Goodable

In a moving full-circle moment, Carrie Underwood reunited with Make-A-Wish alum Noel Miller, whom she first met in 2008 when Miller, then 12 and battling a heart condition, got her wish to meet the country star.

Now 28 and a dedicated WishMaker herself, Miller joined Underwood onstage during the finale of her Las Vegas residency to perform the chart-topping hit All-American Girl.

“That was so awesome, to be able to reunite with my idol, so great!” Miller said.

Underwood presented a donation to Make-A-Wish America of more than $200,000, representing $1 from every ticket sold in the residency.

April is World Wish Month and 2025 is the 45th anniversary of Make-A-Wish, the organization told Storyful.

In a moving full-circle moment, Carrie Underwood reunited with Make-A-Wish alum Noel Miller, whom she first met in 2008 when Miller, then 12 and battling a heart condition, got her wish to meet the country star. Now 28 and a dedicated WishMaker herself, Miller joined Underwood onstage during the finale of her Las Vegas residency to perform the chart-topping hit All-American Girl. “That was so awesome, to be able to reunite with my idol, so great!” Miller said. Underwood presented a donation to Make-A-Wish America of more than $200,000, representing $1 from every ticket sold in the residency. April is World Wish Month and 2025 is the 45th anniversary of Make-A-Wish, the organization told Storyful.

Carrie Underwood Just Had an Epic Reunion With a Make-A-Wish Alum

BBC News

After more than five decades of harmony, the voices of the Hartlepool Youth Choir will come together one last time.

The award-winning choir, founded in 1969 by music teacher and conductor Chris Simmons, is reuniting for a final Christmas concert in support of local charities. Former members from the 1970s are travelling from across the country to rehearse and perform at St George’s United Reformed Church on 14 December.

Now 81, Simmons said the decision to hold one final performance comes as the demands of organising concerts have become too much. “It is a poignant moment,” he said. “I was supposed to be stopping doing this last year.”

That decision was accelerated after Simmons took a heavy fall on the way to a rehearsal last year and spent two weeks in hospital. Fully recovered now, he’s ready to take the stage one last time — carefully.

“I told people I would have another go this year and try not to trip,” he joked. “The choir will practice hard and hopefully give a good showing.”

The concert will raise funds for Alice House Hospice and the Hartlepool Food Bank. Tickets are £5 and will be available at the door.

Founded to give young singers a chance to travel and perform, the choir became a staple of Hartlepool’s musical life. Under Simmons' leadership, it won the International Choral Competition in the former Yugoslavia, the European Youth Choral Competition in Belgium, and toured countries including Canada, the USA, and throughout Europe.

In recognition of his decades of musical service, Simmons was appointed MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list in June.

One former member, Beezy Marsh, now 57, remembers the choir as a formative part of her youth.

“We were immersed in this amazing world of music,” she said. “Chris believed in us. I remember being just 12 or 13 and singing in Venice after we competed against the Russian State Choir.”

Although the final concert will mark the official end of the Hartlepool Youth Choir’s long run, Marsh and others hope the connections built through music won’t fade.

“It’s sad bringing the chapter to a close,” she said, “but I hope we’ll still find a way to sing together.”

This Youth Choir Just Reunited for One Final Charity Concert — Here's Why

Bertie the Badger is back — a little worse for wear, but home safe.

The much-loved mascot of the Badger Bar in Rydal, Lake District, vanished earlier this week during a staff Christmas night out in nearby Ambleside. Staff had brought the taxidermy badger along for festivities at the White Lion Hotel on Monday, but at some point during the night, Bertie disappeared.

The pub reported him missing, and Cumbria Police issued an appeal. Then the story took off, gaining attention not just across the UK but as far away as the United States.

By Friday, the mystery had ended — with a cheerful twist.

“Bertie has just staggered back through the front door!” the Badger Bar posted on Facebook. “He seems to have had a merry time, his hat and tinsel have fallen off, and he's not telling what he's been up to. But he's been well looked after and we're grateful for that.”

Paul Knowles, owner of the Badger Bar, previously said Bertie had “pride of place” on a shelf near the bar and had become a firm favourite among customers, who often posed for photos with him. The badger’s exact origins are unclear, but Knowles believes he’s been part of the pub for decades.

