TikTok star Sheena Melwani’s ‘Interrupted’ series gives the singer a second shot at fame and the chance to raise money for charity

Featuring the shouting of a cranky off-screen heckler nicknamed ‘The Real Indian Dad’, the ‘Interrupted’ series has become quite the sensation on social media

In 2009, Melwani took a break from singing to start a family. Now, she has earned praise from stars such as John Legend and has 2.5 million followers on TikTok

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TikTok-famous singer-songwriter Sheena Melwani has ‘The Real Indian Dad’ to thank for her fame. But who is he really? Photo: Soho Photography

Published: 1:15am, 6 Nov 2020Updated: 12:03pm, 6 Nov 2020

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.