♪ (ragtime music) ♪
- (Finebros) Today, we are not having you react to a video.
- Okay.
- (sharp gasp) Well then... heck with that.
- (Finebros) Instead, you're reacting to an app.
- An app?
- I'm not exactly sure what an app is.
- An app?
I know you put 'em on your phone. (laughs)
- Remember the days when app meant appetizer?
(movie reel clicks)
- (Finebros) The app is called musical.ly.
Have you heard of musical.ly before? - Uh, musically inclined.
- "Musically"? I know the word.
- Uh-uh. Musical?
- My best guess, really thinking hard on it,
is it has something to do with music.
- (Finebros) All right, so we're going to give you an iPhone
and let you play around with the app a bit.
- Oh fun.
- I think I'm gonna need glasses for this.
- Oh, I bet it goes this way. Yes.
- (Finebros) From this app, you can create and watch videos
that people upload... - Oh, okay.
- (Finebros) ...but you yourself can record
your own short music video to your favorite songs,
so today we are going to have you make your own music video.
- Oh no!
- Let's give it a shot.
- Considering I've never done a music video before, I'll do it.
Now, can I pick my favorite kind of music?
- (Finebros) We'll start with songs that you might recognize.
- All right.
- (Finebros) For your début performance, you can either do
"Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley or "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees.
- Oh wait-- I know Hound Dog, sort of.
- Stayin' Alive sounds good.
- All I know is ♪ Stayin' alive, stayin' alive ♪
- I'll stick with my Elvis. I love my Elvis.
- (Finebros) Okay, so just hold down that big red button
and you can start recording. - Okay, I'll give it a try.
- Three, two, one, blast off.
♪ (drum roll) ♪
- (Elvis) ♪ You ain't nothin'-- ♪ - ♪ But a hound dog ♪
- ♪ You ain't nothin' but a hound dog ♪
- ♪ Cryin' all the time ♪
- (Elvis) ♪ You ain't nothin'-- ♪ - ♪ But a hound dog ♪... that's all I know.
- (Elvis) ♪ ...ain't nothin' but a hound dog ♪
♪ Cryin' all the time ♪
- ♪ Stayin' alive ♪
♪ Ah, ah, ah, ah ♪
- (singing shrilly)
♪ I'm- whoo! ♪ (boisterous laughter)
- (Finebros) And now your video will play back. Check it out.
- (Elvis) ♪ You ain't nothin' but a hound dog ♪
(laughing)
- (Elvis) ♪ Cryin' all the time ♪ - (cracking up) God!
- (Elvis) ♪ You ain't never caught a rabbit ♪
- (Elvis) ♪ Cryin' all the time ♪ - Oh, [bleep] me.
- (Finebros) How do you think you did? - Eh, not that good. (laughs)
- I was fairly animated.
Uh, I would like a hairpiece.
- (Finebros) Now that you've done a song from YOUR generation,
let's do a song from today. - Oh my gosh.
- Oh great. Let's see what that's gonna be.
- (Finebros) We're going to have you sing along to your choice
of "Sorry" by Justin Bieber or "Work from Home" by Fifth Harmony.
- Okay.
- I don't know either one of 'em, so... (laughing).
- Never heard of Fifth Harmony.
I've heard of Justin Bieber, so I'll do that one.
- (spitefully) I don't wanna hear Bieber.
We all know how I feel about BIEBER.
- Can you play a little of it so I can at least know what it is?
- (Justin) ♪ Is it too late now to say sorry ♪
- (Fifth Harmony) ♪ You don't gotta go to work (to work, to work) ♪
- Is that "work, work with your body"?
- Pressing hold.
- (Fifth Harmony) ♪ You don't gotta go to work (to work, to work) ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ You can work from home ♪
- (humming along) ♪ Doo, doo, doo ♪
- ♪ You don't have to work, work, work, work ♪
But you got to!
♪ (Fifth Harmony harmonizes) ♪
- (feebly) ♪ Whoa ♪
♪ Ah, ah ♪
(giggling) I don't know.
- ♪ Is it too late to say I'm sorry ♪
- (Justin) ♪ Is it too late now to say sorry ♪
♪ ...too late now to say sorry ♪
♪ Is it too late now to say sorry ♪
- (sobbing softly) - (Justin) ♪ Yeah, I know... ♪
(music stops abruptly) (tsks)
- (Fifth Harmony) ♪ Work, work, work ♪ - Yeah, I got the beat.