“He's an integral part of the building and the history,” he said.

The Badger Bar got its name about 50 years ago, after a sett was discovered in the woods behind the building. Staff would leave out food and regularly spot the animals.

As for Bertie’s festive misadventure, he’s keeping his secrets — but his return has been warmly welcomed by staff and locals alike.

Beloved Badger Mascot Returns Home After Wild Night Out

When Jane White first arrived in Menorca, she never imagined she’d spend her days feeding donkeys — let alone fall in love with them.

“I was originally petrified of donkeys,” Jane admits. But now, caring for them has become her life.

Jane, 54, and her husband Dennis, 59, left Leicester six years ago after Dennis was made redundant from a design firm. Looking for a fresh start, they moved to the Spanish island, hoping to build a slower, more fulfilling life.

What they didn’t expect was to end up helping run a donkey sanctuary.

Shortly after settling into their new home in 2020 — and just days before Spain’s COVID lockdown began — the couple discovered Menorca Donkey Rescue, a self-funded sanctuary nearby. Once restrictions lifted, they visited the sanctuary and found the small team of volunteers overwhelmed.

“We realised we really, really loved the animals and the interactions with the people,” said Dennis. Seeing how much help was needed, they offered to pitch in and promote the charity. Before long, they were volunteering every summer.

Now, the couple helps Gundi Grass, the woman who founded the sanctuary, care for 17 donkeys. That includes feeding, cleaning, and making sure each donkey is healthy and safe while Gundi works full-time.

Dennis says it gave them structure and purpose. “When we moved over, we needed something to do so we could enjoy the days off. We have also met people from all over, and you see the good work the volunteers do, which inspires you to carry on.”

For Jane, the transformation was personal. Having grown up with dogs and other domestic animals, donkeys were outside her comfort zone. But everything changed once she got to know them.

“All of a sudden, you’re having to feed these big animals and you fall in love with them,” she said. “They’ve all got their own little personalities.”

Currently, the land the sanctuary sits on is owned by three private individuals who allow it to be used for free. But the land is now up for sale — and Jane and Dennis are determined to buy it themselves to keep the sanctuary going.

They’ve set up a GoFundMe page to raise the money needed and plan to devote even more time to the project. At the moment, it’s just Jane, Dennis, and Gundi running the facility.

“We’ve been drawn in,” said Dennis. “It becomes your life.”

Woman Overcomes Fear Of Donkeys, Now Dedicates Life To Their Rescue

Before he was helping Lady Gaga craft Grammy-nominated pop anthems, Henry Walter was a quiet teenager in Halifax learning how to scratch vinyl and chop samples. Today, he’s better known as Cirkut — a behind-the-scenes powerhouse whose production credits include some of the biggest songs of the last 15 years.

He’s helped shape hits like Katy Perry’s Roar, Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball, and The Weeknd’s Starboy. And this year, with seven Grammy nominations, Walter is finally getting the recognition that’s long followed his work — just not always his name.

But for Walter, the path to that stage started with four formative years in Halifax’s music scene.

A Halifax Beginning

Born in Ottawa and raised mostly in Montreal, Walter moved to Halifax in the early 2000s, attending Armbrae Academy and later St. Patrick’s High School. That’s where he began taking music seriously.

“Halifax people and the [music] scene had a big effect on me, for sure,” Walter told CBC News from a studio in Los Angeles.

He immersed himself in the city’s local hip hop community, hanging out at Revolution Records, where now-renowned DJ Skratch Bastid (Paul Murphy) worked and performed on turntables when he wasn’t helping customers. Walter would watch closely.

“I guess you never do know who’s watching, so as an artist, put your all into what you do and be yourself,” said Murphy, who now lives in Toronto. “And just that might be enough for someone else to be inspired.”

Another local artist, DJ IV (Brian Pelrine), also remembers spotting Walter’s talent early. The two met through a mutual friend and started collaborating on a weekly online radio show. They’d spend hours scratching, sampling, and bouncing tracks off each other in a Sunday session they called RTN — Rebel Tactics Network.

“The first time I met him, I was just like, ‘Wow, this kid’s really nice with it. Like, he’s very, very talented,’ and he was a savant back then,” said Pelrine.

