+
“A balm for the soul”
  review on Goodreads
GOOD PEOPLE Book
upworthy

opera

Pop Culture

Singing girl gets hilariously interrupted by her cat, who performs his own 'meowpera'

You can't stifle talent this great.

Reddit

He was really feeling it.

Cats are underappreciated geniuses in so many ways…why not add singing into the mix?

Folks on Reddit were delighted by a video of a girl singing opera and getting unapologetically interrupted by her cat, who then ended up completely stealing the spotlight by belting out a few notes. Yep, a total diva move that only a cat could get away with.

The clip is so hilarious that we didn’t want you missing out.

Even the girl can’t stay mad as kitty starts to make those weird little chirps (you know, the alien noises cats make when they see a bird) set in perfect tempo to the accompaniment.

Her mood quickly goes from “Excuse me?” to all out cackling.

Watch:

Singing girl is interrupted in the most adorable way.
by u/SnorkinOrkin in MadeMeSmile

Like, seriously…that cat is definitely singing, amirite?

Viewers on Reddit had a field day in the comments.

“I love cats. Such perfectly broken creatures,” one person wrote.

Another added, “It sounded like the cat was actually trying to meow along with the tune of the song! So cute! Clever cat!”

And of course, fellow cat owners couldn’t help but relate. One shared, “As a singer with cats, they love singing. I have an audience whenever I practice.”

Many were hellbent on figuring out how kitty was able to seemingly sing on beat. One person made a valid guess, writing, “I think she’s playing a YouTube karaoke track and there’s some kind of bouncing icon above the words that the cat is focusing on, that’s why the cat is so in sync 😂”

One helpful Reddit user noted that the singer has a TikTok channel (@maura.music) filled with even more opurra—or should we say meowpera?—duets with her cat, who we can now lovingly call Max.

Check out this one:

@maura.music Warming up those vocal chords😌#OperaCat #catsinger #catsoftiktok #musictok #operatok #catduet #catcomedy #OperaSinger ♬ original sound - maura music

Thanks, Max. You truly are a star. (And your human is pretty talented, too.)

This article originally appeared on 4.7.23

From Your Site Articles
cats rule
Popular

Video of a homeless woman singing opera in the LA subway captivates thousands

LAPD

A homeless woman in Los Angeles has found overnight fame after a police officer shared video of her singing opera in the subway station.

Struck by her incredible voice, the officer recorded the talented 52-year-old at the Wilshire and Normandie Purple Line station, according to Good News Network, and uploaded it to Twitter where it quickly became a viral sensation.

"4 million people call LA home. 4 million stories. 4 million voices...sometimes you just have to stop and listen to one, to hear something beautiful," the LAPD wrote.

The woman, who has since been identified as Emily Zamourka, can be heard belting out a beautiful rendition of Puccini Aria on the platform. Surprisingly, she's had no formal vocal training, but is a classically trained pianist and violinist, ABC 7 reports.

RELATED: A tragically beautiful video captures Parisians singing hymns as they watch Notre Dame burn

"You know why I do it in the subway is because it sounds so great," she told reporters.

Zamourka used to play her violin around the city to make money until someone stole the $10,000 instrument three years ago. After a serious health challenge and the financial setback, she ended up on the street.

"That's when I became homeless when I could not actually pay any of my bills and could not pay any more of my rent…I am sleeping on carboard right now in a parking lot," she said.

She was surprised to find out the video of her had become so popular and told reporters she just wants to return to playing her music so she can get back on her feet.

"I will be so grateful to anyone who is trying to help me get off the streets and to have my own place and my instrument," Zamourka said.

Many locals commented on the video, sharing their own stories of interactions with Zamourka.

RELATED: When someone on the street asks you for money, what's your answer? This app can help.

"I've seen her for years on the Metro. I heard her once singing 'Ave Maria' and thought it was a radio at first. Everyone has a story...this woman does too. I don't know why she's been homeless all these years, but she's a human being...that's all that matters," one person wrote.

"She's from Glendale. She loves animals and sings Like a Bird. She is multi-talented and very friendly and kind. Her name is Emily," another person wrote.

Others, however, took the video as a chance to call out the homelessness crisis in Southern California.

Currently, there are more than 58,900 Angeleños experiencing homelessness, according to CNN. The situation is so bad, some officials are calling for it to be declared a state of emergency.

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Most Shared

Meet Keanon Kyles, the maintenance worker who moonlights as an international opera singer.

"La Bohème" is the popular opera that inspired the Broadway musical "Rent."

It's an awesome show about artists and dreamers who, despite their noble and lofty aspirations to bring beauty into the world, still struggle to make ends meet. They're rich in passion and their love for life — but unfortunately, that creative zeal doesn't pay the rent or the other bills they rack up.

It's the classic "starving artist" trope.

But the characters in these stories could have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they'd just followed in the footsteps of another great melodious master: Keanon Kyles.

All photos via ABC7 News.

Who is Keanon Kyles? He's a janitor at ABC7's studios in Chicago. And he's also Colline in an upcoming Scottish opera production of "La Bohème."

"I am the only American chosen for the opera," he told ABC News. "Everyone else is from overseas, so I go there feeling as if I'm representing a nation."

This isn't the first time Kyles' tremendous voice has carried him overseas either.

Kyles grew up on Chicago's South Side, and he started singing seriously when he was just 8 years old.

He definitely got more than a little flak for being the rare young black guy who's really into opera. But he never let the ribbing bring him down and ended up earning a degree in classical voice performance from Columbia College.

In 2015, he flew to Italy to perform at the Trentino Music Festival, and he's also appeared on professional stages all across Chicago.

And yeah, he's also a janitor. But that's not even his only job.

Between his work at ABC7, his vocal coaching classes, and his job at a department store, Kyles often works up to 90 hours a week.

That doesn't even include the time he spends rehearsing. But he says that's just the cost of creating great art to give to the world. (Plus the night shifts give him lots of quiet time to practice while he works.)

"It's a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of long days," he said in an interview with ABC News. "But it all pays off with the music because you get to do what you love: music."


As the characters in "La Bohème" demonstrate, sometimes art doesn't pay the bills.

When Kyles returns from his memorable Scottish excursion at the end of the summer, he's planning to go right back to his maintenance work at ABC7.

He's living proof that success isn't just a one-off deal. Often there's no real payoff without a little perseverance and a lot of hard work.

Money helps us feed ourselves, which is certainly important. But money doesn't feed our souls, and often our art matters just as much.

And that's why Kyles is an awesome example for us all.

Here's a video of Kyles performing in Italy last year. Break a leg in Scotland, Keanon!

Trending Stories