United States & World

With its viral pop song covers, the PS22 Chorus continues to build community through music

NPR | By Isabella Gomez Sarmiento,

Janet W. Lee

Published June 20, 2026 at 7:40 AM EDT

Updated June 25, 2026 at 10:28 AM EDT

You may have come across a video of the PS22 Chorus before: a school auditorium full of fourth and fifth graders, singing songs by Björk or The Cranberries or Rihanna.

Instead of standing tall and singing seriously, the PS22 kids are usually relaxed and leaning back into their seats. They look straight into the camera, making facial expressions and hand gestures that emphasize the lyrics of their sometimes unconventional song choices. This approach has turned the Staten Island chorus into a niche pop phenomenon, both on and off the internet.

PS22 has performed at the Academy Awards, President Barack Obama's second inauguration and alongside Stevie Nicks at Madison Square Garden. They've recorded in the studio with the indie pop artist Passion Pit and been visited at school by artists ranging from Amy Grant to the duo Chloe x Halle. But beyond its viral success, the PS22 Chorus is a public school program that has spent more than two decades teaching kids to build confidence and community through music.

"It's not just about singing. It's not just about learning notes and learning rhythms and learning lyrics," chorus director Gregg Breinberg tells NPR. "It's really about connecting."

Breinberg started the PS22 Chorus program during the 2000-2001 school year. Not long after, came the Sept. 11 attacks. In an effort to help his students process the events of that day, Breinberg worked with the kids to create a musical film called The Conference. It combined a fictional storyline and real student interviews to address their confusion and grief in the aftermath of 9/11, as well as shine a light on some of the backlash his Muslim students were experiencing.

"It was my responsibility as a teacher to try to help these kids make sense of it in a way that would be child appropriate and in a way that hopefully could make them feel better," Breinberg says.

Years later, PS22's film ended up in a special exhibit at the World Trade Center museum. Breinberg says the project still holds a special place in his heart and in the history of the program. Earlier this year, the students were invited to perform at Zohran Mamdani's mayoral inauguration alongside Mandy Patinkin. In preparation, Breinberg spoke to the chorus about the student film. He told them that politics aside, the inauguration of the city's first Muslim mayor marked a significant milestone for the city and for the chorus.

"I wanted them to understand the real breadth of the moment and why this was so historic," he says. "New York has come a long way."

Today, there are about 90 students in the PS22 Chorus. Fifth grader Jacob King says it's what makes him want to go to school.

"I have that at least once every week," he says. "I ask my parents if I can stay home and then, right as they say yes, I say 'Never mind. It's a chorus day. I'm going.'"

On a recent field trip to PS22, NPR caught up with several members of the chorus' 25th cohort. These answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento: What's your favorite part of being in chorus?

Raphael Wolmart, age 10: My favorite part about the chorus is the singing part, obviously. The songs that we learn and the harmonies – sometimes it gets a little bit annoying when we've been at it for an hour, but other than that, it's really fun.

I love singing with my friends and performing with my friends because it tells a story.

PS22 Chorus member Analise Delgado

Amber Nobis, age 11: My favorite part is singing, and most importantly being around people that make me happy. Analise, Raphael, Aiden — they make me laugh and I feel good being around them. [I like] being in a community with people that like singing. Analise, I've known her for two years and I feel that she's my best friend. She's like a sister to me.

Analise Delgado, age 10: My favorite part of chorus is when we get to sing the songs and when we feel the music. It's where I get to embrace my feelings with others and it's really awesome. I love singing with my friends and performing with my friends because it tells a story.

What was it like performing at Mayor Mamdani's inauguration?

Nobis: It was an honor and it was beautiful. I used to be scared of being around a lot of people — basically stage fright. I thought the inauguration could help me build more confidence so if I get famous, nothing can bother me. Inside of my heart, I felt warm and comfortable with my friends.

Delgado: I thought it was really awesome. I didn't think there was going to be a lot of people there, but there was a ton of people. At least a million people*. It was just a really fun day for the whole chorus.

Working in a group is hard because everybody needs to cooperate. But it’s usually more fun and we can all spend time together.

PS22 Chorus member Shenan Lokupanagodage

Wolmart: It was very fun and rememberable to be singing at a very historic inauguration because it's our first Muslim mayor. Also, the person we sang with [Mandy Patinkin] is also very important. My grandfather watched him all the time and my mother grew up watching him … I searched up Mandy Patinkin and saw pictures of him from [back then], so it was really funny for me when I saw him and he was like a kind, cool grandpa.

What is one lesson you learned from being in the chorus?

Nobis: What I learned is that being around the people you love will give you more energy.

Jacob King, age 10: There's only so much you can accomplish alone. Say you're trying to reach something — you can't reach it by yourself, but then you have other people there. There's taller people, there's shorter people. The taller people can help the shorter people get what they need. It's like a trade. They help you, you help them.

Shenan Lokupanagodage, age 9: Working in a group is hard because everybody needs to cooperate. But it's usually more fun and we can all spend time together. I feel happy about this chorus year because I got to know more people and be friends with the fifth graders.