As Gen-Z discover ‘Pretty Little Baby’, Mumbaikars say it’s been a classic at home, and house parties

American singer Connie Francis sang `Pretty Little Baby` in 1962 and it is currently going viral on Instagram Reels. Photo Courtesy: Nicole Pereira/AFP/Kimberly Van`Drine

If you spend enough time on the Internet these days, you have definitely come across 'Pretty Little Baby', a 1962 song by Connie Francis, going viral over the last few weeks. It has now become an earworm for many but has also got others curious. Just like many other old songs, the song has managed to catch the fancy of Gen-Z and Millennials alike, as they make reels on Instagram with the music.

Interestingly, Francis' music has been a part of many Catholic homes and parties, among other communities in Mumbai, long before it blew up on the Internet. Like this writer, many Mumbaikars have spent many Sunday afternoons and times at home when Francis' songs were played or sung, or even danced to the likes of ‘Stupid Cupid' at weddings and other house parties, through the years.

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'Pretty Litte Baby' for karaoke
Althea D'Souza being one of them, in fact, remembers listening to the song as a child, spending most of her childhood in Bandra before moving to Bhayandar as an adult, and still continuing the tradition. As soon as the song started to get viral, the Mumbaikar says she got nostalgic, sharing, "Dad and Mum used to play songs in the morning on Sundays and 'Pretty Little Baby' was one of them, and we would sing along to these songs. Some of the songs I still remember and sing along till date, whenever I hear them."

I think Connie Francis was more known in our parents' generation, she says, continuing, "This generation wouldn't really know her, unless their parents have made them listen to her songs." As people discover the viral song, which now has over 828,000 reels on Instagram, there are other songs like 'Stupid Cupid', another one of the American singer's hits that is her favourite.

The 35-year-old shares, "It's my favourite song to sing for karaoke. In church, when we used to have summer clubs for kids, I used to take part in the singing competition and sing this every time." Apart from the two songs, D'Souza always loves singing along to other hits by the singer like ‘Lipstick On Your Collar', ‘Never On A Sunday' and ‘Tennessee Waltz'. Amid the popularity, the Mumbaikar adds, "I'm sure many kids today think it's a new track but I'm happy hearing the song all over again otherwise I don't think the newer generation would know her."

Opportunity for Gen-Z to discover Connie Francis
Elsewhere, Kimberly Van'Drine is just like D'Souza, as she has grown up listening to the singer all her life living around her family who make up the city-based band '2 Girls and a Guitar ft Kimberly'. Having played at many venue including Catholic Gymkhana and Bandra Gymkhana among others in the city over the years, 'Stupid Cupid', 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool', 'Lipstick On Your Collar' and 'Never on a Sunday' have been a part of their song list for a long time. Being Gen-Z, the 22-year-old says, "Some of the new generation, especially those at Catholic weddings and parties would definitely be exposed to her music but largely the new generation probably wouldn't have come across these songs from the 60s."

This may just be the song that takes them back to the song that was released in 1962. While it initially went viral on TikTok, it soon trickled to Instagram and now lives in everybody's head "rent-free", as they like to say these days. So, what could have made it go viral? "While it's almost impossible to predict why exactly a song goes viral on TikTok and reels, there is a sense of timelessness to melodies like 'Pretty Little Baby' that resonates with people of all ages. I think there's also a "retro aesthetic" that's making a comeback, which ties in with the revival of the song," adds the city-based singer-songwriter and Sonic branding strategist.

It's not only that for Van'Drine but also the emotional aspect that she connects with. "It's absolutely amazing that beautiful music like this is making a comeback. Having grown up with music like this playing in my home, it definitely has a nostalgic feeling. I think more music from the past needs to reach newer audiences," she adds.

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Uniqueness of Connie Francis
So, what makes Connie Francis' voice unique? "Connie Francis' voice is very different from the songs of the new generation. Sometimes, an old song with a sweet voice or different kinds of beats is great to hear among the music that you hear now," shares 29-year-old Nicole Pereira, another Mumbaikar, who has grown up singing 'Stupid Cupid' and 'Fallin''.

Now that this song has gone viral, the Bandra-based consultant says even though it was only the oldies who knew it earlier, the fact that ‘Pretty Little Baby' is going so viral means that the newer generation may get the opportunity to explore her music and similar genres.

Being a city-based karaoke jockey herself, the Mumbaikar already sings ‘Stupid Cupid' every time she hosts a karaoke afternoon or night in Mumbai, usually at The Little Door in Andheri. "I went to China recently and sang it there also," Pereira laughs, while highlighting her love for the song, one of many that she has grown up singing, and we won't be surprised if ‘Pretty Little Baby' also ends up on her list, as she makes others sing it in the city before the next song goes viral, even as ‘Shake It To The Max' by MOLIY and Silent Addy takes over.