- (Fifth Harmony) ♪ Yeah, we don't have to work ♪
- I'm like-- I'm nowhere near what it is.
- (Justin) ♪ ...than just your body ♪ - (snickering)
- (Finebros) So what did you think about this music video?
- Oh, crazy. (laughing)
- I think my musical career... - (Justin) ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
- ...is over before it started.
- (Finebros) Now you also have several speed options
that they give you to use, and a popular one is the fast setting,
which will play the song in slow motion and then speed it up.
Let's give that one a shot. - Oh, all right. We'll try that.
- (Fifth Harmony in slow-mo) ♪ Work, work (yeah) ♪
♪ Work (yeah) ♪
♪ You don't have to work ♪
- (flatly) ♪ Work, work, work ♪
- (Justin in slow-mo) ♪ ...more than just your body ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
- ♪ I can't understand any of the words you're singing ♪
- (Justin) ♪ ...your body ♪
(sped up) ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ - (wheezy laughter)
- (Justin, sped up) ♪ I miss you more than just your body ♪
- (Fifth Harmony, sped up) ♪ Work, work (yeah) ♪
♪ We don't have to work ♪ (laughing)
- (Fifth Harmony) ♪ Work, work ♪
♪ Yeah, we can work from home ♪
- (gushing) It's so much fun!
Oh, I just love that.
- (Finebros) So what do you think about it? - I think it's amazing.
You know, it's another step of entertainment.
- I think a lot of people have a lot of fun with it. I did.
- It's really interesting. It's very fun.
I could see why kids would enjoy it.
- That's just amazing. I mean, you know...
I can do the next "Why You Always Lyin'?"
- We didn't have all this.
We would sing in front of the mirror,
and we'd have a record or something playing in the background.
So... we don't need the mirror any more.
- (Finebros) Lip syncing is obviously a huge part of this app.
Why do you think people enjoy lip syncing so much?
- Well, because if they're not singers, it makes 'em sound really good.
- It gives you your little chance to play along
like you were some kind of super star.
- It's sort of like wearing a Halloween costume,
I guess, in some ways-- only vocally.
- (Finebros) Musical.ly is hugely popular, especially for younger people.
What do you think is the appeal of an app like this
for the younger generation? - You're a star!
Come on, you're a star!
- 'Cause they like music and they all think they're stars.
They all think they're going to be singers.
And, of course, if Justin Bieber can get there,
(laughing) I guess you don't need a whole lot of talent.
- You get to play along. You get to see yourself.
You get to show your friends.
You get a good laugh when you screw it up.
- Everybody really secretly wants to be a rock star.
So this way you get to do it and you really don't get judged.
You just have fun.
- It's quick, it's fast. You've got it right now.
You can see exactly what you look like.
You don't have to wait for film to get developed.
It's almost like taking a selfie, only much more evolved.
- (Finebros) Musical.ly has become so popular,
and there are even people who are stars on the app
that have millions of people who check out their musicals.
- I bet. I wouldn't be surprised.
- (Finebros) What do you think about the idea
that people are getting famous this way? - Well, I don't really understand that
they're becoming famous with a lip sync.
- Everybody wants their 15 seconds or 15 minutes of fame.
As long as they get serious and find something to do in life
other than being a singer.
- To me, it's astounding because none of this was here, what, 20 years ago.
- I think it's great.
I think, you know, there's another dimension of themself,
as well as demonstrating another dimension of the original.
- (Finebros) There are so many apps that are coming out these days.
Do you keep up with all the popular ones?
I don't know how to spell "app".
- No, of course not.
- No, 'cause I don't have an iPhone.
I don't have any cellphone.
- I have not one app! One! Not one.
But now I think I might get this one.
- I really don't quite understand it.
I don't under what the appeal is or why or how to pick.
I'll just go play Bridge with friends of mine.
- (Finebros) Finally, now that you understand how musical.ly works,
do you think this is an app that you'll use again in the future?
- I think so.
I'm gonna ask my grandchildren today if they have it.
And if they don't, I'm gonna tell them to go get it!
- Maybe I would... NOT!
- Oh yeah, I can hardly wait.
- I think I would like this one. I would enjoy it.
- Is there a free download?
- (Finebros) Yes, it is a free app.
- (giggling) ABSOLUTELY!
(laughs) I'm gonna love this sucker.
- Thanks for watching this episode of Elders React.
- Like what you saw? Then hit that subscribe button.
- Let us know in the comments which app we should react to next.
- See you soon.
♪ (ragtime music) ♪