joy and that special something that make you wanna move

@stephfozzy This message is for you @Cat Janice. I’ll never dance you outta my head.🥹 Thank you. Love you. I’m gonna miss you.🪩💛✨ #catjanice #musiclivesonforever #musicismagic #womensupportingwomen #cancersucks #danceyououttamyhead ♬ Dance You Outta My Head - Cat Janice

The song didn’t just go viral online. In a subsequent video, Janice shared that she had woken up in the middle of the night to find out “Dance You Outta My Head” had charted #5 in the world on iTunes.

cat janiceTikTok · Cat Janice

www.tiktok.com

In the video’s caption, Janice shared her gratitude, writing, “all of this is because of you guys .I am so lucky to even be alive. Let alone with such a strong family of music lovers by my side. My son and I will forever be grateful. I feel like I can rest in God’s peace from all your love. Just so wild.”

And thank you, Janice, for reminding us all that even during our darkest moments, that beauty can be created. That is what art is all about.

You can catch the full version of “Dance You Outta My Head” below, or you can stream it on Spotify/iTunes. And if you’d like to further support Janice and her family, you can find a GoFundMe page, where the donations are geared both towards saving her life and Loren’s education, counseling and music lessons, here.


From Your Site Articles
pop culture
Culture

Epic 'Bridgerton' musical—made entirely on TikTok—has scored a Grammy nomination

Instagram, TikTok

Barlow and Bear's reaction to their Grammy nomination

It all started with a simple question: What if "Bridgerton" was a musical?

For musicians—and now, bonafide TikTok stars—Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, it would mean not only creating the world's first-ever fully conceptualized TikTok musical, but also a Grammy nomination in the process. Take a listen to just one of their epic tunes and you'll see why.

ICYMI, "Bridgerton" took Netflix by storm when it debuted last year. Shonda Rhimes' period romance full of dramatic family dynamics quickly became the platform's most watched show in history.

Barlow and Bear—as they're known professionally—in turn took TikTok by storm as well. Their first ballad, "Ocean's Away," featuring Emily playing piano and Abigail on vocals, racked up 880 million views, catapulting the concept. Now "The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical" can be played on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube, among many other channels.


@abigailbarlowww I’m pitchy but I’m having too much fun writing this ✨ #IsThisAvailable #fyp ♬ original sound - Abigail Barlow

The album has a classic-with-a-pop-twist sound that many modern Broadway shows try to achieve, and fail (so sayeth the recovering musical theatre major, no offense "Dear Evan Hanson"), and it arguably gives the entire "Bridgerton" story a bit more depth than its Netflix predecessor.

Tracks include "Burn For You," a duet between Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, the show's ingenue and leading man, respectively. The tune is aptly titled for its steaminess, and is a perfect embodiment of the couple's hot-and-cold romance.

@abigailbarlowww What kind of song should I write next? Let me know in the comments ✨💜 #bridgertonmusical #fyp ♬ original sound - Abigail Barlow

There's also fan favorite "If I Were a Man," meant for headstrong and progressive Eloise Bridgerton, which has more than 10 million views. With those soaring belts and clever, whimsical lyrics, it's no surprise.

@abigailbarlowww WE WERE THE LAST ONE TO BE ANNOYNCED OH MY GOD WERE GOING TO THE GRAMMYS @emilythebear #bridgertonmusical ♬ original sound - Abigail Barlow

Fast-forward to November 25, when Bear and Barlow learn that their online passion project received a Grammy award nomination for Best Musical Theatre Album. Their teary, awestruck reaction is just as heartwarming and entertaining as the songs that scored them the nod.

TikTok has helped us discover musicians like Lil Nas X and Loren Gray, but this is the world's very first album that was conceptualized, created and performed entirely on TikTok. The creative process between musician and consumer was interactive start-to-finish, which helped the duo cultivate a loyal and excited following of more than 200 million viewers.

Artists in the music field are constantly trying to close the gap between their work and their audience (Amanda Palmer ditching her label and starting her own Patreon page, for example). I wouldn't be surprised if this inspires a new wave of albums being something of a collaboration between creators and fans.

TikTok Bridgerton Musical Compilation

This is really a case for following your creative bliss. Barlow told The Independent, "We didn't do it to make money, we didn't do it to get famous. We just did it because we love to write and we love Bridgerton." You just never know what magic will happen when you act on your inspiration.

Barlow and Bear have posed the question "Which musical should we do next?" So it might be just a matter of time before we have another TikTok masterpiece. Personally, my fingers are crossed for a rock opera version of HBO's "Succession."

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
creativity
Most Shared

He told women in music to 'step up.' And they did — to crush him on Twitter.

Following the 60th Grammy Awards, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow really put his foot in his mouth.

At this year's awards, women made up just 9% of the nearly 900 nominees, despite critically acclaimed releases from musicians and creatives from all genres. In an interview discussing the issue of a seemingly sexist slate and award show, Portnow said the following statement, emphasis added.

“It has to begin with… women who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level… [They need] to step up because I think they would be welcome. I don’t have personal experience of those kinds of brick walls that you face but I think it’s upon us — us as an industry — to make the welcome mat very obvious, breeding opportunities for all people who want to be creative and paying it forward and creating that next generation of artists.”

The Recording Academy and MusiCares President/CEO Neil Portnow speaks onstage during the 60th Grammy Awards. Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Naras.