Building Beats, One Sample at a Time

Without formal training, Walter taught himself how to make beats by trial and error. He chopped up records, studied how tracks were built, and tried to assemble them into something cohesive.

“I was taking records and I was chopping it up, and I was trying to form them together into some semblance of a musical-like composition,” he said.

He was always wearing headphones, trying to deconstruct songs to figure out how they worked. Others in Halifax’s scene still remember missing out on the chance to rap over his early beats.

Murphy described him as quiet, but never shy. “He just had a good smile about him and he sort of let his work speak for himself in some ways.”

The Break That Opened Doors

In 2004, Walter moved to Toronto to attend audio engineering school and kept building his skills. Then, in 2008, a phone call from his lawyer changed everything.

A CD of his beats had made its way into a writing session — and ended up on Britney Spears’s Circus album. The track? Mmm Papi.

“It made me feel like, ‘OK, I’m not crazy. I can do this,’” said Walter.

That one placement opened the door to more. He joined the electro-rap group Let’s Go To War as a DJ and co-producer, releasing an album in 2009. But eventually, he realized he didn’t want to perform or tour.

“I look back on that and I’m like, ‘Man, I really didn’t know what I was doing.’ But… I can look back and be like, ‘OK, I can see what I was trying to do.’”

He kept grinding — even working in call centres to make ends meet — and eventually moved to Los Angeles in 2012. Since then, the hits haven’t stopped.

‘I Love Making Music’

Walter’s calm demeanor extends into the studio, where he describes himself as laid back but open to leading when needed.

“Everyone should always feel like they have the ability to throw out any idea and not be… ridiculed for it,” he said. “It’s a safe space to create and kind of do whatever, collaborate.”

His recent work with Lady Gaga came through producer Andrew Watt, a longtime collaborator. After working together on a Britney Spears–Elton John project, they teamed up for Gaga’s Mayhem album.

“She’s an incredible artist,” said Walter. “I had always wanted to work with her… she’s become just a friend and a close collaborator.”

One of the album’s standout tracks, Abracadabra, started with a random beat Walter played during a break in the studio.

“She was like, ‘What is that? That’s crazy.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s just this random beat thing I made.’ And she got really excited about it.”

That beat became the post-chorus, and Abracadabra went on to earn a nomination for Song of the Year.

Recognition at Last

Walter is up for seven Grammy Awards in 2026 — including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, and Album of the Year for Mayhem. Only Kendrick Lamar has more nominations this year.

Still, Walter says the awards are just “the cherry on top.”

“I love making music,” he said. “I love the process of making music, no matter what.”

Pelrine, who still keeps in touch with Walter, sometimes scrolls through his discography online.

“Every single hit that I like that was on the radio was made by him,” said Pelrine. “It’s crazy.”

And for Walter, it’s still a little surreal.

“I’m like, wow, Lady Gaga is sitting right there and she just liked my beat that I just played and we’re making a whole album,” he said. “Like, what is my life?”

From Halifax to Hollywood: How Cirkut Quietly Became One of Music’s Biggest Hitmakers

GoodGoodGood

From Olympic Housing to Ocean Guardians: 20 of the Week’s Best Good News Stories

From repurposed Olympic housing in Milan to a potential Nobel Prize for the planet, here are the most uplifting stories this week, proving that progress is happening all around us — even if it doesn’t always make the headlines.

After the 2026 Winter Olympics wrap up in Italy, the main athletes' village in Milan will be converted into student housing, with 1,700 beds including subsidized units for locals. Another village in Cortina will be removed entirely to restore the site to nature. The move reflects a broader shift in how host cities are thinking about sustainability and long-term legacy.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma, a longtime school bus driver is knitting custom winter hats and scarves for every child on her route. Tina Hutcherson has already handed out 25 hats, using a knitting machine her daughter gave her. “I just don’t want nobody to be without,” she said.

One of the biggest stories this week came out of Detroit, where 88-year-old grocery store worker and veteran Ed Bambas received over $1.7 million in donations after a viral video revealed he had lost his pension and was still working to pay off debt. More than 50,000 strangers contributed.

Another remarkable act of generosity: a San Jose couple opened their home to 50 strangers fleeing a nearby mall shooting. “They were like angels,” said one person who found shelter.

