WAP: Fans have mixed reaction to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the WAPera
Legendary musical composer has given his own take on one of the biggest songs of the year
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Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is apparently a fan of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s new collaboration, “WAP”.
The composer and musical theatre legend had a go at a mashup of the hip-hop track, giving it a West End twist.
Attempting to dance to the beat, the 72-year-old is shown enjoying the “I don’t cook/ I don’t clean” bars before moving to the piano, where he plays the intro from his 1986 musical, Phantom of the Opera.
Fans had mixed reaction to Webber’s video, which he posted to TikTok.
One tweet by user @oneofthosefaces, who called to “ban TikTok immediately”, received more than 11,000 likes.
“What is 2020,” one viewer questioned, while another commented: “Losing my mind at this.”
Webber recently waded into the row surrounding the BBC Proms and the performance of the traditional anthem, “Rule, Britannia!”.
Controversy erupted after the BBC said the anthem would be performed as an instrumental version this year, due to the lack of audience who typically sing a rousing rendition at the Royal Albert Hall.
However, some critics claimed the BBC had dropped the lyrics due to the song’s perceived links with slavery and colonialism, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.
In an open letter to The Times, Webber wrote: “’Rule, Britannia!’ is one of those melodies that is made by a lyric.
“Played by an orchestra on its own the chorus will sound ordinary at best. There are some great British lyricists around who could fix the offending couplet.
“In the 50th anniversary year of Jesus Christ Superstar, the BBC should send for Tim Rice.”
Rice is Webber’s longtime collaborator, who co-wrote their Oscar-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” for 1994’s The Lion King.
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