In the midst of a groundswell of women coming forward and taking up space in industries that have long pushed them aside, this senior white man in a position of power told women to "step up."

Yeah, it didn't go so well.

Artists the likes of Pink, Halsey, Charlie XCX, and Katy Perry were quick to fire back at Portnow's absurd assertion.

Halsey, fresh off a passionate speech at the Women's March, didn't miss an opportunity to call out not just Portnow, but the industry. If the nominees are selected by peers, then perhaps the entire system needs to be reevaluated, not just the opinions of a man at the top.

Charli XCX chimed in with righteous anger, which is the best kind of anger because it usually leads to action. Drag him, Charli!

Grammy winner Pink shared a handwritten open letter to Portnow, and anyone else who doesn't recognize the substantial contributions women make to music each year.

“Women in music don’t need to ‘step up’ —women have been stepping since the beginning of time. Stepping up, and also stepping aside. Women OWNED music this year. They’ve been KILLING IT. And every year before this. When we celebrate and honor the talent and accomplishments of women, and how much women STEP UP every year, and how much women STEP UP every year, against all odds, we show the next generation of women and girls and boys and men what it means to be equal, and what it looks like to be fair.”

And 13-time Grammy nominee Katy Perry quote-tweeted Pink, applauding her bravery and calling out Portnow and other barriers to gender equality in the industry.

Portnow walked back his comments, but it doesn't change the reality of the industry.

After some serious backlash from artists, music professionals, and fans, Portnow released the following statement, apologizing for his word choice.

Last night, I was asked a question about the lack of female artist representation in certain categories of this year's Grammy Awards. Regrettably, I used two words, “step up,” that, when taken out of context, do not convey my beliefs and the point I was trying to make.

Our industry must recognize that women who dream of careers in music face barriers that men have never faced. We must actively work to eliminate these barriers and encourage women to live their dreams and express their passion and creativity through music. We must welcome, mentor, and empower them. Our community will be richer for it. I regret that I wasn't as articulate as I should have been in conveying this thought. I remain committed to doing everything I can to make our music community a better, safer, and more representative place for everyone.

Kesha, Camila Cabello, Andra Day, and Julia Michaels perform onstage during the 60th Grammy Awards. Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Naras.

It's a much better, more helpful statement.

But his apology is only the first step correcting the serious gender inequalities in the Grammys and executive roles in the recording industry. Now more than ever, we need to push back on calls to "welcome, mentor, and empower" and ensure these statements are backed up with funding, commitment, and action.

Women are already doing the work and then some. It's time for the men, especially men in positions of power, to step up and do their part to truly make the community, "a better, safer, and more representative place for everyone."

Most Shared

Watch Janelle Monáe deliver the most powerful speech from this year's Grammys.

'We come in peace, but we mean business.'

At this year's Grammys, it wasn't just the awards and performances that people were tuning in to see.

One of viewers' biggest questions had less to do with who'd take home the trophies and more to do with what role the #MeToo and Time's Up movements would play throughout the night.

Themes from the red carpet quickly became clear, with a smattering of artists and guests decked out in all-black (similar to the Golden Globes), while some wore a white rose or a Time's Up pin to stand in solidarity with the workplace anti-harassment campaign. The biggest question: What, if anything, would presenters and performers say from the stage?

Alessia Cara, Zayn Malik, and Miley Cyrus incorporated white roses into their evening outfits. Photos by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images.

Janelle Monáe gave a powerhouse speech that quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the night.

As she stood on stage to introduce a performance by Kesha, Monáe took the opportunity to make a statement that resonated with the audience and beyond.

"Tonight, I am proud to stand in solidarity as not just an artist but a young woman with my fellow sisters in this room who make up the music industry," said Monáe. "Artists, writers, assistants, publicists, CEOs, producers, engineers, and women from all sectors of the business. We are also daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, and human beings."

[rebelmouse-image 19469934 dam="1" original_size="450x253" caption="GIFs via Grammy.com." expand=1]GIFs via Grammy.com.

"We come in peace, but we mean business," she continued, gearing up for the night's rallying cry. "And to those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words: Time's up. We say time's up for pay inequality, time's up for discrimination, time's up for harassment of any kind, and time's up for the abuse of power."

"Because, you see, it's not just going on in Hollywood, it's not just going on in Washington — it's right here in our industry as well," she added. "And just as we have the power to shape culture, we also have the power to undo the culture that does not serve us well. So let's work together, women and men, as a united music industry, committed to creating more safe work environments, equal pay and access for all women."

It was a speech the world needed to hear and one that should inspire a generation of young girls to understand the power they hold.

Girls and women do have the power to shape culture, and they don't have to put up with a world that refuses to see them as equals.

For years, Kesha was trapped in a sort of artistic purgatory for speaking out about her sexual assault at the hands of one of the industry's top producers. In 2017, she broke free, releasing "Rainbowm," a stunning album from start to finish and a major departure from her early-career radio hits.

Women like Kesha deserve to have their voices heard without fear of retaliation, and it's on the rest of the industry to have her back and the backs of other artists when they're the victims of injustice.

Monáe's speech was capped off by Kesha's raw and moving performance of her survivor's anthem "Praying."

As Kesha took the stage after Monáe's introduction, we saw a champion for survivors of sexual assault emerge to take her well-deserved place as a part of music's biggest night.

Watch Kesha's performance below. Monáe's speech can be found on the official Grammy Awards website.

Trending Stories