In global health, a new report shows measles deaths have dropped 88 percent since 2000, saving nearly 59 million lives, thanks largely to vaccinations. Africa stood out for making even more progress, with a 40 percent decline in cases in just five years.

On the clean energy front, Connecticut’s Solar Marketplace Assistance Program has funded $145 million in solar projects across schools, towns, and housing developments typically overlooked by private investors. Despite its small size, the state now ranks fifth nationwide for solar power in schools.

Portland, Oregon, just approved over $64 million in clean energy grants for 60 nonprofit-led projects. The city’s voter-backed Portland Clean Energy Fund has now committed $1.7 billion to nonprofits tackling everything from sustainable housing to electric vehicle access.

And while the debate often pits emotion against reason, a new study shows that empathy and logic together are what most often drive people to help others. That’s also true online: the simple act of opening a browser tab through “Tab for a Cause” has now raised over $2 million for charity.

On the philanthropy front, billionaire MacKenzie Scott announced she donated $7.1 billion in 2025 alone — almost triple her previous year’s giving. Most of her donations are no-strings-attached and focused on equity-based causes.

Also in the works: a campaign led by climate activists is pushing the Nobel Committee to create a Climate Nobel Prize. Tree-planting nonprofit Ecosia even offered to fund the first €1 million prize if the committee agrees.

Other highlights from the week:

.• New fossils in Qatar show that “sea cows” like manatees and dugongs have been quietly protecting ocean ecosystems for tens of millions of years.

• A Denver middle school cut chronic absenteeism after offering incentives like getting to “pie a teacher.”

• U.S. museums and libraries are getting their federal grants reinstated, after previous cuts.

• Delta is giving out gift cards to 100,000 people who commit small acts of kindness.

• Mexico is raising its minimum wage by 13 percent and planning to limit the workweek to 40 hours by 2030.

• This year’s Rhodes Scholars include students focused on housing, health, and sustainability.

• Over 230 environmental groups are calling for a national pause on new energy-hungry data centers.

• Chile banned smartphone use in schools to improve focus and mental health among kids.

• Girls Who Code has now reached 760,000 students, half from underrepresented groups.

• New York City tied its record for the longest stretch without a homicide, and saw its lowest-ever number of shootings in 2024.

• A major coal-fired power plant in Utah shut down operations with no disruption to energy users.

• In India, 118 million women are now receiving unconditional cash transfers for unpaid domestic work.

• A Colorado city invested $21 million in affordable housing this year, its biggest-ever one-year commitment.

• A gene-editing cancer therapy reversed aggressive blood cancers in some patients, with one still in remission years later.

• A Detroit restaurant transformed itself into a full-time art gallery to support Black artists.

• A 3D-printed, plant-based surfboard company is reducing microplastic pollution in oceans.

• A local school district in Colorado is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to build affordable homes — and teach students skilled trades at the same time.

• A grassroots climate group is supporting local political candidates in city and state elections.

• After 16 years of work, volunteers helped red squirrels return to northeastern Scotland.

• Finally, in a feel-good moment for London wildlife, white storks are expected to return to the city after being extinct there since 1419.

The Best From Around The World This Week

It turns out quicksand isn’t just a cliché from Saturday morning cartoons — it’s a real hazard, at least sometimes, in Utah’s Arches National Park.

An experienced hiker found that out the hard way last Sunday when he sank up to his thigh in wet, shifting sand while crossing a small canyon. He was on the second day of a 20-mile backpacking trip when he became stuck and couldn’t free himself.

Stranded and alone, he activated an emergency satellite beacon. The distress call was relayed to Grand County Search and Rescue, and coordinator John Marshall got the call just after 7 a.m.

“I was just rolling out of bed,” Marshall said. “I’m scratching my head, going, ‘Did I hear that right? Did they say quicksand?’”

The hiker wasn’t officially named by authorities, but he spoke with Fox13 and identified himself as Austin Dirks.

“Before this trip, I honestly thought quicksand was more of a folklore or a legend,” Dirks told the outlet.

Dirks had stumbled into a section of wet sand that refilled as quickly as he could dig it away. A park ranger who arrived first had tossed him a shovel, but the flowing muck made self-rescue nearly impossible. Temperatures in the canyon were in the minus-single digits Celsius — and Dirks had been standing in the freezing slurry for hours.

