Instruments

You know that feeling when you hear the opening synths of Take On Me and suddenly, the world shifts back to a time of neon lights, big hair, and MTV magic? The 80s—oh, how we still love you. This sibling duo stuns judges with their outstanding and fun performance, and we love them for it. 

Meet Jonno and Dan—two scruffy-bearded, hat-wearing, glasses-sporting brothers who look like they belong in the indie art scene of downtown Oregon. But don’t let the hipster vibe fool you. These two took a leap that landed them on the big stage of America’s Got Talent—in Ireland, no less—and they didn’t just walk on, they stormed it.

Their version of the song ‘Take On Me’—that iconic Norwegian synth-pop anthem originally released in 1984—turned heads and melted hearts everywhere. The original song had its own rocky road, with multiple releases before finally soaring to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1985, thanks to that groundbreaking music video that blended live-action with pencil-sketch animation. You remember it—those unforgettable shots that made the song more than just music, but an experience.

Jonno and Dan stripped it down and somehow captured all the nostalgia and emotion wrapped up in that upbeat melody. Their version is like a warm hug from the past, but fresh enough to make you want to hit replay.

There’s something about the 80s that never really goes away. Maybe it’s the boldness. The color. The joy of trying something new and weird and wonderful all at once. And these brothers? They remind us that some songs—and some memories—are truly timeless.

So whether you grew up with a Walkman glued to your side or you’re discovering this gem for the first time, Jonno and Dan’s version will make you smile, tap your feet, and maybe even sing along.

Because the ’80s live on—in the music we play, the memories we cherish, and the stories we tell.

And honestly? We’re so glad they do.

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” Psalm 100:1-2

Friend, you have to see this video—seriously, stop scrolling and just watch it. A violinist draws an unlikely audience as turtles gather for his tunes. A traveling violinist named Zac walks up to the edge of a quiet pond, lifts his bow, and begins to play—and then the magic begins.

Turtles. Dozens of them. Swimming toward the sound, bobbing their heads, popping up like they’d been waiting all day for this concert.

“If I start playing music, they’ll just start bee-lining towards me,” Zac said, still a little amazed by his unlikely fan base. Some musicians sell out stadiums. Zac serenades a pond—and it’s honestly more beautiful than any red carpet performance I’ve ever seen.

Zac left a corporate job six years ago to chase his passion: the delicate dance between classical violin and hip-hop beats. It’s mesmerizing. But he never expected this—an audience of soft-souled reptiles, drawn to rhythm and blues like it’s written on their hearts.

“Every time I play hip-hop, they vibe the most to that,” Zac said with a grin. He’s tried other genres—pop, rock, classical—but nothing brings the turtles in like a good beat pulsing through the strings of his bow.

“They’ll come up to the edge of the water and move their head a little bit,” he added, chuckling.

Brielle, the video’s producer, called it what we were all thinking: “They’re soul-like. Soulful.” And Zac, still laughing, nodded and added “They got a hard shell but a soft soul, you know?”

Don’t we all?

Maybe that’s what I love most about this whole beautiful scene—it’s a picture of what we’re all longing for. Someone to show up, play something beautiful, and remind us that even with our hard shells, we’re still drawn to soul-stirring things.

And maybe—just maybe—rhythm is the language of the heart, even for turtles.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Psalm 150:6