Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Interrupted no more: the rise of TikTok star Sheena Melwani

Interrupted no more: the rise of TikTok star Sheena Melwani

Singer-songwriter Sheena Melwani has become something of a global sensation online thanks to ‘The Real Indian Dad’ interrupting her singing on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced performers around the world to take their work online this year – and for some, the move has been a revelation.

US-based singer-songwriter Sheena Melwani’s “Interrupted” series – song performances featuring the shouting of a cranky off-screen heckler – has become something of a global sensation, gaining her more than 250 million online views on a range of platforms.

On TikTok earlier this year, Melwani posted a recording of her performance of the song If the World Was Ending by Canadian singer-songwriter JP Saxe being interrupted by an unnamed man – now known as The Real Indian Dad (TRID) – who heckles Melwani and makes fun of the song’s lyrics. The viral video now has more than 2.8 million views.

The formula – Melwani singing and playing the piano overlaid with TRID’S punchy remarks about her covers – was clearly a winner, and has been extended to cover videos of songs by artists including Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars.


Melwani, who was born in Canada and is in her late 30s, began singing at the age of four and playing the piano when she was eight. As a child, she sang in choirs, took private lessons and performed in bands. She graduated with a music degree from McGill University in her hometown of Montreal.

“When I was newly married and living in Tokyo [in Japan], being so far away from friends and family, I started my online musical journey by posting originals and covers to the various social media platforms,” she says of her online debut in 2007 and 2008.


Melwani’s videos of song covers and public performances earned her an early following on YouTube.


Melwani accrued 20,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel for her covers and public performances – she even sang the US national anthem before a baseball game at Boston’s Fenway Park, in the US state of Massachusetts, in 2009 – before she took a break to start a family. She has a son aged nine and a daughter aged six.

“Staying home to raise my kids was the best decision I made, but I’ll admit I felt like I wasn’t able to share a part of me during that time,” she says. “I missed performing and wasn’t sure if I’d have the courage to put myself out there again.”

Ten years later, when her youngest started school in September 2019, Melwani refocused on building up her social media presence. When Covid-19 hit
, desperate to find a way to stay connected, she started performing live across various social media platforms.

“That led to the totally unplanned interruption of a song and it’s been an incredible journey ever since,” she says. “I love getting emails and Instagram messages from fans telling me how much joy they find in my music and comedy.”

Melwani believes her followers connect with the music, with the humour, and the funny and mutually respectful relationship they see and hear in her songs. “It’s also authentic. My reaction is genuine and relatable, so people can enjoy that moment with me.”

She says it has been heart-warming to be able to make people laugh. “I’ve received messages from people struggling with anxiety and depression, sharing how my videos have lifted their spirits or changed their mindset about how it’s OK to goof around and not be anywhere close to perfect.”


Melwani believes her followers connect with the music, humour and mutually respectful relationship they see and hear in her songs.


Melwani now has nearly 71,000 subscribers on YouTube, 362,000 Instagram followers and 2.5 million followers on TikTok. She has also connected with celebrity content creators such as US singer-songwriter John Legend and JP Saxe – the one who started it all.

“It all came full circle when JP Saxe sang his song back to us, but this time with TRID’s comments as his lyrics,” she says. “He was such a good sport.”

For all of her success online, Melwani regards social media as something of a double-edged sword. While she will be forever grateful for the exposure, she thinks a lot of posts have a skewed perception of happiness.

“People are painted as happier than they really are, and this can have such a negative impact on viewers. I’ll admit that I, too, compare myself to artists … and start feeling pressure that I need to do more.”


Melwani has nearly 71,000 subscribers on YouTube, 362,000 Instagram followers and 2.5 million followers on TikTok.


Melwani says she can find it hard to disconnect from the incessant demands of social media, and she is conscious about putting down her phone to set a good example for her children. “I try very hard to be self-aware about how the messages we receive through social media can seep into our subconscious and I choose, as much as I can, to live in the moment.”

Melwani finds it amusing when people still ask her if The Real Indian Dad is her real father.

“Drum roll please … TRID is in actual fact my husband,” she reveals. “There has been confusion over his identity, but I never imagined that posting a video with an ‘Indian Dads Be Like’ quote would have translated to people thinking he is my father.”


TRID’s well-known line “close the windows” began as a random comment, but has now become a famous tagline.


TRID, who prefers not to give his real name, chose the nickname because his persona exemplifies a typical overprotective “desi” (Indian or South Asian) father. Fans from a range of cultures have been able to relate to his popular lines including “no boys allowed”, “come back with a PhD” and “go to sleep”.

“I’m proud that we’ve used our platform to spread joy and, most recently, to initiate a fundraiser in support of the Spread the Joy Foundation, a charity my sister-in-law founded after her own child had to endure long hospital stays,” he says.

The Spread the Joy Foundation gives hospitalised kids fighting major paediatric illnesses little “Joy Boxes” of gifts. In February, earlier this year, Melwani attended the foundation’s annual gala in New Jersey to help raise funds and performed Incredible Me, an original song.


Melwani has earned praise from stars such as US singer-songwriter John Legend.


This year, Melwani and TRID are offering recorded ringtones and personalised voicemail greetings for US$10 and US$25 respectively. The money goes to the Spread the Joy Foundation, which works with major manufacturing and retail companies including Crayola, Target and Michaels to give hospitalised children joy, one box at a time.

“I don’t see myself, or anyone else on social media for that matter, as any different,” Melwani says. “I remind myself that this attention is because of the people who follow, share videos, and write to encourage or advise me. And if there’s any fear of me developing a big head, all it takes is for my kids to tell me to stop singing and give them dinner.”

Melwani plans to release her original EP on Spotify and Apple Music early next year. “I am most excited to record an original song I wrote called Find Your Happy, because this is truly the anthem of my life,” she says. “In my 20s, my dreams involved concert tours and making a bucketload of money, but today I have no regrets about choosing my long break. I now have a great balance in both being and doing what I love. This song reminds me that there are blessings everywhere, if we find what truly fills us.”


Melwani plans to release her original EP on Spotify and Apple Music early next year.


TRID says he wishes he could take credit for having planned the Interrupted series but, in truth, it was just them being “them” at home. His well-known line “close the windows” began as a random comment, he says, but has now become a famous tagline, even seen to represent a philosophy: shut out negativity.

“Fans have taken to this in an amazing way, with one having even tattooed the expression on her wrist,” he says. “Even names such as ‘Rascal’ that I playfully use for Sheena have become so popular that she now has an online merchandise store selling T-shirts and tops with my popular catchphrases.”

The profits from these items are not sent to the foundation, although purchasers are given an option to donate.


A social media post by Melwani with a comment from John Legend.


TRID says the lyrics of many of today’s popular songs inspire his commentary, and the fun is understood by the listeners. “It reminds them of the way they tease their loved ones, and it’s clean, so the fun can be shared irrespective of age,” he says.

“Sheena is an amazing singer – these videos do not do her justice. I cannot wait for the world to hear her original music. Her future is bright and this is just the beginning.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
×