Rescuers arrived with a drone, traction boards, a ladder, and backboards. They used the drone to scout the scene, then slowly worked Dirks’ leg free using the boards and ladder for stability. Once free, he was warmed up until he could stand — and remarkably, he hiked out under his own power, carrying his backpack.

Dirks later described the experience as very different from the way it’s shown in movies.

“The human body is more buoyant than the quicksand, so you’ll never sink to above your head,” he said.

Marshall backed that up, explaining that while quicksand can be dangerous, full-body submersion is more myth than reality.

“In quicksand you’re extremely buoyant,” he said. “Most people won’t sink past their waist.”

Marshall should know — he’s dealt with quicksand rescues before.

Back in 2014, he helped rescue a 78-year-old woman who got stuck for over 13 hours in a canyon just two miles from where Dirks had his ordeal. The woman’s book club raised the alarm after she missed a meeting. They found her car at a trailhead and alerted authorities. She made a full recovery.

“Both had very happy endings,” Marshall said.

Quicksand in Arches National Park may be rare, but it’s not unheard of. The park is better known for its stunning red rock formations and its more than one million visitors a year. Most rescues involve heat exhaustion, broken bones, or lost hikers — not slow-sinking sand traps.

Even so, 2025 has been a busy year for the Grand County Search and Rescue team. According to a Facebook post earlier this month, they’ve responded to 140 calls so far this year, racking up nearly 2,900 volunteer hours.

Among the more unusual rescues: a canyoneer who got her hair stuck in a rappel device and a couple trapped in their Jeep after trying to drive through a flooded road.

As for Dirks, he’s got a story that sounds like it came straight out of a movie — only this time, it’s real.

Rescue Team Saves Hiker From Quicksand in Utah's Arches National Park

A Nelson, England, family known for decking their house with dazzling lights and a towering inflatable Grinch are once again giving back to the community in a big way—by handing out dozens of free food hampers and Christmas presents to families who need a little extra help this season.

Joanne and Andrew Bridge have been running their festive display and giveaway since 2022, after their grandchildren encouraged them to go big with the Christmas decorations. What started as a fun way to light up their street has quickly grown into a full-fledged community event, complete with marshmallow toasting, Santa’s grotto, and a meet-the-Grinch photo opportunity.

“We recognise things are hard for people,” said Joanne. “We just wanted to offer something free, something fun, something that helps.”

Their event—dubbed The Bridges Who Stole Christmas—is entirely free to attend, and this year the couple set a goal of giving away 80 food parcels over the holidays. They've already handed out 41 in the first week alone.

The Bridges’ neighbours, the Meadway family, joined the effort in 2023 and now host Santa’s grotto. Together, the two families have created a festive pop-up unlike anything else in the area.

“There’s nothing ever like this around Nelson,” said Courtney Fielding, who brought her kids to the event on Wednesday. “It’s amazing. It’s nice for the community how they do it for free.”

In addition to their eye-catching display—which includes a two-storey inflatable Grinch looming over the hedge—the Bridges put together food hampers filled with staples like pasta, coffee, and cereal. The food is packed into washing-up bowls, wrapped in clear plastic, and tied with ribbon. Each one carries a note that reads: “Merry Christmas. In a world where you can be anything, be kind. From our family to yours. #merrybridgemas.”

While many visitors offered to donate money, Joanne said the family wasn’t interested in financial gain. Instead, they asked for food donations to help fill the hampers.

“We just go with smiles and joy and we are happy to be helping people out,” she said. “It can be quite emotional for some, some embarrassment, but we just want to make it feel normal, generous, and kind.”

On the gift-giving side, the Meadways have distributed dozens of presents to families who might otherwise struggle to put gifts under the tree. They've already given away 13 toy packages, with another five scheduled to go out before Christmas.

“There’s no judgement,” said Andrew Meadway. “They can come and take what they need for their families. And that way, no kid should go without a present this year.”

For kids like Niveya, the experience is pure magic. “It’s really good, and it’s amazing how they put it up,” she said. “It looks really good.”

Siblings Benjamin Samuel and Billy agreed. “It’s amazing, it’s proper good,” said Benjamin. “It’s good to make kids happy,” added Billy.

