Pharrell Williams’ Academy Award-nominated single “Happy” has gone viral on YouTube – again.
Unlike Williams’ original 24-hour music video project (in connection with Despicable Me 2), this two-minute clip features the Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences elementary school choir’s version of the song. The video was uploaded to YouTube on March 7 by Edward Bone (with minimal tags or description), and has since gained more than 1.4 million views. (Updated: 4/11/14)
The Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences is a conglomerate of two public schools on Detroit’s east side. Founded by Rev. Jim Holley and managed by Edison Schools Inc., the for-profit educational management organization operates more than 150 public schools across the United States and United Kingdom.
Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” has sold more than 2.5 million copies (RIAA certified multi-platinum) since October of 2013, and has remained at the top of Billboard’s Hot-100 for three consecutive weeks: Pharrell’s fourth-career chart-topping hit.
Watch The Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences choir perform “Happy” below: