Layla Clark’s viral marimba cover of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” is bringing unexpected joy to millions around the world.
Layla Clark is a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School in Pennsylvania. During a halftime show she played a cover of ‘Thunderstruck’ by the rock band AC/DC. Written by Angus and Malcolm Young, the song was released in 1990. It is a massive, energetic rock anthem.
Layla didn’t play it on a guitar, though. She played it on the marimba, which is an instrument similar to a xylophone but built with wooden keys. Watching her tear up those keys you can just feel the sheer energy bouncing off the field. Playing a fast rock anthem on a marimba requires incredible speed and precision.
“Yes, it was so hard,” Layla said about the song. “It took me forever to actually get it down. And I’m not gonna lie, I still don’t have it perfected.” Even though she feels she hasn’t perfected it, acclaimed contemporary composer John Mackey saw the video and publicly called her a true “ROCK STAR.”
The performance actually happened a year ago. Her mom filmed it, and it went viral on TikTok back then especially because a mallet head flew off mid-performance. But recently, the video caught a second wind.
Celebrities and millions of others started sharing the Thomas Jefferson High School marching band clip. When she realized what was happening, Layla texted her mom at 3 in the morning, saying “Mom, I’m going viral again.”
The fame quickly reached the hallways of her school. “So it wasn’t the students that were the problem, it was the teachers,” Layla said. “My phone, like my e-mail, my school e-mail, was blowing up from teachers like, ‘Did you see your video? You’re viral. You’re viral.'” She is staying focused on her future despite the massive attention. She plans to go to college next year to become a veterinarian.
People asked why the video resonated with so many people across the globe. She kept her answer simple. “From what I’ve seen, people say it makes them happy,” she replied.
She practiced for hours to master a notoriously fast rock song. But when asked why people cared, she didn’t mention her talent at all. She just pointed straight to the joy it gave others.
I love that. She wasn’t trying to make the world smile. She just poured her heart into something she loved, and the joy followed on its own. I think that’s how it works for us too. We don’t have to try hard to bring joy to others. When we use what God has given us wholeheartedly, whether it’s a talent, our finances, or simply the ability to speak kindly to someone, He takes care of the rest.
Please pray for Layla as she heads off to college to become a veterinarian, that God would keep using her life to bring healing and happiness wherever she goes.
WATCH: High School Teen Turns ‘Thunderstruck’ Into a Viral Marimba Masterpiece
WATCH: Layla Clark Shares the Story Behind Her Viral ‘Thunderstruck’ Performance
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