adminShowbiz Correspondent
ZIMBABWE’s Tapiwa “Taps” Mugadza, who three weeks ago did a cover version of Adele’s latest hit single, ‘Hello’ broke his own record after the video notched up over 1 million views on video sharing site, YouTube this week.
Hello, released last month, became the fastest selling single in the United Kingdom this year, attracting over 300 million views on YouTube. It triggered an avalanche of cover versions with one of the best being done by 26-year-old Taps.
And now, the cover version has catapulted Taps to fame, earning him 1 million views.
“We actually did it people. My first million views. This will be a day I remember. I could have never done this without all of you, God bless you all. Thank you for making me feel like the luckiest person in the world,” an excited Taps posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
According to popular American entertainment channel, E!, Taps’ version of Hello is one of the top 20 renditions of Hello among the likes of R&B legend Joe Thomas. As of yesterday, Joe Thomas’ rendition had below 700,000 views, showing that Taps is leading the pack.
Armed with only his acoustic guitar, Taps belted out what was described as an emotional soul wrenching rendition of Hello. The artiste and activist based in America began singing gospel music at church and when he was 15 years old, he took part in singing competition A-Academy where he came third. An orphan, Taps relocated to America in 2009 where he studied at the Musicians Institute-College of Contemporary Music in Hollywood and graduated as most “Outstanding Artist”.
Hello has been met with excitement from various people worldwide with a Hello Challenge being created early this week. To participate, one uses lyrics of the first part of the song to send to anyone, preferable an ex lover in order to make it exciting.
“Hello . . . It’s me . . . I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet. . . To go over everything . . . They say that time’s supposed to heal ya, but I ain’t done much healing
. . . Hello, can you hear me?” would be the first parts of the conversation.
“I’m in California dreaming about who we used to be . . . When we were younger and free . . . I’ve forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet,” continues the conversation.
The challenge is mainly being used as a way to give false hope to ex lovers, with one behaving as if they are trying to work things out. Towards the end, most get lost, asking the person who would have sent to explain what they are going on about. To some, the conversation seems to make perfect sense.
Judging by some of the clips from the challenge, most seem to have fallen prey as they seem not to know that they are lyrics taken off Hello.
Meanwhile, Adele, who made a musical comeback with Hello, is set to release her much-anticipated second album ‘25’ in a few days. She is also in talks to feature in a feature film, ‘The Death and Life of John F. Donovan’, which is being directed by her video’s creator, Xavier Dolan.
Online Reporter