The final event of the year will take place on Wednesday evening from 18:30 to 19:30 GMT. The families hope to hand out the rest of their hampers before Christmas, continuing a tradition that has quickly become one of Nelson’s most uplifting holiday stories.

Grinch, Grotto, and Giving: Families Hand Out Free Food and Gifts for Christmas Kindness

People

A Des Moines reporter got the surprise of her life when what she thought was a routine assignment turned out to be her own engagement.

KCCI’s Pepper Purpura arrived at the Robert D. Ray Asian Garden in downtown Des Moines believing she was there to cover a story. Instead, she found her partner, Kai, waiting with a ring—and a camera crew ready to capture the moment.

The station revealed that the proposal had been in the works for weeks, with Kai coordinating behind the scenes with the KCCI news team to pull off the perfect surprise. The setup meant that cameras were rolling without raising any red flags, and the snowy park served as the ideal backdrop.

“Our own Pepper Purpura is engaged! And we got the proposal on camera,” said KCCI anchor Ben Kaplan during the evening broadcast.

Video footage shows Kai dropping to one knee as a stunned Purpura takes in what’s happening. Her expression quickly shifts from shock to joy before she says yes and the couple shares a warm embrace.

“Everyone involved was excited to play a part, and I’m so glad that it all worked out,” said KCCI executive producer Tisa Tollenaar. “And, of course, that she said yes.”

KCCI also shared a photo of the ring: a black marquis-cut gemstone surrounded by white stones on a gold band, a non-traditional choice that stood out just as much as the proposal itself.

Kaplan had high praise for his colleague and her new fiancé. “Pepper is like the sweetest, kindest person, and so good on Kai for making a proposal worthy of a girl like Pepper! So, really happy for you guys — Kai, welcome to the KCCI family!” he said.

The newly engaged couple now has a proposal video that doubles as a top-tier news segment—and a moment neither of them will forget.

This Reporter Covering a Routine Assignment Just Got the Surprise of a Lifetime: A Marriage Proposal

GLoucester’s historic docks are getting a little extra cheer this week, thanks to a café owner with a big voice and an even bigger goal: to break the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous singing of Christmas songs.

Dave Purchase, who runs the toasted sandwich café On Toast, is attempting to sing holiday tunes non-stop for 42 hours straight. That’s 38 songs, repeated 18 times each — from midnight on 10 December to the evening of the 12th.

Why do it? Purchase said it was part stunt, part community spirit.

“I really want to bring the world record to Gloucester,” he said. “A real community event here.”

The idea started as a way to help the city’s docks draw in more foot traffic. “I’ve worked at On Toast for 15 years,” he said. “I wanted to try something mad.”

He started training for the challenge back in January. “All the way through summer... anybody who passed my flat probably thought there was some nutcase in there,” he joked.

The singathon began on schedule, but a technical hiccup forced him to restart about half an hour later. Since then, Purchase has been working his way through the marathon playlist, supported by a rotating cast of choirs and costumed characters.

A local dementia choir and a children’s choir are helping lift his spirits along the way. So are members of the public — many dressed as characters from popular Christmas songs. That includes appearances from the Wombles and a Mariah Carey impersonator.

The rules set by Guinness are strict. Purchase is only allowed a five-minute break every hour, or he can earn a 20-minute break by singing non-stop for four hours. Between songs, he gets just 20 seconds to catch his breath.

He’s being closely monitored at all times. Two official timekeepers are with him at all hours, and the entire event is being filmed with a visible clock to verify the attempt.

Despite the grueling schedule, Purchase says the support from his community has made it doable.

“The team helping me have been brilliant,” he said. “They’ve been working tirelessly... without them I couldn’t have done this.”

If successful, Purchase will bring the record to Gloucester — and spread more than just holiday cheer. He hopes the festive feat draws attention and visitors to the area during the busy season.

With songs on repeat and the clock ticking, the local sandwich-maker-turned-record-chaser is banking on stamina, support, and a steady stream of Christmas classics to get him across the finish line.

This Café Owner Tries to Sing His Way Into the Record Books — One Christmas Song at a Time

ABC News

At SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the pregame roar of 70,000 football fans is punctuated by something unexpected — the opening notes of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” not from a guitar amp, but a trumpet and guitarrón.

