Mason Ramsey the Walmart Yodel Boy performs at the Coachella Music Festival
In the age of social media-optimized pop culture, the stages in the lifecycle of the internet famous have become more predictable than ever before. It begins with the breakout of a meme, followed by an intense spur of press inquiries, and if lucky, peaks with a special guest spot on the popular daytime talk show Ellen the week after. Last year, a Nevada high school student who challenged Wendy's for a lifetime supply of chicken nuggets made the jump from millions of retweets to Ellen's couch in less than two weeks. The year before that, a California teenager took the same route to Ellen's studio with the once-ubiquitous tagline Damn Daniel, getting showered with a lifetime supply of white Vans. Yet, even for the luckier few, that is typically the end of the road before fading into obscurity.
Such is not the case with the latest viral video star Mason Ramsey, a.k.a the Walmart Yodel Boy.
Following his appearance on Ellen last week, everyone’s favorite bowtie’d singer performed on the same stage as Beyoncé last weekend, appearing at the Coachella music festival on a lineup that includes Cardi B, David Byrne and more.
yo @whethanmusic just brought out the yodel kid at coachella!! 😂🤠🤠 pic.twitter.com/BIBqv3UEFo
— paul.psd (@pauldonatelli) April 13, 2018
Ramsey was met with thunderous applause as DJ Whethan brought him to the stage of the festival’s Sahara Tent in Indio, California. sporting his signature cowboy boy hat and boots and red bowtie, he yodeled his was through his toe-tapping rendition of “Lovesick Blues.”
Eric Turtle tweeted a video of the performance, stating that he helped set the whole thing up after a recent DM to Ramsey. He wrote, "after the yodel kid followed me i dmed him to try and get him to come out as whethans guest at coachella. and it happened.”
after the yodel kid followed me i dmed him to try and get him to come out as whethans guest at coachella. and it happened. ur welcome everyone. i love u mason and i love the internet pic.twitter.com/VSjLjS9mU4
— eric turtle (@dubstep4dads) April 13, 2018
The Coachella gig put Yodel Boy mania into full swing at the festival and kept the 11-year-old performer's schedule busy throughout the weekend, meeting with fans and celebrity admirers alike, including Justin Bieber.
Peak 2018: kid who yodeled in Walmart once performs at Coachella and meets Justin Bieber. pic.twitter.com/tQId7IYRLi
— Amondo (@helloamondo) April 15, 2018
I just saw Walmart Yodel Boy perform at Coachella, my life is never going to be the same pic.twitter.com/JMnt5bjn3J
— Matt @ Coachella 2018 (@CMBYNmafia) April 13, 2018
From Walmart to Coachella, I see you yodel boy. pic.twitter.com/ezxaiyJyoY
— Gianna Chen (@xoxo_gianna1114) April 13, 2018
I just saw Walmart Yodel Boy perform at Coachella, my life is never going to be the same pic.twitter.com/JMnt5bjn3J
— Matt @ Coachella 2018 (@CMBYNmafia) April 13, 2018
The singer seemed quite happy with the turnout, posting a thank you note to Whethan on Instagram. "Shout out to @whethanmusic for bringing me out at @coachella. What a dream!” wrote Ramsey under the username @lilhankwilliams.
Hard to see where this goes from here, but it looks like doctors still haven’t found a cure for Walmart Yodel Boy’s lovesick blues.
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