[Video Link] The fantabulous Sophie Madeleine has been recording a ukulele song every day for a month. Here she is performing "Pure Imagination," from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. David and I love this song and Sophie's interpretation of it is delightful.

For the 30 days leading up to the "official" release of my album "The Rhythm You Started" on CD (in the UK) and on iTunes (US & UK) on the 25th of July, I've been uploading a cover song video every day. I've done a mixture of old songs, new songs, famous songs and not-so-famous songs, most of which have been requested by fans. This one seems to be getting the most attention at the moment -- a cover of Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People.

You can see all of Sophie's uke videos on one page here

Read more in Music at Boing Boing

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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jungletek

She’s a pretty pretty princess. Me gusta.
Nicky G

Pretty sure I’m now in love.

*sigh*
MacBookHeir

If she keeps up this pace, she could possibly play 365 uke songs in 365 days. It’s something to shoot for…
Bubba

Never heard of her and never liked that song but Jeebus Kreebus that’s one hell of a wonderful voice.
voiceinthedistance

“Pumped Up Kicks” – xoxoxo
randomguy

She’s got a great voice. It’s sort of a shame she’s using it to accompany such a hipster (and, coincidentally, pathetic) instrument.
- Pip_R_Lagenta
  
  My anti-hipster friend, Steven Strauss, would disagree with you about the ukulele: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZukTkiCEO_M
- Alvis
  
  Yeah, well, this is BoingBoing. You take the good with ukes, steampunk, and 3D printing.
- Mark Frauenfelder
  
  :(
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  You’ve got a great keyboard. It’s sort of a shame you’re using it to make such a snotty (and, coincidentally, pathetic) comment.
- Anonymous
  
  I love how “hipster” has become the new all purpose slur. It’s the 00′s “gay”. The ukelele provides a really nice clean and simple sound which underscores her “great voice” (you said it) perfectly.
  - PaulR
    
    In the old BBS days back in Montreal, we used to diffuse/redirect the slur ‘gay’, by swapping in happy in a sentence. Y’know, so that gay could recover it’s old pre-1970′s meaning.
    
    Try it: “Oh, that guy in the pink hot pants looks soooo happy!”
    
    Eventually, we replaced happy with debonair. Again: “Oh, really, you’re going to a CÃ©line Dion concert? That’s soooo debonair!”
    
    Of course, being fully-bilingual Montrealers we eventually devolved debonair into de bonne heure (early in the morning). This would completely confuse anyone who hadn’t read the last eighteen months worth of posts on Pyroto (Mountain 1A, Cory) and the venerable SASSy.
Anonymous

I’m learning the Ukulele right now and I’m extremely inspired by this lady. Thanks for the videos!
DoctressJulia

OK, I love the ukelele! Always have. Anyone heard of Johnny Ukelele? I have him on vinyl and it’s the shit! I gotta put up a torrent of it; it’s one of my favorite records. It never fails to put me in a mellow, tropical-type mood… :)

What I want to see more of is balalaika!
Anonymous

That’s nothing(!) My friend Will wrote and recorded a song every day for the 24 days of Advent last year, many of them using ukelele.

He’s stuck them all up on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EzfM99Y8K4
Bubba

Y’know I don’t think I’ve actually ever played a Ukelele, is it anything like a mandolin? ’cause they’re nice to play and would probably be European enough to satisfy the hipsters for a week or two.

What were ukelele players before the hipster movement? In some kinda instrmental limbo?Â¿ Although xylophone,… fair enough.
erg79

Ukuleles have become so mainstream. I’m really into the harpsichord now.
- CH
  
  But a harpsicord doesn’t travel so well. I’m suggesting the accordion as the next hipster instrument!
  - Felton / Moderator
    
    Good! That means that for once, I’ll be into something before it was cool.
  - Ugly Canuck
    
    Accordions?
    
    http://emvergeoning.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/cartoon.JPG
    
    Oh, hell.
Anonymous

Lovely voice.

I must say I’m a bit puzzled by the surge in ukulele players as well, and unfortunately a lot of the stuff I’ve seen is very…twee. But this was quite nice.
Bob K

Ukelele pathetic?

There are no pathetic instruments–only pathetic players.

Sophie M is not one of them. Nor is Lyle Ritz (give him a listen before dismissing uke as being merely hipster).

Sophie’s straight ahead delivery and “simple” playing are actually very effective. It’s all about the song.
Anonymous

When I was a kid growing up in Hawaii in the 70′s ukulele was the first instrument kids learned to play. Most kids I would think got some exposure to playing ukulele in school. Ukulele got major national exposure when some phone company (ATT?) featured israel kamakawiwo’ole playing somewhere over the rainbow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k&ob=av2n

There are some terrific players out there. Here’s Jake Shimabukuro playing while my guitar gently weeps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k
- billstewart
  
  Still true in the ’00s, at least in the Kihei schools. And bad ukulele players sound much better than bad Flute-o-phone plastic-recorder players, which is what we learned on in second grade.
Anonymous

At least she’s making something. Don’t rag on hipsters who actually do something. Rag on those who don’t do anything other than insult my lumberjack heritage.
catgrin

Shared. With pleasure : )

Sophie Madeleine plays 30 uke songs in 30 days

Read more in Music at Boing Boing

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