Perched on the concourse above the field, Crystal Hernández steadies her violin as fans wearing blue-and-gold Rams jerseys pass by. Some wear charro suits and sombreros. A rock guitarist rips a solo while her mariachi ensemble locks in behind her. Phones come out. Fans stop in their tracks. This is what NFL game day sounds like in Los Angeles now.

The Mariachi Rams are the league’s first official mariachi band, and they’re rewriting the soundtrack of American football by blending traditional Mexican music with the hip-hop and rock beats that define the city. At any given game, you might hear mariachi versions of Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé — or Tupac.

“It’s special because we get to show how versatile mariachi music is to the NFL audience,” said Crystal Hernández, the ensemble’s only female member and the daughter of mariachi legend José Hernández.

José founded the group in 2019 after a Rams staffer showed him a video of a mariachi band performing at a soccer match and asked: “Could this work for football?”

He didn’t hesitate. Today, the Mariachi Rams are a 10-piece ensemble performing everything from “El Rey” to a brass-heavy take on “California Love.” For Hernández, it’s all about pride and passion — and representing a city with no single sound.

“The things that come out of our communities, all of our communities, we all represent each other,” said rapper Xzibit, who performed with the USC Marching Band during halftime of a Rams game against the Buccaneers. “To be brought into something where culture is embraced on that level — that’s when you feel like you’re part of something that matters.”

José Hernández’s vision for the Mariachi Rams was about more than just performance. It was about cultural fluency — making sure the sounds of Los Angeles were reflected inside its biggest stadium.

“When they see young musicians on that jumbotron at SoFi playing songs they completely connect with, you can’t even imagine the pride they feel,” he said.

The band features Santiago Espinoza on vihuela, Mateo Real on guitar, Joshua Gutierrez on guitarrón, Kevin Ramirez and Christopher Rubalcava on trumpet, Crystal Hernández, Adrian Arias, Ricardo Rios, Ricardo Cisneros, and Joaquin Telles on violin.

Many of them spend their weekdays far from stadium lights. Some are teachers, graphic designers, bankers, or classical musicians. Several teach at the Hernández family's mariachi academy. On Sundays, they step into the spotlight.

“They have careers, their regular jobs during the week,” said José Hernández. “For them to put on that suit and to go to SoFi and to play … you just can’t imagine the pride that they feel.”

That pride shows up in the crowd, too. Espinoza, who plays the vihuela and teaches music, says people often stop to tell them it was their first time hearing mariachi live — and that they loved it.

“The energy and the vibe that it gives is just electric,” Espinoza said. “Even the players on the field notice… the whole stadium is interconnected. It’s like a big family. We like to call it the Ramilia.”

The Mariachi Rams perform three times during home games: once when the gates open, again during the first quarter, and later depending on the game’s pace. They’ve also expanded into community events and team activations around Los Angeles. Earlier this month, they joined the band War for a holiday rendition of “Feliz Navidad” at SoFi.

Marissa Daly, the Rams’ senior vice president of studio and marketing, said the band has become so integrated into game day that fans notice when something’s off.

“There was maybe one game where we had to cut one of their performances,” Daly said. “It was like, ‘Why did they only play twice?’”

Other NFL teams have taken note. The Houston Texans now include mariachi in their cultural programming, but the Rams were the first to build it into the game-day routine. That decision aligns with the NFL’s broader strategy to reach more diverse and global audiences.

In Los Angeles, mariachi is more than tradition — it’s part of everyday life. It’s heard at quinceañeras, parades, weddings, and even championship celebrations. Bringing that sound into the NFL wasn’t about importing culture. It was about showcasing what was already there.

“Our main logo is the two letters ‘Los Angeles.’ It’s LA, right?” said Daly. “You can’t not celebrate Mexican American culture if you’re an Angeleno.”

For Crystal Hernández, the moment is personal. She’s the only woman in the band, and the first in seven generations of her family’s musicians to do it at this level. She says being on that stage is about more than just performing.

“It makes people feel seen,” she said. “It makes them feel excited to see that their home team, the Rams, recognizes that and embraces it.”

Her father sees it as a starting point.

“I think it’s the beginning of a movement in the NFL,” said José Hernández. “If these teams know they have Latino fans supporting them, they’re going to think of bringing mariachi too.”

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