Every second of this viral oboe, violin and opera cover of ‘Toxic’ belongs in a museum

29 April 2021, 12:42

Violin, oboe and soprano cover of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’. Picture: Aaron Crouch

By Maddy Shaw Roberts

*smashes repeat button*

Three years ago, an oboist, a violinist and a soprano (no, this isn’t the start of an elaborate classical joke – although if that’s what you’re after, go ahead and have a gander just here) gathered at their university dorms, and created a work of art.

Not just any old university, mind – the actual Curtis Institute of Music, a private conservatoire in Philadelphia.

Its hallowed halls are home to some of the world’s most dazzling young musicians, including violinist Emily, oboist Sarrah and hella-fire operatic soprano, Lindsey.

As well as an extraordinary gift for playing their instruments, the three girls had in common a deep love for an iconic figure of early-noughties pop – one, Britney Spears. Namely, her hit song ‘Toxic’.

And so was born one of the Internet’s weirdest gems… (watch below).

Toxic

Now that is a tidy sum of talent in one room.

From the deliciously vibey blend of oboe and strings to those final splits from Lindsey, every inch of the video is absolute gold. But the story didn’t end there.

You may have noticed a fourth band member, whose smile at the end is a meme-worthy moment in itself. Aaron Crouch, who filmed the viral hit, released a video on TikTok last year, walking his followers through “the time he went viral with his friends”.

He recalls how Britney herself reposted the video on her Instagram, and Crouch got thousands of new followers overnight.

“This is great!” Spears wrote on Instagram.