Group of Swedish dads bust out singing at play dates with their kids and holy moly
Their pitch perfect harmonies have made them a viral sensation.
Dad Harmony singing with their kids
Seeing a group of young dads hanging out with their young children on playdates is already incredibly wholesome. But add in some a cappella singing in harmonies that enrapture those same children? Come on now.
That's what you get from the five Swedish fathers who make up the group Dad Harmony, a viral sensation that started with some friends just casually singing together.
The dad "boyband" hails from the northern town of Skelleftea, Sweden, and consists of two brothers, Peter and Tomas Widmark, and their friends, Michael Aberg, Sebastian Åkesson and Adam Stenlund.
“This story all started at my bachelor party,” 33-year-old Peter Widmark told the AFP. “We were hanging out and singing as we usually do when we hang out in the bath [jacuzzi]…(and) my brother filmed it and put it on TikTok with his seven followers.”
The song they were singing was "The Wellerman," a sea shanty that was all over social media during the pandemic. The next morning, the video had 40,000 views, and it shot up to 20 million within a couple of weeks.
The friends decided to start recording themselves singing various popular hits a cappella, which led to a formal band name, Dad Harmony, as well as studio recordings and a European tour.
Their beautiful harmonies have captures people’s attention around the world, but the videos that include their kids are particularly popular. Most often, the dads are sitting around a living room or dining room table holding babies and small children, just singing away. The kids seem to enjoy it, too, with Widmark explaining, “It’s a s soothing thing when we sing.”
Each of the dads has two kids and works normal day jobs like sales and janitorial. As far as singing with their kids, Widmark's brother, Tomas, told AFP they are "typical Swedish guys" who simply spend a lot of time with their children.
"Almost every guy in Sweden is used to taking paternity leave, so it's not a big deal for us," he told the AFP.
People gush in the comments of their videos:
"These kids are so lucky! They get the chance to listen to their dads creating these magical sounds (when most of other children of their age are spending their time on tablets ..)"
"I absolutely love how the kids are always seen in these videos. Never hidden but loved so much and loving the beautiful music being made 😍"
@dadharmony #onecallaway #dadharmony #acapella #charlieputh #dads #singing #singingdads #pippi
"Every time I get to see and listening you I get so emotional!! The way the children listen!!! And the newborn is already inside the circle of love!! Thank you guys!!! 💕"
"Gorgeous! And those kids will grow up with such an appreciation of music. So important."
"Kids growing up thinking this is casually every dinner table … 'Oh, your family *doesn’t* sit at the table and sing vocal arrangements?'"
"So much admiration for these Dads who clearly make family a priority and the focus on blending their voices into a beautiful harmony that soothes those children as they listen. What an incredible legacy they are creating for their families. How inspiring!"
And no, the kids don't always sit still. Sometimes they squirm. Sometimes they dance.
@dadharmony I guess now we’re dancing as well 🙈 #standbyme #beneking #dadharmony #singing #dads #acapella #harmony #children #father #dancing
But there's no question they are getting an unusually extraordinary experience growing up with these "dad harmonies" surrounding them.
You can follow Dad Harmony on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, and find their tour dates on their website.
And if you're curious about which dad sings which part, the five of them answered that and other reader questions here:
- YouTubewww.youtube.com