Daddy cool: Swedish dads go viral as boy band

Members of the band “Dad Harmony” (from left) Michael Aberg, Sebastian Akesson, Adam Stenlund, Peter Widmark and Tomas Widmark are pictured during an interview with AFP, in Norrkoping, Sweden, on Dec. 1, 2023. Five fathers in their thirties from Northern Sweden have become an international internet sensation thanks to their a cappella covers of pop hits. They film themselves performing at home while taking care of their children, fans praise them for their “natural” and “normal” attitude. VIKEN KANTARCI / AFP

NORRKÖPING, Sweden—Five Swedish fathers singing pop songs a cappella while taking care of their young children have taken social media by storm, with their videos garnering tens of millions of views.

The five men, all in their 30s, film their “Dad Harmony” sessions while hanging out with their kids at home in the northern town of Skelleftea.

“This story all started at my bachelor party” in the summer of 2022, Peter Widmark, a 33-year-old who works in sales, told AFP in an interview.

“We were hanging out and singing as we usually do when we hang out… (and) my brother filmed it and put it on TikTok with his seven followers,” he said.

The next morning the dads discovered the video had been viewed 40,000 times. The number had skyrocketed to 20 million hits worldwide within a few weeks.

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The five friends decided to start posting videos regularly, shot in their kitchens or on their sofas, often holding their little ones on their laps.

Singing the chorus of Leonard Cohen’s classic “Hallelujah,” one of the dads can be seen holding his weeks-old newborn in his arms.

“It’s a soothing thing when we sing,” Widmark said, explaining why the children are usually so calm in the videos.

‘Typical Swedish guys’

“We are typical Swedish guys,” said Widmark’s brother Tomas, who is also part of the group, adding it was “not that unusual” for men in Sweden to spend a lot of time with their children.

“Almost every guy in Sweden is used to taking paternity leave so it’s not a big deal for us,” he added.

Each of the dads has two kids.

Dad Harmony’s repertoire includes hits by Michael Jackson, the Beatles and popular Christmas songs.

Since the end of November, the group has been on a month-long tour crisscrossing Sweden to perform live shows each weekend—albeit without their kids.

During the weeks, they go back to Skelleftea and continue to work at their normal jobs and spend time with their families.

“I just stumbled on their video on Instagram and I was mesmerized,” said Louise Elgstrom, a 41-year-old fan who attended a recent show in the town of Norrkoping.

She said their appeal lies in the fact that “they feel so natural and also (that they are) involving their children.”

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The dads vow their success won’t go to their heads.

“No televisions flying from the hotel rooms!” joked band member Sebastian Akesson.

But the group has big dreams: they hope to line up tour dates in the United States and Asia, and say they would love to sing with Elton John one day.